Open Access

Claudia Leopold

• Climate change has become one of the most pressing global challenges. Almost daily, media reports highlight events and developments illustrating its consequences. Climate adaptation and mitigation are therefore essential tools not only on a global scale but on a local level. In this context, questions arise regarding the future management of gardens, parks and green spaces: Which climate-change-related variations can already be quantified? Where can reliable data be obtained? And how can this knowledge be translated into practical measures enhancing the resilience of the affected gardens and parks? Using the Oberdieckgarten and the Weihenstephaner South Terraces of the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf in Freising, Bavaria, as case studies, this master thesis investigates available data sources on soil characteristics and dominant soil types, trends in average annual precipitation and temperature, and changes in the annual phenological cycle over the last decades. Combined with an analysis of the historical development and current situation of the two gardens, a methodological approach for adapting them to the impacts of climate change and for fostering a climate-resilient future will be developed. After examining the effects of climate change and potential adaptation strategies, the role and responsibilities of a climate demonstration garden are discussed. Based on the collected data and analyses, a conceptual design for the partial remodeling of the Oberdieckgarten and the Weihenstephaner South Terraces is proposed, aiming to enhance their function as climate-adapted and educational gardens.