Paving - also in Bocholt

Breaking up sealed surfaces, getting rid of gravel
- Shaping the future together

Sealed surfaces made of asphalt, concrete, paving or even "gravel gardens" are bad for the climate, water balance and biodiversity. They heat up cities, prevent rainwater from seeping away and destroy habitats. There are simple alternatives - and this is exactly where paving comes in.

What is paving?

abpflastern is a nationwide competition: cities and municipalities compete against each other to unseal as many surfaces as possible. Every area paved, unsealed or cleared of gravel counts - whether by private individuals, clubs, schools or companies.

Campaign period 2026:

21 March to 31 October 2026
The municipalities with the largest unsealed areas win.

Who can take part?

Everyone! Everyone! Whether you start alone or in a team: the main thing is that you want to unseal and green areas.

👉 Important: The area must be unsealed during the season and registered online by 31 October 2026. The city of Bocholt will be happy to do this for you and will raffle off planting vouchers worth a total of EUR 1,000 among all entries received via abpflastern(at)bocholt(dot)de.

This is how it works

Photograph the area beforehand
Remove paving, asphalt, concrete or gravel
Photograph and measure the area afterwards
Send the project with details of the square metres and the photos to
abpflastern(at)bocholt(dot)de

Why unseal?

Green floors can do much more than just look good:

🌱 cool cities
💧 allow rainwater to seep away
🐝 create habitats for animals
🌍 store carbon and protect the climate

Sealed surfaces, on the other hand, exacerbate heat, flooding and burden the sewage system. Unsealing makes cities more resilient to climate change - and more liveable for everyone.