Climate forest Heilbronn: With green oases against heat and climate change

Climate change and the resulting rise in temperatures pose major challenges for cities. Heat in cities is already making it difficult for vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly to spend time in public spaces during the summer months. The centers of our cities in particular are heavily sealed and heat up. As a result, the quality of life decreases and some urban areas are almost unbearable for people and animals in summer.

What can cities do about it? The answer is obvious: cities need to be built for people again and not for cars. Drastically reducing sealed surfaces and increasing green and water areas is one way of reducing temperatures in the city and ensuring quality of life.

Heilbronn has recognized this and is responding to the effects of climate change with its climate forests: several small green oases in the city are intended to help combat severe heat stress and drought. In the web talk Stadtkantine, we spoke to Oliver Toellner, Head of the City of Heilbronn’s Green Spaces Department, about the Klimawäldchen project.

The first forest was installed next to the Wollhaus shopping center for the 2019 Federal Garden Show. The second forest structure followed in 2022 on the Theresienwiese, Heilbronn’s fairground. The climatic groves consist of a forest structure with seating, fog jets and automatic irrigation.

In summer, temperature differences of up to 11 degrees can be reached due to the climatic forests. As a result, the green oases not only offer refreshment and cooling, but also serve as meeting places and promote biodiversity and air quality in urban areas. Wildlife also benefits from the newly created habitat.

We summarize the lessons learned from Stadtkantine on the climate forests in Heilbronn for you. Because the city is what we make of it together.

This is a motto that not only we at the Stadtmanufakturbut also all the speakers who have joined us in our web talk Stadtkantine with their successful projects and their commitment to urban transformation, city center development and innovative use of real estate in city centers inspire.

In the wake of climate change, we also need more courage to try things out, take unconventional paths, discard outdated thought patterns and overcome doubts through action.

The successful implementation of the project required close cooperation between various city departments, including civil engineering, urban planning and the operations department. This interdisciplinary collaboration made it possible to find integrated solutions and implement the project efficiently.

The dense planting of the climate forest requires maintenance. Long-term planning is therefore necessary, including in terms of resources and responsibilities.

The involvement of the fairground operator of the Heilbronn folk festival was crucial to minimize economic risks and ensure acceptance of the project. This shows how important it is to involve relevant stakeholders in the planning process at an early stage.

There were concerns that the “Klimawäldchen” could become a “piss corner” behind the beer tent due to the alcohol consumption on the festival site. However, this concern was overcome by strategic security measures and the positive character of the space. No significant damage due to vandalism was recorded, although there was heavy use on some days, with plants being pushed down.

Image credit: City of Heilbronn – Parks Department