Long Day of Urban Nature

Hamburg's Nature, Made Visible for One Day

Hamburg is one of Germany's greenest major cities. More than 14 percent of the city area is forest, in addition to parks, marshland, heathland, riverbanks, and the Outer Alster as an urban body of water with its own flora and fauna. However, most of this remains invisible — those who commute to work by bus overlook the otter in the reeds and the rare orchid at the wayside. This is exactly where the Long Day of Urban Nature comes in: it opens up urban nature for a day, with experts showing what usually remains hidden.

250+ Events in 24 Hours

The format is grand: Over 250 individual events are offered in 24 hours — from early Saturday morning to late Sunday evening. They are led by naturalists, biologists, foresters, beekeepers, and citizens who know their local waters.

Activities

• Guided nature hikes through forests, marshland, and parks
• Boat trips on the Alster, Elbe, Bille, and small streams
• Canoe tours with nature commentary
• Water sampling — identifying micro-organisms under the microscope
• Bird watching and bat excursions
• Habitat conservation — hands-on activities for nature protection
• Bicycle tours along green corridors

Theme 2026 — "everything flows"

Each edition has a focus theme. In 2026, it's "everything flows" — the focus is on water. Hamburg's lifeline, from the harbor to the Alster and small streams like the Bille or Wandse, is at the center. Boat trips, water sampling, and renaturation projects form the backbone of the program.

Organizer: Loki Schmidt Foundation

Behind the event is the Loki Schmidt Foundation — founded in memory of Loki Schmidt (1919–2010), the wife of Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and a Hamburg botanist who dedicated her life to nature conservation. The foundation has been organizing the Long Day since 2007, making it one of Germany's most popular nature conservation events.

Registration and Admission

Many events are free, some require registration due to limited participant numbers. Registration typically opens a few weeks before the date at tagderstadtnaturhamburg.de. The full program will also be published there.

Discover a Different Hamburg

Anyone who has participated in the Long Day of Urban Nature once sees their city differently. The front garden as a habitat for wild bees, the Alster as a scene for kingfisher sightings, the Wandse Park as a refuge for bats — many of these observations will resonate throughout the summer.