Stefan Grundei, the CEO of the German Federation of Allotment Gardens Associations (BKD), has urged the Federal Government to dedicate more resources to preserving and expanding allotment gardens, particularly in light of the heatwaves caused by climate change. He called on the government to allocate funding for this purpose in the upcoming federal budget.
Grundei emphasized that these allotment gardens are “not a decorative addition or a luxury item, but a valuable part of our infrastructure.” He explained to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” that they contribute significantly to climate protection, biodiversity, and local recreation. Furthermore, he pointed out that in urban centers and densely populated areas, they play a crucial cooling function, often achieving higher levels of cooling through watering than formal parks do. He stressed that politicians need to recognize this importance, especially after the recent period of intense heat.
He believes that a federal funding program, which had previously been planned, could make a valuable contribution. Such a program would help ensure that the overall plot acreage is not reduced and could spur innovative ways of utilizing existing spaces. Currently, proposals for a nationwide allotment garden subsidy program had been removed from the draft budgets for 2025 and 2026.
According to the BKD, there are approximately 1.2 million allotment garden plots in Germany, a number that is far below demand. Grundei stated that the need significantly exceeds the current supply. Using Berlin as an example, he noted a demand for an additional 50,000 plots, on top of the existing 64,000. Despite this high demand, he warned that the general trend is moving in the opposite direction, with allotment garden space continuously shrinking.
The Cabinet is scheduled to discuss heat and climate protection in its upcoming session next week, and budget negotiations in the Bundestag are set to begin in early September. Dirk Wiese, the SPD parliamentary group leader, had previously suggested that expanding allotment gardens should be considered, noting they are “a successful model in the Federal Republic of Germany for creating additional retreats on warm days.”
