Freiburg im Breisgau has parks, green areas, playgrounds, and other spaces for recreation, totaling 397 hectares (980 acres). This equals 18.05 square meters (194.3 square feet) of green space for each person living in Freiburg. On average, major cities in Baden-Württemberg provide 22.66 square meters (243.9 square feet) of green space per person. In addition to the city's green areas, there are 2,600 hectares (6,400 acres) of forest near Freiburg. The Rieselfeld district, which was once a sewage farm, is also a recreational area. Most of Freiburg's green spaces were created starting in the 1960s.

Parks

In 1974, the Dietenbachpark, located on the edge of the Weingarten district, began construction. However, the park was not completed until 1986. Covering 34.88 hectares (86.2 acres), Dietenbachpark is Freiburg's largest park. Inside the park is Lake Dietenbachsee, which formed when gravel was removed to build the Westrandstraße road. Earth from the gravel removal was used to build a hill on the lake's northern side. This hill helps protect the Dietenbach stream, which was restored during construction, from being flooded. In summer, people can swim in the lake, and nude swimming is allowed.

The park has many plants, including fruit trees, dog roses, margarites, medick, and knautia. These plants attract butterflies like the many-plumed moth, painted lady, and Lycaenidae.

A 4-meter-tall cross stands on the lake's southern side. The word "peace" is written in twelve languages at the base of the cross. A group of people from different religious backgrounds placed the cross to show the many cultures in Freiburg-Weingarten. The park also has sports fields, playgrounds, barbecue areas, and clubs like Sportgruppe Weingarten and Freiburger FC.

In 2012, a 72-year-old Freiburg resident started a small vegetable garden in the park. The city of Freiburg now supports this urban gardening.

Because of the construction of the Technisches Rathaus (technical town hall) and a school in the Stühlinger district, 370 community gardens were removed. In 1979, the Eschholzpark was planned, and it opened in 1982. The park covers 375,000 square meters (4,040,000 square feet) and is built in blocks, a common feature in Stühlinger.

A large sculpture of a water tap with a red garden hose is the most noticeable part of the park. It was made by Claes Oldenburg, a competition winner, to remind people of the lost community gardens. Near the sculpture is a circular flower bed, a pergola with wisteria, and hedges. A chestnut-lined path surrounds these areas. At the park's southern end, there is a meadow, a children's playground, and a lawn for sunbathing and activities like slacklining.

The park has been used for events since it opened, but some people protested. In 1984, the Zelt-Musik-Festival was held once in the park. In the late 1990s, the park hosted the Theater Freiburg during its main building's renovation. During the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, the park was a viewing area for up to 10,000 people. A similar event during the 2012 UEFA European Championship was canceled. Since 2005, the park has hosted the European Stone Festival every three years.

The Joseph-Brandel-Anlage is in the Haslach district, near Guildfordallee. It was built by Freiburg's former mayor, Joseph Brandel, in the late 1960s. A memorial stone shaped like a glacial mill, found near the Rhine, honors Brandel. The park has exotic trees, a perennial garden, two playgrounds, and paths connecting it to St. Georgen. Stone and metal artworks in the park's northern area were made by students in 2006.

In 1934, a grove was added to the Möslepark north of the railway. This grove later became a natural reserve named after zoologist Konrad Guenther in 1954. In 1996, many trees were cut down for a new highway (B31 Ost), which caused protests. The city received €130,000 from the regional council to improve the park. The highway disrupted groundwater, killing many trees, but dead trees now provide homes for bats. The park now covers 650,000 square meters (160 acres), and the private school Kapriole is near its edge.

The Möslepark, created between 1879 and 1885 by gardener Maximilian Wilhelm Schmöger, is one of Freiburg's oldest parks. In 1877, two artificial ponds were built near the train tracks for ice collection by the Neumeyer brewery. A group called the Society for Urban Beautification suggested the park's creation. The park's name comes from its many water features. In 1881, a third pond was added, forming the Waldsee lake. The Waldseerestaurant, opened in 1883, is still popular. After World War I, the park was cleaned up and slightly redesigned. In 2015, the western part was pruned, and the eastern part was pruned in 2016 to restore its natural look.

The Waldsee is used for boating in summer and skating in winter. Since 1960, a traffic school for children and young adults has been near Waldseestraße. Since 1956, Waldseestraße has been closed to traffic to protect toads during their migration. Protective fences for toads have been built since the 1970s. A yearly flea market used to take place in the park but stopped to protect nature.

The Möslepark has trees over 200 years old, like oaks and rhododendrons, and is a habitat for bats, such as the noctule. It is part of the nature preserve Lorettoberg-Günterstal-Littenweiler.

The Moosweiher, an 11-meter-deep (36-foot) pond, formed when gravel was removed to build the A5 highway between 1960 and 1