In 1987, Denmark launched restoration of 2,200 hectares around the Skjern River. 19 years later, SPA status arrived in 2006 as wildlife returned to the restored wetlands

In western Jutland, the Skjern River once flowed through a vast wetland landscape filled with meadows, reed-swamps, shallow lakes and winding waterways. Much of that habitat was lost after extensive land reclamation and river canalisation in the 1960s. The farmland created in the process initially produced income, but its productivity later declined as soil collapsed and heavy fertiliser use contributed to pollution in Ringkøbing Fjord.

According to the European Commission's LIFE Programme, the Skjern River restoration project helped restore wetland habitats and improve conditions for wildlife in western Jutland.

In 1987, the Danish Government began a strategy aimed at restoring poorly productive marginal lands to more natural conditions. The Skjern River became the centrepiece of that effort.


By August 2006, the restored wetlands had achieved the conservation targets needed for Special Protection Area status, with important bird species returning to the area, as per Danish Forest and Nature Agency and National Environment Research Institute (NERI).

Why did Denmark restore the Skjern River?

The Skjern River in western Jutland is Denmark's largest river in terms of water flow, with a catchment area covering 250,000 hectares.

At its mouth, the river once supported about 4,000 hectares of marshland. The landscape included meadows, reed-swamps, fens, shallow lakes and meandering waterways, creating important habitat for wildlife.

Thousands of migrating birds used the area as a stopping point along the Western Palaearctic flyway. It also supported breeding populations of bittern, black tern and corncrake, while otters and Atlantic salmon were relatively common.

That landscape changed dramatically during the 1960s, when a major campaign of land reclamation and river canalisation transformed the area. It was the last major reclamation activity of its kind in Denmark.

The newly created farmland initially produced reasonable crops and provided some income. Over time, however, the returns declined rapidly despite heavy fertiliser use. Fertiliser also contributed to pollution in Ringkøbing Fjord, while the agricultural land suffered from soil collapse.

The land was proving unable to support the intensive agricultural use that had been planned for it. In 1987, the Danish Government responded with a broader strategy for marginal lands, particularly farmland of poor quality and high maintenance requirements in places that had previously held high conservation value.

The intention was to restore these areas to a more natural state while introducing land uses such as extensive grazing and recreation. The Skjern River was selected as the showpiece of the strategy.

What was the restoration designed to achieve?

The restoration project was built around both habitat recovery and improved conditions for wildlife. A previous LIFE-Environment project had funded preparation of a new land-use plan. The part focused on restoring conservation areas for the Natura 2000 network was then carried out through a LIFE-Nature project.

One of its main objectives was to restore 875 hectares of the river valley and improve biological diversity across 1,600 hectares through the reintroduction of grazing.

The river itself also needed major changes. Canalisation had altered the physical condition of the riverbed and its tributaries, so more than 20 kilometres of river were planned for re-meandering along a more natural course.

The work was intended to restore the river's capacity for self-purification while creating better conditions for wetlands and wildlife.

The project also aimed to improve habitat for birds protected under the Birds Directive, including avocet, ruff, sandwich tern, black tern, common tern, marsh harrier, kingfisher and spotted crake.

Another goal was to create suitable conditions for corncrake and bittern to return as breeding species.

The restoration also targeted migrating birds along the Palearctic flyway, particularly pink-footed geese, as well as habitats and species covered by the Habitats Directive.

Atlantic salmon was another important focus, with the project seeking to improve spawning grounds and migration opportunities.

How did wildlife return to the wetlands?

The restoration produced significant changes.

More than 20 kilometres of new riverbeds were constructed in the eastern part of the project area. By the end of the project, around 1,200 hectares of grassland had been established.

That was below the original target of 1,600 hectares, but the restoration created more wetland and shallow-lake habitat than expected. Those additional areas were beneficial for species including spotted crake, avocet and bittern.

The wildlife response was particularly notable.

In 2000, none of the targeted bird species had breeding pairs in the area. By 2002, four pairs of bittern were breeding, along with 85 pairs of avocet, one pair of common tern and between seven and nine pairs of spotted crake. The number of migrating ruff also increased.

The restored area also became an important roosting location for pink-footed geese. Around 1,780 were recorded in spring 2003, while approximately 2,000 were recorded during autumn 2002 and 2003.

The restored wetlands therefore met the qualifying interests required for Special Protection Area designation.

The official designation took almost two years and was finally completed in August 2006.

What else changed after the restoration?

The project also produced a new shallow lake, Hestholm Lake, covering around five square kilometres.

Other species benefited as well. Water plantain spread across large parts of the restored area, while otters and the local Skjern River salmon stock also benefited.

Not every environmental target was fully achieved. Nutrient retention remained at only around 10% at the end of the project.

Flooding was another consideration. The project was designed so that restoration would not increase flood risk outside the area or negatively affect farmland drainage. Monitoring showed that water levels increased inside the restored area, but no negative impact was recorded outside it.

Long-term management was also considered essential. A management plan covering 2005 to 2020 was prepared during the project, while a proposal for a Skjern River National Park was sent to Denmark's Minister of the Environment.

Grazing was identified as particularly important for maintaining the wetland and meadow habitats, including Kalvholm Island. A special barge was built to transport cattle to the island, described as the only one of its kind in Denmark.

The restored landscape also became more accessible to the public. Recreation facilities included 17.4 kilometres of trails and three observation towers or hides, allowing visitors to experience the area and its birdlife without causing disturbance.

By the end of the project, the beneficiary estimated that between 350,000 and 400,000 people had visited the site.

An economic analysis by the Royal Danish Agricultural University in 2002 also concluded that the restoration projects along the Skjern River could be beneficial over the long term. The analysis suggested that the investment could generate local economic opportunities in addition to its nature conservation benefits.

The Skjern River restoration therefore became more than an effort to bring back lost wetlands. It transformed a heavily altered landscape, restored important wildlife habitat and helped return the area to its conservation value.

By 2006, the return of breeding birds, migrating species and other wildlife had helped the restored wetlands achieve the status that the project had set out to secure: designation as a Special Protection Area.

FAQs

What happened to the Skjern wetlands?
Much of the habitat was lost to land reclamation and river canalisation.

When did the area gain SPA status?
The new SPA designation was completed in August 2006.