With almost 900 million kroner of startup capital, the new national nature fund Den Danske Naturfond (DDN) has begun its work improving Denmark's nature.
DDN – which was was approved by the parliament just before Christmas – has picked its independent board which is led by Lauritz Holm-Nielsen, the head of the Danish-Chinese University Centre in Beijing (SDC) and former rector at Aarhus University.
The remaining six board members consist of Per Holten-Andersen (president of CBS), Bente Overgaard (managing director of Nykredit), Lise Kingo (former head of Novo Nordisk), Karoline Prien Kjeldsen (former departmental head of the Culture Ministry), Jørn Jespersen (head of the nature and agriculture commission) and Frank Erichsen (TV host and author).
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Great expectations
”I think that we will give Den Danske Naturfond the best possible start and I have great expectations of the fund making a big difference to Denmark's nature,” Kirsten Brosbøl, the environment minister, said in a press release.
”This board can be part of ensuring a broad support to the fund's activities and to many Danes hopefully wanting to support the fund.”
DDN has been established by the state as a private fund and its start capital of 875 million kroner has been donated by the state and the two private funds Aage V Jensen Naturfond and VILLUM FONDEN.
The fund has been tasked with finding more partners and sponsors to contribute to its projects and grow the its capital and activities, which are expected to contribute to better and more bio-diverse nature.
