Forestry in Denmark is of interest especially on account of the
intensive methods developed on small areas, and of the efforts at
reforestation of sand dunes, moors and heaths.
Greatly curtailed in area when, as a result of the war of 1864, Prussia
detached the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein, Denmark now has an
area of 15,360 square miles with 2.5 million people (or 163 to the
square mile). It is largely a farming country, 80 per cent. being
productive, only 6.3 per cent. of it, or less than 600,000 acres being
under forest, and this also mostly on soil capable of farm use; hence an
import of over 7 million dollars worth of wood material is required.
In addition, there are about 75,000 acres of heaths and other wastes in
process of reforestation. Especially on the island of Själland, on which
the capital Copenhagen, is situated, the forest area is now increasing
by planting. The balance, or nearly 20 per cent. of the land area,
consists of heaths, moors, peatbogs and sands.
Half the forest area is located on the islands, and as these represent
about one-third of the total area, they are twice as densely forested as
the peninsula of Jütland. This latter along the north and west coast for
200 miles represents a large sandbank with extensive sand dunes,
shifting sands, heaths and moors, a desolate almost uninhabited country
of sterile downs, called Klitten, the recovery of which has been in
progress for a hundred years. According to some, this once bore a
coniferous forest, more likely it was never forested.
While originally beech was and is still the predominant timber (60%)
with considerable additions of oak (7%) and other hardwoods, a conifer
forest of spruce and pine, covering more than 20% of the forest area,
has been established by planting. This planting has been mainly done on
the dunes and sandwastes, and in the reclamation of the extensive heaths
and moors or peat bogs, especially in the northern Limfjord district,
which occupy one-sixth of the unproductive area.
* * * * *
As was natural, the forest stocking on good farm land had to yield
early to plow and pasture. Attempts at conservative use of the forest
area date back to 1557 when Christian III issued a forest ordinance
directing his vassals or liege lords to permit the peasants to secure
their domestic wood requirements at a cheap rate, but not to permit
cutting for sale or export, and reserving to himself all returns from
such sales. There were also regulations for the pasture, especially as
to goats, and for the use of the mast, which then formed more than
one-quarter of the income from the royal forests.
In the 18th century the need of forest management was recognized, and in
1762 the two eminent German foresters, von Langen and von Zanthier (see
p. 88) were invited to visit Denmark and Norway (see above) with a view
of organizing such management. In 1760, eight young Danes were sent to
von Langen in Wernigerode to study his methods for three years, and
these with the two German foresters returned in 1762, and under the
direction of von Langen organized the Seeland forest areas and started
the first plantations of conifers, which are now the pride of Danish
foresters.
In 1781, the State forests were altogether placed under an organized
administration.
By the beginning of the 19th century the reduction of forest areas had
progressed to such an extent that, in 1805, a law was enacted providing
that the then existing forest area containing beech and oak should be
maintained as such forever, or at least that for any new clearing an
equivalent area be planted to forest. This law was perhaps the result of
a journey in 1802, to Germany made by two leading officials of the
forest department, German influence through Cotta and Hartig being at
this time visible everywhere.
Other restrictions in the disposal of peasants’ farms or woodlands and
in the manner of farming the large estates (otherwise than by renting to
farmers), were also enacted in order to secure stability of the peasant
class. It was at this time that the accumulative taxing of landed
estates now under heated discussion in Great Britain, was used
effectively to break up the aggregation of landed property and changed
the country from one of baronial estates to small farmer’s holdings. In
this reform movement the name of Count _Reventlow_, Chief of the State
forest department, appears as the leading spirit.
The forest area, which until 1820 was on the decrease, has since that
time increased steadily, and is especially now increasing through
reforestation of waste lands.
At present, most intensive forest management is practised in the State
forest as well as in the communal and private forest areas, which latter
as stated, are largely in farmers’ wood lots since the law forbids the
union of small farms into large estates. There is little communal
property, and large private estates are also rare. The State owns about
24% of the forest area or 142,000 acres, of which one third is
nonproductive or otherwise occupied, and one third consists of
coniferous plantations. Excepting in the beech forest, most of the
timber is of the younger age classes, below 60 to 80 years, and it is
anticipated that the cut will have to be reduced, and the import of
wood and woodenware increased.
* * * * *
Artificial reproduction is the most general silvicultural practice
except in the beech forest which is reproduced naturally after
preparation of the soil and sowing acorns for admixture at the same
time, spending altogether $12 to $15 per acre in this preparation. Since
1880, thinnings have been based on the idea of favoring final harvest
trees somewhat after the French fashion; they are begun in the twentieth
to thirtieth year and are repeated every three years, aided by pruning.
Then in each subsequent decade the return occurs in as many years as the
decade has tens. Especially in the direction of thinnings, the German
practice and even theory is outdone, the thinnings being made severer
and recurring more frequently.
More than a hundred years ago the State began the reclamation work of
the dunes and heaths, but it progressed more actively only since the
sixties of last century as a result of legislation had in 1857. In 1867,
a special Dune Department was instituted, and through the effort of a
State engineer, Capt. _Dalgas_, an association was formed for the
reclamation of heaths and moors. A small subvention of $600 started the
work of the association, in its useful campaign under the advice of
Staats planteur (State forest planter) _Jensen Tusch_. The State
subvention now amounts to about forty thousand dollars annually, and the
success of the association has been such that it has become almost a fad
for large land owners and others to buy up these waste lands and have
them planted through the agents of the Heath Association. The planting
is mainly of spruce in plow furrows at a cost of $10 to $12 per acre; 60
to 80 year old stands of earlier plantings testifying to the possible
results.
In the last 40 years nearly 200,000 acres of heath have been planted, of
which over one-half are to the credit of the association.
* * * * *
For the education of the higher grade foresters a department of forestry
(now with two professors) was instituted in the Royal Veterinary and
Agricultural High School at Copenhagen in 1869, with a course of five
years including one and a half year of practical work. This education is
given free of charge.
The Heath Association educates its own officers, including in their
subjects the management of meadows and peatbogs.
A Forestry Association, composed one-half of forest owners, with its
organ _Tidskrift for Skovvaesen_, in existence since 1888, and a
valuable book literature, in which the problems of the heath are
especially fully and authoritatively treated, places Denmark in the
foremost rank in the forestry world in these particulars.
Among the prominent contributors are to be mentioned, besides Reventlow
and Dalgas, _P. E. Müller_, well known by his discussions of the
problems of moor soils. From 1876 to 1891, he issued a magazine, in
which _Oppermann_ contributed a history of Danish forestry. The latter
author also, in co-operation with _Hauch_, published in 1900 a Hand-book
of Forestry.