Public tour: Biochar protects Berlin from climate change!

Public tour: Biochar protects Berlin from climate change!

On Monday, September 15, 2025, there will be a public tour of the Volkspark Jungfernheide. From 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., experts will be on site to inform visitors about nature-based solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. This event is entitled “Biochar for the Jungfernheide Volkspark as a sponge city element” and is part of the Germany-wide Climate Adaptation Week (WdKA) reports the Berlin administration.

The meeting point for anyone interested is the water tower in the Volkspark, located at Heckerdamm 260 in Berlin. Participation in the tour is free and does not require prior registration.

Natural solutions in the Volkspark

The tour will present various projects at two stations. At the first station on biochar, the advantages that arise from using this material are explained. The biochar stores water in the soil on a three-hectare meadow, increasing resistance to heat. In addition, the biochar was inoculated with fungi, which improves water and nutrient exchange while permanently binding carbon. The use of local seeds also promotes biodiversity without the need for additional irrigation or fertilization.

The second station is dedicated to the renovation of the Jungfernheide pond. Here the participants are informed about a funded water restoration project, the aim of which is to return the pond to a near-natural state. Long-term preservation of the pond should ensure its function as a habitat, bathing water and cooling element in the urban climate.

Climate adaptation in Germany

The “Climate Adaptation Week” is organized as part of the German Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (DAS), which provides an important policy framework for cross-sector adaptation to climate change. According to that Federal Environment Agency There are already progress reports that update the measures in the federal government's action plans. The second progress report on the DAS was published and deals with 102 climate impacts and 13 areas of action.

The Federal Environment Minister also pushed forward the German Climate Adaptation Strategy 2024, which sets measurable goals. In total, the strategy includes 33 goals that are to be achieved by 2030, some even by 2050. The topics of infrastructure, water, urban development and spatial planning play a central role. One goal, for example, is to strengthen the resilience of water infrastructure and maintain available water resources in sufficient quantities and of good quality explains the Federal Environment Ministry.

These climate adaptation measures are now also integrated into urban development in order to best counteract the challenge of climate change. The event at Volkspark Jungfernheide is just one of many initiatives designed to raise awareness of environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions.