Denmark may not have the most stunning landscape in the world, but it has several very special wetlands, called fens, which create a unique habitat for many rare flowers.
Unlike bogs, fens are fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater, which provides nutrients to the plants.
However, they are often threatened by extreme dryness or overgrowth.
Most money will go to Thisted
That is why the EU has pledged to provide 46 million kroner for a project protecting fens in eight selected Natura 2000 sites across the country.
One of the locations is in Thisted Municipality, which has many of the endangered fens and therefore stands to receive half of the funds from the EU’s LIFE program.
Landowners will be consulted
The specific way of protecting the plants and animals in each fen will be decided after a dialogue with local landowners.
The municipalities of Struer, Jammerbugt, Furesø, Høje Tåstrup and Faxe as well as the nature agency of Funen will be part of the project, which is expected to run over the next five years.
The EU will pay 60 percent of the costs, while local authorities expect the remaining costs will be covered by the Danish government.
