How can we design urban green spaces for the future in times of climate change, species extinction and the growing demands of the urban population?

This question was the focus of the interdisciplinary workshop “Urban green spaces between renaturation, wilderness and industrial culture”, which took place at Ruhr University Bochum on March 12, 2025. With 16 participants from research, municipal green management, nature conservation, regional planning and water management, key challenges, conflicting objectives and design options for biodiversity-promoting urban green spaces in the Ruhr region were discussed.

The workshop resulted in the strategy paper “Hurdles and opportunities in the design of urban green spaces between renaturation, wilderness and industrial culture” (German language only). It summarizes the key results of the discussions, identifies current challenges and gives recommendations for the biodiversity-promoting development of urban green spaces - not just for the Ruhr area.