City of Apeldoorn, Netherlands

Stream in the city centre

The city of Apeldoorn is a city of over 100.000 inhabitants and positioned in the centre of the Netherlands in the middle of nature and forested areas. The city has a high ambition in relation to the quality of outdoor environmen and landscape. The next view has been implemented in tne Green Template.

"Our choice: green areas leading for development
Our challenge: city of landscape architecture"

Apeldoorns wants to implement green areas first, red follow.
The Green Template contains several layers: Green lanes, Streams and springs, Parks, Green wedges, Great Green areas and the Canal Zone.

The city plans to organise the Triennial for Landscape Architecture.
The Triennial (see policy plan on www.triennale.nl) intends to become the definitive international platform for information exchange, theoretical development and debate on garden and landscape architecture. and also to provide a forum for presenting and implementing new experimental concepts.

The Triennial also intends to appeal to the general public. To this end, we will mount public-friendly programmes, with awareness-raising as our keynote. Consumer-oriented projects will be set up that stimulate the interest of potential visitors, attracting them to find out more about the meaning of outdoor space at every scale and each of its urban and rural manifestations.

Every three years from 2008, the Triennial will feature a three-yearly event in which professionals from garden art and landscape architecture will participate alongside the general public. For purposes of continuity and of safeguarding its own substantive relevance, this event will also consist of annual activities that take place on a more modest scale.

The Berg en Bos Municipal Park enhances the green character of the town. The municipal park is part of the Veluwe, the largest continuous nature area in north-western Europe. Reason enough for this nature area to have been declared a protected area by the European authorities within the context of Natura 2000. This declaration means there is an obligation to develop a management plan to ensure the conservation and improvement of the biodiversity in the area are guaranteed.

Barrows and palace bricks
Berg en Bos has a rich history. A number of barrows date back to prehistoric times and iron pits from the iron industry in the Middle Ages have been preserved. The bricks used for the nearby 17th century Palace Het Loo of King William III were baked in ovens in this nature area.

Residential area becomes a park
In the twenties of the previous century, a plan was made to transform Berg en Bos into a green residential area. This never progressed beyond the construction of a grid of lanes. But it did create the first elements of the park. A romantic forest pond and the Spring Valley were dug and in the adjacent area an open-air swimming pool was constructed. Since the middle of the previous century, Berg en Bos provided the backdrop for many events and attractions such as . ower shows, sand sculptures and . lm festivals.

Improvment and extensions
The arrival of the Apenheul Zoo in 1971 formed the basis for the new plans for Berg en Bos that are now about to be implemented. Conservation of what has (natural) value and the provision of space in response to the current demands made by visitors are the guidelines. Renovation and improvement of the available quality and new elements are included in a balanced way in an integrated management plan. This entails both respect for the past and the need for the type of renewal that is suitable for the park and for Apeldoorn.

A variety of qualities
The current Berg en Bos will become a public municipal park with a variety of qualities. A park for the inhabitants of Apeldoorn, but also for the many day tourists. Included in the development plan that was made in consultation with everyone involved are a forest for climbing, a nature and environmental education centre – with attention for the architecture - based on sustainability, a fully-. edged playing field and attractive cycling to be implemented. Conservation of what has (natural) value and the provision of space in response to the current demands made by visitors are the guidelines. Renovation and improvement of the available quality and new elements are included in a balanced way in an integrated management plan. This entails both respect for the past and the need for the type of renewal that is suitable for the park and for Apeldoorn.

A variety of qualities
The current Berg en Bos will become a public municipal park with a variety of qualities. A park for the inhabitants of Apeldoorn, but also for the many day tourists. Included in the development plan that was made in consultation with everyone involved are a forest for climbing, a nature and environmental education centre – with attention for the architecture - based on sustainability, a fully-. edged playing . eld and attractive cycling and walking routes along the cultural historical and archaeological sites.

Further away from Apeldoorn
(Poor weather) facilities aimed at further improving the experience of the municipal park are added to the Apenheul Zoo. In the adjacent area, the Stayokay youth hostel with nature camping provisions, the open air Crystal bath, a midgetgolf course, a field where events can be staged and a wildlife reserve completes the attractiveness of this green recreation area. The sportpark of football club AGOVV and the national museum Palace Het Loo and the Julianatower family park, which is situated somewhat further away, enhance the appeal of the area at both regional and (inter-) national levels.

Triennial for landscape and architecture
The renovation of the Berg en Bos Municipal Park takes place as Apeldoorn prepares for the Triennial, an international event for landscape and architecture. The outcome of this event that will be held every third year, for the first time in 2008, will contribute to the green pro. le that is such an important element in the popularity if Apeldoorn. The Royal Mile, a swath of flowers that runs hrough Berg en Bos for more than a kilometre, will provide a visible reminder of the event.

Work in progress
The plan for Berg en Bos will be implemented in stages. Initially, the focus will be on elements that will help restore the municipal park to its former glory. New elements will be added one at a time, with the Nature (education) centre and the Apenheul with its new entrance having the priority. The availability of funds is obviously of key importance. Apeldoorn will try to . nd European cities with similar plans in order to join forces in future with regard to both content and financing.

For more information
Municipality of Apeldoorn, Frans Mulderij, project manager for the development plan for park Berg en Bos,
telephone +31 55 801747. email f.mulderij@apeldoorn.nl, and Linda Hooijer, senior landscape architect, telephone +31 55 5802821. email l.hooijer@apeldoorn.nl

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REGISTRATION

The following Institutions have been registered for the EULP Project. If you also want to be part of it please contact the EULP Assistant Katharina Erne:
eulp@landscape.tuwien.ac.at

• Apeldoorn

• Foundation Rock garden Ber Slangen
• Time Foundation [No URL available in database.]

• Larenstein University
• Van Hall Larenstein WUR