Investing in the

Amsterdammers
garden

Green Agenda
2015-2018
Summary
Source: Rooftop Solutions
Green Agenda 2015-2018
Investing in the Amsterdammers garden

By making the city’s public space greener, the City of Amsterdam will
make Amsterdam a more attractive place to live, work and visit. The
City will therefore be investing € 20 million in green projects in the
coming years, doubling the amount spent in previous years. Amsterdam
has a lot of green space. We are proud of it, and we need to conserve
it. Because many of the city’s residents don’t have a garden, the city’s
green space has a particular function: it is a garden for the people of
Amsterdam.
 MORE RESILIENT TO
SHOWERS
20
MORE POCKET PARKS
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
GREEN AREAS
+ 50.000 M2
GREEN ROOF

+ 15
GREEN PLAY
AREAS

Green landscape 25 min City Centre

ENTREPRENEURS

ORGANIZATIONS

GOVERNMENTS
NONPROFIT
CITIZENS

The City of Amsterdam has €20 million in Green Funds. T

City parks Climate and biodiversity

Parks are better designed for There is more and improved green space
intensive use and wet conditions. in the city, which helps against heavier
showers and higher temperatures.
 IMPROVED
CITY PARKS
ARKS

MORE FACILITIES
IN CITY PARKS
SOLUTIONS FOR 80 ECOLOGICAL
BOTTLENECKS
MORE GREEN
SCHOOLYARDS IMPROVED PARK
ENTRANCES

15 min Green landscape

een Funds. Together we will make Amsterdam greener.

Neighbourhood green space Connections and accesibility

All Amsterdammers have green space on The existing green space in and around the city
their doorstep. They exercise and play is better utilised. There are more routes in and
sports more because there are good between green areas.
facilities in the neighbourhood.
Summary
We have to adapt this garden to the want to improve the design of our
demands of our times. In response to green spaces for recreation, bio-
the changing lifestyles of Amsterdam’s diversity and health.
inhabitants, the growth of the city and
the large number of visitors, we need This agenda sets out the course for
a fresh approach to the city’s green investment in green space between
space. The large existing areas of 2015 and 2018, thus clearly pointing
green space will take on new functions the way for initiatives. Four themes will
to improve the business climate, lessen take priority: City parks, Climate and
the impact of the increasing numbers biodiversity, Neighbourhood green
of people and reduce the effects of space, and Connections and
climate change. At the same time we accessibility.

1. City parks

Parks are the city’s most obvious least three parks for more sustainable
shared gardens. They are there for and intensive use. During renovation
everyone, and they are being used work, areas of grass that are to be
more and more intensively and for a used intensively will be planned for
wide variety of purposes: working, more suitable, possibly drier locations
learning about nature, barbecuing, within the park, or plots that are better
walking, playing sports, sunbathing, able to withstand intensive use will be
having a party or visiting an event. Our selected for the purpose. We will also
aim is to improve the design of our invest in suitable planting, or alter the
parks to cope with this intensive use. layout of paths. Additionally, in at least
There will also be more and improved four parks we will provide amenities
alternatives to the busy parks, spread- such as public toilets, water taps, cafés
ing the pressure of visitors more evenly and restaurants, and equipment to
across the green space in and around encourage exercise. We will improve
the city. access to parks by altering existing
entrances or creating new ones.
To this end, major improvements will
be made over the coming years to at
In addition, we will devote attention to Because Amsterdam is built on peat
the balance of use in parks, by ensur- bog, the city constantly has to contend
ing that programming and planning with subsidence, which makes the
allows for variety among and within ground wetter. Subsidence and soil
them. While one person might turn compaction is therefore an important
to our parks for peace and quiet and issue for Amsterdam’s city parks. This
to experience nature, another person will be taken into consideration in park
might be looking for a lively atmos- planning for intensive and sustainable
phere. Events also have a place in our use, and also in the choice of plant and
parks, and they can help strengthen tree species. To gain greater insight
the identity and urban vitality of parks into the causes and consequences of
and landscapes. A good balance is subsidence and soil compaction, we
needed, and the city’s events policy will conduct analyses on the basis of
needs to take events in green spaces measurements.
into consideration. Where desirable
and feasible, the distinctive features of Finally, we will explore possibilities for
parks (such as nature, water or cultural new parks.
heritage) will be strengthened.

2. Climate and biodiversity

Green space has an important role to stimulus schemes and actively ap-
play in making the city climate-proof. PROACHŸSPECIÚCŸTARGETŸGROUPSŸ7EŸWILLŸ
Rain showers will become heavier and investigate the possibilities for green
temperatures will increase. An effec- roofs on municipal property and ways
tive way to absorb rainwater and limit in which we can stimulate the sustain-
the temperature is to increase the area able use of roofs in the construction
of green space. In addition, the green of new buildings and in renovation
space can contribute to increasing projects. Where possible, obstructive
biodiversity in the city. regulations will be abolished.

We therefore aim to realise an addi- Apart from green roofs, there are also
tional 50,000 m2 of green roofs in the other opportunities for green space to
city, preferably roofs with a thick layer contribute to rainwater disposal. The
of vegetation. We will do this in a va- City of Amsterdam will itself take the
riety of ways. We will establish various lead. When we invest in green facili-
ties, we will devote explicit attention ments on choice of tree species, com-
to water retaining capacity, and where pensation and replanting.
possible the location’s sponge effect
will be increased. In partnership with Contrary to the national and world-
the ‘Amsterdam Rainproof’ pro- wide trend, in Amsterdam the number
gramme, we will make a survey of loca- of wild bee species has increased. The
tions that are suitable for the removal state of the wild bee is a good indica-
of hard surfaces or the creation of tor of Amsterdam’s ecological wealth.
green space. We will also investigate To make room for further growth, we
which instrument is the most appro- WILLŸÚNDŸSOLUTIONSŸTOŸEIGHTYŸBOTTLE-
priate. We will continue to increase necks in the ecological structure, using
and apply our knowledge of effective measures such as nature-friendly river
ways to combine (rain)water and green ANDŸCANALŸBANKSŸWILDLIFEŸCROSSINGSŸÚSHŸ
space design. crossings and wildlife ramps. To allow
more natural river and canal banks to
Healthy trees play a key role in a live- develop, we will support initiatives
able and sustainable city. Trees are not aimed at replacing or removing hard
only attractive, but they also transpire waterside structures. We will also in-
a lot of water, and this has a cooling vestigate which measures are the most
effect. We will therefore develop a effective in promoting nature-inclusive
citywide tree policy, including agree- construction.

3. Neighbourhood green space

Amsterdammers greatly value at- We aim to realise more neighbourhood

tractive, usable green space in the green space in the coming years by
immediate vicinity of their homes. creating or adding greenery to twenty
Neighbourhood green space has an pocket parks – an increase of 25 per-
important function as a meeting place cent. There are also existing municipal
for local residents and encourages schemes that enable Amsterdammers
people to exercise. Because residents to have a house-front garden (a narrow
themselves know best what they need, border for plants along the front of a
we want to make room for neighbour- house or apartment building) installed
hood initiatives. by the council, or to install such a
garden themselves, and to realise
planting around the foot of trees in
public places. These provisions will will provide more challenging green
be extended to cover the entire city. space for children. We will create or
We will also devote extra attention IMPROVEŸÚFTEENŸNATURALŸPLAYŸAREASŸANDŸ
to green areas that are inviting for contribute to the construction of green
sports and exercise. We will contrib- schoolyards, which challenge children
ute to the creation or improvement of to be physically active.
SPORTSŸÚELDSŸANDŸROUTESŸFORŸWALKINGŸ
running, cycling and inline skating. We want to facilitate the growth of
And where the City is investing in new urban farming and the increasing
residential neighbourhoods, starting awareness of healthy eating. Initiatives
from the design phase, attention will to create temporary or long-term
be devoted to green facilities that are VEGETABLEŸHERBŸORŸÛOWERŸGARDENSŸONŸ
inviting for physical activity. Due to the waste ground, on squares or in parks,
growing problem of obesity among can depend on our support. Wherever
young people and the connection of possible, we will abolish obstructive
this with exercise (or lack thereof), we regulations.

4. Connections and accessibility

4HEŸÚNALŸTHEMEŸINŸTHEŸ'REENŸ!GENDAŸ investing in the experiential value of

centres on the improvement of walking the routes. We will also consult and
and cycling routes between green are- make agreements with civil society
as for everyday recreation and sports. organisations on widening or strength-
Amsterdam has a wealth of green ENINGŸTHEŸSIGNIÚCANCEŸOFŸSPORTSŸPARKSŸ
spaces, and many of them could be allotment garden complexes, school
used better if they were more acces- gardens and cemeteries in the city and
sible or better connected with each its neighbourhoods. Waterside green
other. Amsterdammers and visitors to areas can be improved by adding
the city can reach a green landscape in amenities and improving recreational
twenty minutes by bicycle – a unique routes.
attribute for a metropolis. We will
therefore work to visibly improve cycle
connections to the landscapes around
THEŸCITYŸ7EŸWILLŸDOŸTHISŸBYŸÚNDINGŸSOLU-
tions to bottlenecks in the connections
between city and countryside, and by
How will we do it?

Amsterdam’s policy on green space space in the city. Cooperation between

is described in the Structural Vision people, in knowledge and with money.
Amsterdam 2040, with the Main Green Between policy, implementation and
Structure as its most important instru- management. Between trade and
ment. Amsterdam protects the green industry, government, schools, sports
space within the Main Green Structure clubs, neighbourhood residents and
BECAUSEŸITŸFULÚLSŸANŸESSENTIALŸFUNCTIONŸ others who would like to see a green
for recreation and the environment. city.
Key aspects are the conservation of
cultural heritage and variety in the Maintenance is important in determin-
available green space overall. With ing the usability of green spaces in and
regard to green space policy, two around the city. The responsibility for
policy documents resulting from the the funding and implementation of
structural vision are of importance: the maintenance of green spaces lies
the Ecological Vision and the Water- with the district committees. Under the
land Vision. Within this framework the name ‘Green Puccini’, citywide agree-
Green Agenda will prioritise and direct ments are made on the qualitative
investment in green space. planning and management of green
space. Both within and beyond the
To fund our ambitions as described in Amsterdam Ecological Structure, our
the Green Agenda, the City of Amster- maintenance processes will be more
dam has made € 20 million available ecological and insect-friendly. We will
in Green Funds. Because the Green investigate the best ways to valuably
Funds are based on the principle of recycle organic material and organic
co-funding, in this period the City waste.
Council aims to realise a total minimum
investment of € 30 million in green The growing interest in green space
space, from land development and and nature in the city is increasingly
with contributions from district com- being expressed through active in-
mittees, market players, foundations volvement. We support initiatives from
and private individuals. residents and organisations focusing
on the maintenance of parks, public
Apart from money, cooperation is an gardens or neighbourhood vegetable
important success factor for the de- plots. We are reserving € 1 million for
velopment and conservation of green green space projects aimed at facili-
tating neighbourhood initiatives, edu- aims and actions of this Agenda and
cation, communication and awareness. the results of Green Funds projects.
A selection of projects that receive a
Partly on the basis of a data pro- contribution from the Green Funds
gramme which is to be established, it will be evaluated. This will provide a
will be possible to follow the state of clearer view of the value of investment
play on an annual basis regarding the in green space.

Orlyplein, not so long ago this was a concrete jungle. Now a green haven with plants, bulbs
and grasses. Attractive for nearby businesses, good for biodiversity and useful to help
PREVENTŸHEATŸSTRESSŸANDŸFORŸINÚLTRATIONŸOFŸRAINWATERŸPHOTOŸ4ONŸ-ULLER
Colophon

Green Agenda 2015-2018: Investing in the Amsterdammers garden

30 September 2015

This is a publication of the City of Amsterdam

Thanks to: all green partners, civil servants from municipal departments and
organizations who contributed to this agenda.

For more information on green in the city:

www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/what-to-do/nature