BioScape - improving Biodiversity in the landScape

We face a severe biodiversity crisis that is causing loss of species, habitats and important ecosystem services. In Denmark, the biggest threats to biological diversity is nature fragmentation and a lack of space for nature, along with intensified agriculture.

The biodiversity crisis is an acute call to action that requires a holistic approach which combines several ecosystem services, involves and co-creates in new partnerships, and takes a multifunctional approach to the landscape. This is what BioScape will contribute to.

BioScape is an EU LIFE Biodiversity project running from October 2021 to October 2026. 

The total budget of the project is EUR 4.9 mio. of which EUR 2.7 mio is financed by the EU LIFE programme.

The objectives of BioScape

  1. To increase nature connectivity in Denmark through a holistic approach to landscape management.
  2. To restore and maintain unique ecosystems that promote biodiversity as a result of multifunctional land consolidation.
  3. To communicate and disseminate knowledge about vulnerable ecosystems and their services by training agricultural students in sustainable nature management.

Activities

The activities in the project will include:

  • nature restauration of three project areas, which will improve nature and increase the connectivity between natural areas
  • involvement of stakeholders and farmers through new ways to facilitate dialogue and voluntary participation, in order to achieve the most optimal land use
  • developing knowledge and learning with and from each other: in the project, in Denmark and across the EU.

Project sites

Three project areas have been selected where important ecosystem services that are deteriorating have been detected. The three project areas are Byn Lake in Lemvig Municipality, Endelave in Horsens Municipality and Aastrup Fen in Hedensted Municipality.

BioScape seeks to restore five primary ecosystem services by:

  • reducing nutrient overload of aquatic environments
  • contributing to clean groundwater
  • reducing flooding
  • strengthening carbon sequestration
  • promoting biodiversity.

BioScape will do so through multifunctional land consolidation with an emphasis on stakeholder involvement, nature restoration, and training of agricultural students in nature conservation.

Read about the three project sites.

Partners

BioScape is led by the Central Denmark Region. Additionally, eight other partners from municipalities, organizations, and companies are participating. Furthermore, there are five supporting actors.

  1. Horsens Municipality
  2. Lemvig Municipality
  3. Hedensted Municipality
  4. Aarhus University
  5. Samn Forsyning
  6. The Danish society for Nature Conservation
  7. SEGES
  8. European Landowners' Organisation (ELO).

Supporting actors

  1. Dansk Ornitologisk Forening 
  2. Asmildkloster Landbrugsskole
  3. Østjysk Landboforening
  4. VELAS
  5. CDEU.

Information material

Here you can find information material on the BioScape projekt.

Download onepager about BioScape.

Disclaimer

The content of the website and the material published related to the project reflect the author's / project's point of view and the European Commission can not be held responsible for the content.

Henrik Ørtenblad

Contact

Henrik Ørtenblad