Overview

• At its July 15 session, the Berlin Senate is set to vote on a draft law intended to permanently secure community gardens on state-owned land
• The proposal defines strict criteria for converting plots to roads, kindergartens or schools
• Exceptions to the protections would be rare and require approval from the Abgeordnetenhaus
• Allotment gardens cover about 2,900 hectares—roughly 3% of Berlin’s area—and provide recreation and ecological benefits given rising development demand
• Critics of the environmental administration argue the draft still contains loopholes that could leave gardens vulnerable to future land pressures