Water experience Schwalm Nature conservation, recreational space and water experience through renaturation of the river Schwalm

INTRODUCTION
Like no other nature park in Germany, the Schwalm - Nette Nature Park is characterised by the element of water. The two river courses that give the park its name form the arc of tension that characterises the entire nature park. Making water visible as an enrichment in the nature park is therefore to be presented in a comprehensive and creative way by the Nature Park Show 2012.
The importance of water for Wegberg is shown by names commonly used in the vernacular, such as "Schwalmquellenstadt" or "Wegberg im Tal der Mühlen", which refer to natural features and to the associated effects on the people living here. In particular, the landscape of the Schwalm with its mills still forms the unmistakable character of Wegberg today. This landscape is a unique selling point and attraction for numerous guests of the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park.
Through the present project contribution "Water Experience Schwalm", water as the basis of life and as an enrichment in the urban context should be made visible in the long term and a possibility of nature and landscape compatible local recreation and environmental education publicly presented.

LOCATION
The project "Water Experience Schwalm" is located only a few kilometers from the actual source of the Schwalm and at the same time in the estuary of the Beeckbach into the Schwalm. The area is part of the city park and borders directly on the central shopping area. In the vicinity is the Wegberg mill, which has been restored as a public community centre in keeping with its status as a listed building and impressively illustrates how people in earlier times made water power their own.
The networking within the nature park Schwalm-Nette is already present in a special way by the supra-regionally important Schwalmradweg as well as by the European long-distance hiking trail E8. Due to this favorable location, there is an opportunity to present this coherent and innovative project to a broad public.

BACKGROUND
The existing open space design of the city park paints a picture of past decades. The design of City Park dates back to a 1950s plan by landscape architect Reepel. Accordingly, the plantings are now heavily overgrown and the original design intent is no longer recognizable. In some areas, backside situations have arisen due to overgrowth of trees and shrubs, which in conjunction with the outdated design as well as defective pavements and fixtures today lead to an unsatisfactory condition that is not very conducive to strengthening the inner city.
In 2008, the office hermanns landschaftsarchitektur/umweltplanung developed the "Grünkonzept Innenstadt" (green concept for the city centre) based on an analysis of the existing situation and an overall open space design concept for the green areas close to the city centre.
For the Schwalm section within the city park, this concept provides, among other things, for the widening of the watercourse bed to create a near-natural water experience area.