Egeskov Slot

Today we visited, without a doubt, the most beautiful castle I have ever been to.  It was/is our last day of class so our final field trip was truly spectacular.  The castle grounds had been turned into a sort of tourist attraction so that it the Count and Countess could continue to live there yet pay for its upkeep.  All I have to say is... Downton Abbey... I was half expecting Matthew Crowley to stroll across the drawbridge with Lady Mary (too bad they killed him off the show).

However, there is a big difference between large english manors like the one portrayed in Downton Abbey and their counterparts in Denmark.  The Danish society never truly had a large aristocracy for there to be large castles all across the country side.  Also, the "Count's Feud" in 1883-1884 is a great example of how Danish society has always had an egalitarian element.  The quasi-war was instigated by peasants attacking large manor houses because of wealth inequalities.  This is why the castle at Egeskov has a moat, drawbridge, and such beautiful fortifications.

I think that Denmark's current society is so egalitarian that these manor houses have no point in being solely inherited, private property.  In fact, there are not many at all left that are purely private.  I liked the way Egeskov was turned into a sort of tourist attraction so that the count could share his collections and homes with the general public for a fee.  Also the gardens- fabulously beautiful.  My pictures don't do it justice at all, so check this out if you want to see more: click here!

Denmark's National Park Controversy

Today we had the opportunity to visit with the Nature Agency of Denmark's Department of the Environment.  It is a smaller department for the environment than I expected overall, and the Nature Agency is only a portion of it.  The people that spoke to us today told us that their agency was in charge of creating recreational access, protecting the state lands, securing clean water, restoring nature, planning for towns and landscapes, and managing hunting and wildlife.  In essence, this agency is protecting the forest area and biodiversity.  This is similar to something such as the Bureau of Land Management or the Forest Service in the United States.  However, where the power comes from in Denmark is where the main difference lies from how the agencies operate in the United States.

To illustrate this example, we learned about the national park project that the Nature Agency has been working on for close to twenty years now.  First, let me say that Denmark has no history of national parks like we have in the United States (thanks, Teddy Roosevelt!).  Next, the Nature Agency doesn't really have the power to just establish land as a national park like we do in the United States.  Finally, the agency is in the process of re-foresting and re-establishing wetlands; two actions that aren't primary foci in the United States.  The National Park Project has been a bit of a success but overall an unfinished project.  The separated national park forest areas need to be connected to form an overall habitat corridor and cohesive unit, but farmers in the area have opposed it.  Also, when passing the law about national parks, Danish Parliament said the vote would have to be unanimous instead of just a majority.  They are hoping that a new phase of the project will continue in 2014.  Here's hoping it's a success.

We got to tour the forest and a beautiful lake, see wetland restoration, and finally go to a monastery that is part of the small national park we saw today.  Enjoy!

Denmark's Forests

As Denmark (and many other European countries) began to grow and urbanize, the use of wood was paramount in expanding the country.  This rapid utilization of forest resources left only 3% of woodland areas by 1830.  By then, there was a realization that preservation and reforestation was a must.  In this way, reforestation has become a primary land use for Denmark.  Even in areas that could be turned into extremely profitable real estate, reforestation has become a priority.  It is interesting to note that 69% of forests in Denmark are privately owned and managed.  The state owns the rest, but there is little difference in use as I understand it.  If you have been following my blog/class escapades at all, you have probably noticed that Denmark's commitment to sustainability is closely tied with its protection of green spaces.  I think these forests are another example of this, and thus prime real estate is reserved for forests.

Today we visited one of these forests situated around a freshwater lake.  It was a beautiful day, many people were out rowing and enjoying the walk around the lake.  There were a few houses along the lake, but the majority of the area was dense woodland.  These trees (primarily beech) were planted in an effort to help reforest the country in the post-industrialization period.

Coastal Denmark

Today we went to the northern coast of Denmark to explore the ocean, the summer houses, and the coastal plantations.  It was a truly beautiful train ride, almost as scenic as the coast itself!  We rode past the plantations that were put into place to prevent beach erosion.  These weren't plantations in the sense that we, as Southerners, think about them.  Instead, they were tree groves where native and non-native trees and shrubbery were planted deliberately but let grow wild.  An unsuspecting person would think it was simply a natural forest.  This purpose is a unique characteristic of the Danish landscape, highlighting its commitment to preserving its ancient coastline.   Next, we walked through the town of Hilleleje to see the summer houses.  The interesting part about these were how closely spaced they were and their projust as ximity to the ocean.  Each has was individual and cute, not as grand as houses in the city but comfortable.  Two aspects of these houses demonstrate its true Danish tradition: only Danish citizens are allowed to own or buy the summer houses, and it is illegal to live in them year round.  Finally, the coastal towns full of fisherman and beautiful boats are representative of the Danish heritage of commerce from the sea.  Because the coastline is such a big part of the Danish landscape and how the country is defined, its presence has shaped its identity.

Long, hot day, short blog :)

Himmelhøj

Today we had a two hour lecture by renowned artist, Alfio Bonano. We were so lucky to have him come speak to us about his art, life, and ways he views the world because we visited one of his installations with him this afternoon! It was an awesome experience to be able to see an artist's work and hear him explain it in his own words. It was a little odd because of his attitude- but I will explain more later. First, pictures: 

 

The Arc

The Arc

View from The Arc

Insect Forest

Alfio in Insect Forest

Insect Forest- example of charred wood structures 

I would call it an utilitarian, aesthetic exhibit. Bonano used wood for the structural material and rocks for internal details/sitting structures/campfire pits, etc. The park itself is open to the public to enjoy, but that was the part that Bonano had trouble reconciling. There was some graffiti on his structures and wear and tear from weather throughout the years- this made him very angry. He had trouble understanding why people would leave permanent marks on his work. This endless commentary was a bit distracting and negative from the overall experience, but the installations themselves were truly beautiful. I especially liked the arc because of its historical roots- the area in Denmark where the installation is located was once under water. Also- the rocks used were glacial remains from the last ice age. Truly unique! 

Organic Garden

Friday we visited two different types of organic gardens. The first was essentially a collective of international, young professionals who owned a small plot of land and grew vegetables. The two women who showed us around were wonderfully intelligent and passionate about organic gardening. They explained how the differences in the group members contributed to a diverse set of gardening habits, cooking skills, and work ethics. Most people joined this collective because they wanted to meet other young adults with similar interests and also some just love gardening! The garden was small but full of fruits and vegetables basking in the sun. We helped out in their garden by weeding, spreading straw, and I even got to plant a few strawberry plants. For a snack, the two women had prepared a variety of different dips for us to go with homemade bread: hummus with cilantro, a pesto-like spread, rhubarb compote, and lemon balm tea. Delicious!!!  Overall,

I learned that differences in ethnicities can contribute to different garden techniques. Also, they say "coriander" when they are talking about cilantro. Odd! 

Next, we went about an hour north of the city to explore a large scale organic farm business. This site was more of a learning facility with a grocery store and restaurant, the food is mainly grown on the Jutland peninsula and then transported inland. The company runs a very successful organic food delivery or pick up system. Most of the vegetables are grown on their farm or imported from around Europe. The company also has an interesting program where they teach local 3-5th graders the value of organic gardening by giving them their own mini plot of land and helping them sow seeds. This educational aspect of the company's outreach was most interesting to me. After having a tour of the small children's plots, we had a wonderful lunch prepared using all organic ingredients. Yum! I got pretty sunburned but it was a wonderful day to be outside and learning about organic Denmark.