The Eichtalpark Hamburg: A model project

Hamburg’s Eichtalpark in the Wandsbek district is to become a climate park. The first measures are already underway. Read more about the climate park here.

The hot and dry summers of recent years are affecting parks all over Germany. Wandsbeker Eichtalpark, with its oaks and other trees, shrubs and lawns, has also suffered from the drought. Weather extremes such as heavy rain and flooding are also difficult for small rivers such as the Wandse, which flows through the park, to cope with. As a model park project, Hamburg’s Eichtalpark in Wandsbek is to become a so-called climate park. This means that the green space will be prepared for climate change and become more attractive at the same time. To this end, various measures are planned by the Wandsbek district office by the end of 2024, such as the renaturation of the Wandse river, a “climate grove” of adapted tree species, an informative climate trail and a climate station. There are currently three weather stations in the park.

The climate park covers a total area of ten hectares. It is being implemented in dialog with the people of Wandsbek, and the project is intended to serve as a role model beyond Hamburg’s city limits. The federal government and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg are funding the measures with around 3.73 million euros as part of the “Federal Program for the Adaptation of Urban Areas to Climate Change”.

The planned measures are intended to make Hamburg’s Eichtalpark fit for climate change. They serve both to adapt to climate change and to mitigate its consequences. In future, Eichtalpark, which is located in the middle of the park, will be able to retain precipitation much better and store it for longer. This corresponds to the planning concept of a sponge city, which stores water instead of draining it away.

Renovation and modernization measures are also planned for the park, for example to make the park entrances more visible. New housing in the area and the increased use of the park during the coronavirus pandemic have led to significantly more people using Eichtal Park. This has also changed the demands placed on the park in terms of local recreation, sport and encounters. The climate-friendly, ecological upgrading of the park goes hand in hand with raising users’ awareness of the effects of climate change. In future, Eichtalpark will be even more in line with Hamburg’s climate and nature conservation goals.

As the largest park in Wandsbek, Eichtalpark is part of the approximately 17-kilometre-long Wandse green corridor between the Outer Alster and the city limits in Hamburg. The project area includes the Eichtalpark and the transition areas to the green corridor. Initial measures have already been implemented on the basis of the funding application, while further projects are to be developed in dialog with citizens.

The three weather measuring stations have already been installed. The informative climate trail with a climate station, the new “climate grove” and an analysis of the green corridor and its function as a cold air and fresh air corridor are to follow. The district is also planning to develop near-natural habitats in the park, further develop natural alluvial forest structures along the Wandse, desilt the ponds and develop an open space and natural area development concept. A public kick-off event for the climate park was held in October 2022. Climate Park Days are planned for 2023 and 2024 with lots of activities and a program focusing on climate protection and adaptation. The first preliminary drafts for further planning will be presented at the Climate Park Day on September 2.

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