Conclusion

After three weeks of learning about and experiencing Danish greenspace, my definition of greenspace has changed. Originally I thought of greenspace as green, public parks in urban environments. Now, after having taken this class, I have broadened my definition of greenspace as any space or landscape that is accessible for recreational use by inhabitants. The uses of such spaces include recreation and relaxation, and landscapes are even used as ways to make a living, as seen by the industries of coastal villages. Previously, I would not have included concrete parks in my definition. However, now, after seeing how such space is used, I think it is proper to include modern, concrete parks that lack green, because they still allow residents to enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment. 

In summary, my experiences throughout the course of the class have been delightful. I have seen many places that I would have otherwise not have had the opportunity to have seen. In addition, due to the experiential nature of this course, I have seen how Danes enjoy their greenspace and have explored the vast diversity of greenspaces in the region. This has allowed me to gain an immense amount of knowledge about the Danish culture and Danes in general. Everyday was a new and interesting experience that I gained a lot out of, and I think this class has helped change the way I look at and enjoy such spaces. 

The Role of Country Estates in Denmark

Seeing a country estate in an egalitarian society such as Denmark seems like a major aberration. The nature of such estates goes back centuries, and the one that we saw today, Egeskov Castle, is still in the hands of the same family. Historically, country estates are important to educate new generations about their country's past, and to show how ruling class once lived. To destroy a country estate would be to destroy a piece of national history and identity, in my opinion. When used to show off wealth and power, I believe country estates do not belong in Denmark. They emphasize a social class system, and do the opposite of creating an egalitarian society.

Based on these two criteria, country estates such as Egeskov belong in Denmark. Egeskov is available for access to all. Although the estate charges a fee to enter, which is not exactly egalitarian, it offers members of all social classes to experience the life of the elite. By including creative playgrounds, mazes, and beautiful gardens for the enjoyment of all, the estate has made their property an opportunity for education and recreation. Children and adults of all social classes can enjoy the property.  The inclusion of active recreation and passive recreation, such as gardens, makes the estate parklike, offers a variety of service to its visitors. By including playgrounds, the park become elusive to children, which then offers them the chance to learn about the history of country estates in their country. Thus, in my opinion, country estates such as Egeskov belong in Denmark.

Danish vs. American National Parks

Danish and American national parks are similar and different in several ways. The Nordsjæland forests and lakes that we saw today around Gribskov are all part of a proposed national park. The forests in Gribsov have already been named as a Natura 2000 area, signifying European Union recognition and preservation of the area. If and when the area becomes a national park, farms and structures will remain. Danish national parks are not solely nature. These parks simply manage the land and limit construction of new developments, placing restrictions on the land. In addition, in Danish parks, the goal is reviving historical forestry and wetlands, and conserving existing land. These parks attempt to retain Danes' connections to nature, with nature education and recreation a main focus. Also, reintroduction of species is a major goal in the creation of such parks. There are numerous factors that go into play in these parks, with large scale farmers an obstacle in the creation of new parks. National parks are almost fully funded by the state, and many parties meet before the creation of a new park.

The situation in the United States is quite different. Because the US has much more undeveloped land than Denmark, most national parks are almost entirely all nature.  Roads may pass through, and some structures exist within them, but the situation is nothing like that of Denmark's. Our national parks were created before development reached them, and are therefore untouched. In addition, many of our parks are mountainous, which Denmark does not have. Mountains kept development of encroaching on natural habitats. As a result, it was much more of a simple process declaring national parks. There were much less mayors, farmers, and other residents to argue with to achieve conservation goals. In addition, since many of the habitats have remained untouched, there is less of a need of reintroduction of species and recreating historical landscapes. The main goal of American national parks is recreation and conservation, while that of Denmark's parks is expansion and reintroduction.

Danish Forests

Natural forests once covered almost all of Denmark's land. After centuries of development, forests now make up 12.4% of the Denmark's land. And while 85% is protected land that cannot be converted into anything other than forest, almost all of the nation's existing forestry has been replanted at some point or another. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the Danish government has put programs in place that protect and conserve forests. In 2004, the Danish Forest Act was put in place, which set new guidelines on how to manage, conserve, and protect forests, and created provisions to increase forest cover. Due to the Five Finger Plan in Copenhagen, forests close to the city center were conserved and replanted, in order to give residents access to nature. So, an important question arises: why exactly does the Danish government care so much about forestry? They could have easily given the land over to developers, which would have in turn improved the economy.

The Danish government has created and conserved forests on valuable land close to Copenhagen for several reasons. One of the most important reasons is biodiversity. An increase in forest cover results in an increase in biodiversity, allowing for plants to grow below the tree cover, resulting in more diversity. With more forest cover comes more organisms. While walking in the forest today, I saw several slugs, snails, and numerous birds (including a cuckoo bird). Having more forest near the city also results in a decrease in greenhouse gases, since the forest acts as CO2 sink. Also, forests can be used for timber, an important resource for such a small nation. After trees are cut, they must be replanted, which also increases biodiversity.

Danish Golden Age of Painting

The Danish Golden Age of Painting refers to a period of time during the 19th century when Danish creativity was at its peak. This period took place in from 1800 to around 1860. This period was a very rough period for Denmark. Copenhagen had experienced several fires, which burned down Christiansborg palace and other structures. In addition, due to the Battle of Copenhagen, the city had been inflicted with serious damage. As a result of this damage and other war costs, Denmark declared state bankruptcy. Soon afterwards, Denmark lost control of Norway, becoming an even smaller and weaker nation. As a result of all of these factors, landscape painting served the purpose of raising national pride and boosting morale.

During the Golden Age, artists painted uniquely Danish landscapes realistically, but also added their own touches to their paintings. These paintings were not objective, and were ultimately influenced by what the artist wanted to portray in his art. Artists often played with lighting, perspective, and scale, and often focused on the sky as a way of getting their point across. Artists often showed people using their landscape for recreation purposes, whether it be swimming, fishing, or walking. These paintings showed (and exaggerated) the beauty of the Danish landscape, and made sure to show how it could be used by humans.

Public and Private Greenspace

Based on what I have seen throughout the past two weeks, Copenhagen's public and private greenspaces vary in many ways. There is a superfluous amount of public greenspace within the city of Copenhagen. Many of the parks that we have seen can be classified as fortification parks. These parks retain the historic characteristics of their past, while offering services to park goers of the present. The most obvious example of this is Kastellet, which maintains its military base functions while also functioning as a park. In another park, such as Botanisk Haven, which shows its fortification history by still containing remnants of the city's moats, is almost entirely different than Kastellet and serves as a research, education, and recreation hub. It offers more forests and grassy fields. While these parks are classified under one category, each of them offers a unique feature not found in the other. In my opinion, the contemporary parks are all a little bit too similar in terms of the services that they offer. Superkilen and Mimersparken are located within five minutes of one another, and both are mainly for active recreation. These parks contain numerous pieces of artwork and offer many services. However, I believe that these parks do little as a greenspace, due to their typically concrete and treeless designs.

Private greenspaces are of particular interest to me. Although waiting lists for gardens, summer houses, and kolonihavens are extremely long, visiting these places shows that the wait is worth it. City dwellers have easy access to private greenspaces,  which are located very close to the city due to the Five Fingers Plan. These private greenspaces offer Danes a chance to easily connect with nature by gardening or just relaxing in their own spaces. Looking at all of the different gardens and houses, it is obvious that every person has a different style of using their private greenspace. Some may garden, some may become beekeepers, and others may use their property for rest and relaxation. The availability of such greenspace allows for personalization that would otherwise be unavailable.

Effects of Coastscape on Denmark

Denmark has always been greatly influenced by its coastal location. Its strategic location between the North Seas on one side, and the Baltic Sea on the other side has created a connection between Danes and the sea. This connection comes all the way from Viking times, when the Vikings relied on the sea for fishing and sailing. The sea influenced the national foods of the nation, with fish becoming a primary food staple because of it. Going to Gilleleje, it is evident that, although the area has changed throughout the years, the sea has always played a prominent role in shaping its identity.

At first, the town had been a fishing area, where fishermen had access to the waters of the Baltic Sea. Many years later, as the town became easier to access from Copenhagen through roads and railroads, and as summer houses became popularized, Danes of all social classes began purchasing homes along the coast. Primitive houses with thatched roofs and limited space began being built in the plantations surrounding the town. In the meantime, the fishing business remained strong. Vacationing Danes had an innate connection with the sea, using it for fishing and recreational activities. Apartment dwellers and home owners alike purchased homes along the waterfront. During World War II, Danish fishermen saved Jews from the Gestapo by sailing them to Sweden, once again showing how the Danes made use of their coastal location. Later in the 20th century, after the war, as the city was being rebuilt and industrialized, more factories and fisheries were created, drawing in more residents. Shops in the center of the city were established, and tourism the town began to increased. As coastal summer houses became more popular and desirable, they became more pricey. Now, only the rich could afford these houses, creating an exclusive area. In recent decades, as prices of summer houses have gone up, tourism to the area has increased, and numerous business rely on tourism for profit. In the meanwhile, fishing has decreased. However, throughout the years, Gelleleje has managed to maintain its history and simultaneously managed to modernized. Although Gelleleje is only one city out of many coastal towns, it serves as a prime example of how the coastline helps shape Denmark's national identity.

Contemporary vs. Historic Parks

Copenhagen contains a plethora of historic and contemporary parks. While the historic parks were typically former fortifications that were converted into green spaces, contemporary parks are mostly smaller pieces of land that have recently been converted into areas for recreational use. The biggest difference between historic and contemporary parks may be seen by comparing Ørste Anlæg and Superkilen. Ørste Anlæg covers 12 hectares, and contains The National Art Museum at the southern portion of the park. The park was once part of the old city's fortifications, and contains ponds that were once part of the moat system.

Superkilen, a park in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen, opened in 2012 as part of an urban improvement plan in a poor immigrant area of Copenhagen, and covers 3 hectares. Clearly, the origins and sizes of these projects are different. Ørste Anlaeg was created at a time that Copenhagen was expanding past its fortifications, and was becoming more polluted due to industrialization. Superkilen was created to celebrate cultural diversity and renew a dilapidated urban area, helping to promote integration of the many immigrants in the area.

Another difference is the aesthetics of these two parks. In the historic park, there are wide green spaces, large ponds, benches, and numerous forests. There are several statues, but the overall appearance of the park is green. Superkilen, on the other hand, is mostly concrete. While there are several small open grassy spaces, most of the park is art and recreational facilities. There are several trees which have benches around them, but since these benches are circular, they do not promote much interaction. In addition, unlike the historic park, the main focus of this park is its art, and outdoor gym facilities. As a result of these differences, the people who use these parks are also different. The users of the historic park are joggers, picnic goers, and older residents. The people who use Superkilen are most likely young families, immigrants, and youth.

While there are plenty of differences between the parks, the overall objective of providing parks to residents is the same. Both historic and contemporary parks provide for safe places to relax and escape the city. They are also both places that facilitate interaction and exercise.

Urban Spaces

Public spaces fulfill a variety of services in cities. The idea of having green spaces in urban locations has been a reoccurring theme all throughout history. For example, the ancient Egyptians made use of domestic gardens, the Assyrians made hunting parks, and the Greeks used public gardens. For years, however, green spaces were for the wealthy and the religious. During the Italian Renaissance, parks became larger and grander. Versailles became the biggest, grandest, and most expensive park in the world in 1664. Parks served the purpose of royals and other wealthy and powerful individuals to show off their power. The park’s grand architecture and strict rules were meant to teach the working class how to be less plebeian. It was after industrialization began that the need for public spaces for inner city residents became recognized as an important part of urban society. Due to pollution, poor sewage, and overcrowding, it became clear that parks would help clean the air, improve health and prevent the spreading of diseases, and would therefore cure social ills. Today, parks’ positive effects on ecological issues, social benefits, and economic benefits are all reasons for the creation of urban spaces. Municipalities now know that parks can prevent health problems, increase worker productivity, increase tourism, increase real estate prices, lessen infrastructure damage from floods, cool heat islands, and therefore save the city governments large millions of dollars. In addition to their money saving abilities, the presence of commercial activity within parks can be a net revenue earner. As a result, cities have large incentives to create parks. 

 

Botanical Garden

Amaliehaven

Kastellet

In Copenhagen, in particular, parks have served these services and more. As the city expanded in the 1850s, the city spread outside of the city walls. As a result, the city’s fortifications served little purpose anymore. Henrik August Flindt argued that these fortifications become parks. Since then, the Botanical Garden, Ørstedsparken, Amalliehaven, and Kastellet, all former fortifications and bastions, have become public parks. All of these parks serve the purpose of providing the public with a refuge from urban life, allowing them to walk, bike, and relax among nature. Now, the city of Copenhagen plans to give all citizens access to a park within 15 minutes. Controlling urban development, building urban parks, and maintaining green plots allow for the creation of a sustainable and modern city, maintaining and promoting the brand that Copenhagen has created for itself. Parks also create a resilient urban environment for global warming, which protects the city’s economic interests. Today, many cities are following this model of creating a sustainable city, as this is necessary for prosperity in the future.

Trip to the Past

Along the highway to Lejre, once we left Copenhagen proper, vast fields of yellow canola flowers could be seen everywhere. This clearly showed the agricultural heritage of Denmark, since a large portion of the nation is still agricultural land. In fact, the nation only started modernizing in the 1970s, and as the population shifted from rural to urban as technology boomed. Now, Denmark is known as an extremely advanced nation, and even has the fastest internet connection speeds in the world! Most of the Jutland peninsula is still agricultural, along with most of the other hundreds of islands, and while the island of Seeland houses Copenhagen, which contains 87% of the nation's population, it is still mostly rural. Natural forces and human intervention has created the Denmark that we know today, and going to Lejre allowed us to see just this.

Lejre houses the Land of Legends (or Sagnlandet Lejre), an open air archeological museum, and used to be the capital of Iron Age Denmark. The site is one of few places in Denmark that contains untouched land, meaning that there are plenty of artifacts and archeological finds to be seen from previous eras. Going through the park, we can see the effects that the geography and climate of Denmark had on its people's mentality and actions, and vice versa. As the climate warmed after the ice age, nomadic people arrived in Denmark, relying on hunting and gathering as their source of survival. As the climate warmed, so did the ecosystems. Trees and other fauna from southern climates appeared in the area, and oysters and other sea organisms became prominent sources of food. As the climate cooled again, the ecosystem became greener and bushier, and at the same time, oysters began to disappear. The Danes, therefore, managed to change their ways once again and began to rely on subsistence farming. Although farming was a much more tedious task, they did what needed to be done. As the land changed throughout the years, Danes were able to consistently adapt to their environments to meet their needs of food and security.

Just as nature affected humans, humans affected the land that they lived on. First, after the agricultural revolution, and during the Iron and Bronze Ages, humans began to own property. Prior to that, since they had relied on hunting and gathering, there was no need for property. The privatization of property, and the planting of large fields of crops, resulted in deforestation. This deforestation, as a result, caused a rapid dwindling of forests and habitats for animals. This, in addition to overhunting, resulted in the extinction of the Aurochs in 1627, as an example. Farming changed the fate of the nation, stressing the already limited resources of a small kingdom. As a result, humans had just as much of an impact on their land as the land had on them. This influence can still be felt greatly today.