Thy National Park – the first National Park in Denmark
Else Østergaard Andersen, M.Sc. & MPA, Manager, Thy National Park
Denmark inaugurated its first National Park in 2008 – 99 years after the first European National Parks were established in Sweden. Thy National Park lies in the north-westernmost part of Denmark. It is often said to be the largest – and last – wilderness in Denmark. The main habitats of the park are Atlantic dunes and dune heaths.
Thy National Park is also a landscape with a special cultural history. A natural catastrophe starting in the 15th century and lasting almost 400 years ruined arable land by sand drift. The sand drift lead farmers to move their farms further inland, or to settle by the sea and survive by fishing. During the fight against the sand, plantations have been created – with tree species from central Europe and even North America.
Officially, the Danish national parks do not correlate with the IUCN Protected Area Management Categories. However, Thy National Park contains most of the IUCN categories, ranging from strict nature reserve with no access from man (category Ia), through Wilderness Areas (Ib), National Park (II), etc., and to Protected Area with sustainable use of natural resources (VI).
The seminar will focus on the process since the 1999 OECD Environmental Performance Review, the Danish National Park Act from 2007, and till 2012, 3½ years after the inauguration of Thy National Park. What are the legal aims? How does the national park operate? What are the plans? How will nature benefit from the National Park? Can rural development go hand in hand with nature protection?
Thy National Park is also a landscape with a special cultural history. A natural catastrophe starting in the 15th century and lasting almost 400 years ruined arable land by sand drift. The sand drift lead farmers to move their farms further inland, or to settle by the sea and survive by fishing. During the fight against the sand, plantations have been created – with tree species from central Europe and even North America.
Officially, the Danish national parks do not correlate with the IUCN Protected Area Management Categories. However, Thy National Park contains most of the IUCN categories, ranging from strict nature reserve with no access from man (category Ia), through Wilderness Areas (Ib), National Park (II), etc., and to Protected Area with sustainable use of natural resources (VI).
The seminar will focus on the process since the 1999 OECD Environmental Performance Review, the Danish National Park Act from 2007, and till 2012, 3½ years after the inauguration of Thy National Park. What are the legal aims? How does the national park operate? What are the plans? How will nature benefit from the National Park? Can rural development go hand in hand with nature protection?
