Nature & Environment 2004 – Theme: Nature in Denmark

Nature & Environment 2004

Summary

Denmark is among the countries in Europe with the largest area of land under the plough relative to its size. Furthermore, Denmark is also among the countries in Europe with the smallest natural area relative to its total size. One of the reasons is that Denmark's inherent natural characteristics are very much suitable for agricultural production, and that Danish society has encouraged this development with financial subsidies to drain small lakes and watercourses etc. As
a consequence, today there is far too little space for nature in Denmark. What natural areas do exist contain too many nutrients, too little water, and, moreover, they are too dispersed and on the way to becoming overgrown.

In a number of areas there is now concrete and positive evidence of the extensive efforts which have been carried out over the past 20 to 30 years to conserve nature and reduce environmental impacts. Steps taken have thus provided good and visible results, such as a rise in the population of otter. However, efforts are still not out-balancing the negative development when it comes to wild animals and plants and their habitats.

Up until 200 years ago the sharp division in agriculture of farmed fields and natural areas was non-existent. Only a small part of the farmland was under intensive farming; that is, used to cultivate crops each year. The greatest part was used for extensive farming purposes with grazing and haymaking, which meant the creation of valuable meadows and dry grassland. Today, more than 90 per cent of farmland is subjected to intensive farming. Farms have become fewer and bigger with larger numbers of animal units. Via draining of small lakes and watercourses, and cultivation of former grazing areas, a majority of fields have grown ever larger in size. In intensive farming, it is often not feasible to let the animals out to graze, and this means that many open natural habitats, which have not already been turned into arable land, are becoming overgrown with scrub and trees.

The impact on habitats also impacts the species living there. The prevailing trend is that remaining natural areas in general are too few, too dispersed, and too poor in quality to serve as habitats for a substantial number of indigenous plant and wildlife species in Denmark; let alone sustain the processes which characterise a varied and well-functioning biological system. Orchid, barn swallow, hare, and butterfly are examples of species in decline.

Danish nature cannot endure the present intensive farming and nor the widespread discontinuation of extensive farming. No one expects us to restore the Danish landscape to the way it was a hundred years ago. It is however crucial that we provide nature and the biological diversity better conditions in the modern Danish cultivated landscape, so that e.g. the plenitude of species is not further diminished due to human activity.

At the same time, we need to do more to reduce the effects on biodiversity ensuing from climate change. This can be accomplished if we ensure greater variation, resilience, volume, and quality in our terrestrial and marine ecosystems. For example, ecosystem processes and nature's ability to adapt can be enhanced by ensuring more water in the Danish landscape; and there will be an equally positive influence on ecosystems if we take care to establish a coherent network of tree stands containing indigenous tree species, and good structure and long continuity in forests, hedgerows, small biotopes etc.