ABSTRACT
This chapter examines two central themes as exemplified by Berlin, the capital of Germany. The themes are, first, the evolution of the green belt idea in the city region of Berlin since the nineteenth century and second, the current application and innovation of the green belt idea in the concept of the Berlin-Brandenburg Regional Parks. The green belt idea was revived by spatial planners in the first half of the 1990s in the shape of a concept for regional parks around Berlin. In spite of the serious difficulties encountered in realising the regional parks around the German capital, the Joint Spatial Planning Department for Berlin and Brandenburg regards them as a successful cooperation project. The success of individual regional parks and thus of the entire green belt depends to a great extent on the inhabitants' ideas for use and development, their self-organising ability and cooperation in local and regional governance structures.
