Denmark and The Land

On Friday, our class travelled to Lejre, a Danish greenspace located an hour outside of the city of Copenhagen. Upon arrival, there were noticeable changes in the geography that differed from what I had seen in Denmark up to this point. The landscape consisted of rolling green hills surrounded by farmland and accentuated by bright yellow canola fields. This landscape, along with the rest of Denmark, was formed over thousands of years by multiple climate changes that influenced the flora and fauna, as well as the natural processes of erosion. In particular, glaciers played a major role in shaping Denmark's geography. The glaciers carved out the landscape as they receded over the land, creating craters which would later become fresh bodies of water. 

It is with this landscape that the Danish people would form a significant relationship. For thousands of years, people have relied heavily on the natural resources provided by the land in order to survive. Dating back to the times of nomadic hunter-gatherers, who lived off of reindeer and foraged materials,to the times of the iron age, a central resource that has always persisted, are the forests. Historically, wood has been an essential resource from which Denmark has built its civilization. As time passed and Denmark further developed, the demand for wood continued to increase due to the ongoing desire to expand and build. With the growing need to utilize the resource of wood, massive deforestation occurred, leaving barren stretches across the Danish landscape. Interestingly enough, the Danes quickly realized that their consumption of wood was not sustainable, as they risked losing their forests, an integral part of their culture. The fact that the Danes were able to recognize their inadvertence and put a stop to the deforestation before it was too late, was impressive to me, given that they were so reliant on this resource, and unlike modern society, were able to manage their resources responsibly. 

Reflecting on the history of Denmark, it is clear that the landscape has been a vital resource to its inhabitants. In the early years, the land shaped and determined the lives of those who lived on it. However, as time passed, the resources changed with the climate and so did the techniques used to live on it. Agriculture became a central focus in people's lives, and instead of living with the land, people attempted to shape it. This was a major transition that was the beginning of an era which has become dependent on large scale production and distribution.