Germany's Green Innovations: Biodiversity, Urban Trees, and Sustainable Building

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the border zone that divided West and East Germany was left largely untouched. Today, the nearly 1,400-kilometer (870 miles) stretch, once known as the death strip, is a "green belt." It's home to around 7,500 species of insects and spiders, hundreds of them endangered, as well as otters, wildcats and birds on the brink of extinction.

Because the military zone was sealed off for decades, species that have vanished elsewhere in Germany were able to take hold here. Now 88% of the area is under protection, and cycle paths and information panels allow visitors to explore what was once completely off-limits.

An urban tree database

Not all heroes wear capes, but some do form a canopy. Urban trees quietly cool neighborhoods, reduce flooding and improve our wellbeing. But in many cities, trees are under pressure from heat, drought, traffic and too much concrete.

Now, a citizen-science project in Germany is helping people map and monitor the trees around them. Think Pokemon Go, but for urban nature and with real-world benefits for the climate.

Seagrass goes from beach nuisance to building material

On Poel, a German island in the Baltic Sea, washed-up seagrass is being turned into sustainable insulation for homes, while helping clean local beaches in the process.

As demand for eco-friendly construction materials grows, the project is attracting interest from across Europe and could give new value to a resource that was previously viewed as waste.