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New network strengthens water protection in all Berlin districts

wassernetzberlin_400x208-equal.jpgAt a launch event organised by the GRÜNE LIGA Berlin, the Berlin State Working Group for Nature Conservation (BLN), BUND Berlin, GRÜNE LIGA Berlin, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, NABU Berlin and a tip:tap founded the Water Network Berlin today. The civil society network sets unprecedented goals until 2026 to advance the urgent improvement of watercourses, lakes and groundwater in the city.


The water network is the answer to the growing water and biodiversity crisis in Berlin: all the running and still waters studied are blocked, polluted or drying up. Over 50% of them are in an ecologically unsatisfactory to poor condition. "We have joined forces to make water protection a priority in Berlin and to ensure that visible progress is made citywide," says Manfred Schubert, Managing Director of BLN, which is supporting the project.

 "Thanks to the close cooperation across associations, the water network can be active in all districts and at more than 40 water bodies to promote ecological improvements and participatory activities. Important impulses will come from the public dialogues on the banks," explains Andrea Gerbode, board member of BUND Berlin, which initiated the network.
"In cooperation with the responsible authorities, the network will be involved in at least 19 water bodies, for example planting riparian trees, developing reed beds or unsealing paved areas," says Sandra Kolberg, managing director of the GRÜNE LIGA Berlin. The action sites include, for example, the Heidekampgraben, the Königssee, the Große Krampe or the groundwater pond.

"For all action waters, we would like to recruit local supporters to keep an eye on a particular stretch of water," adds Juliana Schlaberg, nature conservation officer of the NABU Berlin regional association. Interested parties can also help with water surveys.
In addition, the water network provides educational work and organises state-wide workshops on key topics such as landscape water balance, water quality or biotope networks. "For those who are interested, these offers are a good opportunity to find out more about the topics and to network with other active people. In this way, practical solutions and activities can be developed together," says Silke Voigt-Heucke, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.

The network will also get involved politically to ensure that the necessary decisions and measures are taken at all levels. "The European Water Framework Directive is a strong right for our blue lifelines. Compliance with the environmental targets is long overdue. For example, Berlin also needs to invest significantly more in cleanliness in order to protect our natural drinking water resources and forests"; informs Samuel Höller, Managing Director of a tip:tap e.V. "We are already thinking beyond 2026."

"We finally need effective water protection in Berlin as well as nationwide, because water protection is natural climate protection. The joint commitment here in Berlin is a blueprint for comparable initiatives throughout Germany," confirms Dr. Thomas Schaefer of the Global Nature Fund.
The Water Network is funded by the Lotto Foundation Berlin. It emerged from the Water Network Initiative with the project "Action Network Small Water Bodies", which set the first positive examples for the upgrading of watercourses and lakes in 2022.

Today, the water network has launched a project website that provides information on dates and activities:
www.wassernetz-berlin.de 

Events

Ökomarkt am Kollwitzplatz
28 March 2024
12:00 - 19:00
Kollwitzplatz, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin
Natur-Stammtisch der Naturschutzstation Osterzgebirge in Altenberg
28 March 2024
19:00 - 20:30
Der Garten im Spiegel der Philosophie
03 April 2024
19:00 - 20:30
Ökomarkt am Kollwitzplatz
04 April 2024
12:00 - 19:00
Kollwitzplatz, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin
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