Post climate conference Rheinaue grass has to be restored after Cop23
Bonn · While the federal and city governments break down the temporary infrastructure that was set up to accommodate the climate conference, it will take some time to restore the grassy areas.
Heavy equipment rides through the Rheinaue this week, making its way through the mud, which was once a meadow. And also in the parking lot in front of the main entrance are plenty of tractors and forklifts, at work in the worst of weather conditions. It's all about getting rid of the last traces left over from the World Climate Conference Cop 23. "By the end of December, the pavilions and function rooms should be completely removed," wrote General-Anzeiger a few days ago. As of Thursday, December 21, it looked like everything that could and should be taken down had been. "We are finished with the current work on Friday. Tomorrow we pull out of here completely," said Marc Hoffmann of the city press office on location.
Understandably, this part of the park looks a bit different to visitors now. The many areas that are bare resemble a wasteland, or in this weather a swamp. But they will remain fenced off in winter. Dieter Fuchs, director of the City Parks Department says nothing will change until this spring. “The dismantling was carried out in a very professional manner and we have kept to our timetable,” he concludes. “We are confident about restoring the green areas but are dependent on the temperatures.” Tenders for the required work have gone out and the first offers are coming in.
Rolled sod planned for March 2018
Jan Brumhard of the City Parks Department is responsible for the lawn at the Rheinaue and he explains the next steps: “The lawn will be restored in March of 2018 with rolled sod, depending on the weather. The flowers get replanted anyway for the summer season. And bulb plants in the flowerbeds will sprout up again by themselves. They have not been damaged.”
The restoration work will be paid for by the federal government. Because “Rhine in Flames” comes already on the first weekend of May, it was decided to lay rolled turf instead of seed. Newly sown grass would not have been durable enough in such a short time. Officials definitely plan for “Rhine in Flames” to take place at the Rheinaue in May as scheduled. (Orig. text: Rainer Schmidt. Translation: ck)
