Integrating green infrastructure strategies in post-mining areas

Green Infrastructure (GI) is a new concept for Europe as contained in political documents from the EU Commission. GI comprises a strategically planned network of high-quality natural and semi-natural areas, not only in the countryside but also in cities. This paper aims to show initial approaches towards combining the concept of GI with individual strategies to develop post-mining landscapes in Chinese and German contexts. Using the German municipality of Bad Schlema as an example, it gives an impression of how pro-active post-mining development can overcome a desperate situation, using GI as a key concept. The restoration process was supported by government but also driven by the visions of local people. The main factor was an enhancement of the green potential for spa tourism and improved quality of life. The GI concept provided a structural backbone and guiding principle for the transformation of the city's appearance and identity.