Agriculture or lake - A Matter of time and money

Kolindsund in the middle of Djursland, Jutland, Denmark is an agricultural area of 24 km² situated between hills to the north and lowland to the south. It is surrounded by the town of Kolind and the villages Kærby, Albøge, Allelev, Søby, Næsby and Revn to the south and Sivested, Sundby, Skiffard Fannerup, Ginnerup and Enslev to the north. To the east is the City of Grenaa.

History

Later the second largest lake in Denmark was formed due to raising in the surrounding country and sedimentation in the mouth of the sound at Grenaa.

In the 1870’s a partial draining was given up and it was decided to drain the lake completely. Among the local land owners the resistance was great and as a consequence they were given large areas of the new farmland to compensate for the loss of fishing rights and the nuisance resulting from the enormous digging and traffic. On top of these compensations they were relieved of the taxes relating to the pumping necessary to keep the land dry.

Shortly the economy became so bad, that the corporation Kolindsund A/S was forced to sell parts of the land to land owners in the surrounding country. The crisis was not over however and undtil 1912 no profit was produced. The corporation was dissolved in 1923 and the farms were sold to local farmers. The farmers formed a society to take care of matters concerning pumping but apart from that they were unorganized. Shortly they came into conflict with the organized field workers. After three years struggle the farmers won, but in 1934 they came in serious trouble due to worn out pumps and setting of the farmland. As a condition for support from the state they were forced to sign an agreement with the field workers. Today the area is farmed by conventional means.

Is farmland enough or is it better to reestablish a lake?

• The farmland in Kolindsund is of very high standards and will typically yield 10-15% more than comparable good mould.
• Djursland will loose a harvest of grain from 2000 hectare in the sound.
• The fresh water gyttja in the subsoil is compressed with a speed of 2 cm. per year due to degradation of organic matter. The ground water level thereby is lowered and salt water from the subground seeps upwards and pollutes the groundwater.
• The costs of pumping away the water eliminates the extra earnings and these costs will increase in time.
• Approximately 100 hectares has evolved into a reed swamp since 1967 and this development will continue with increasing speed.
• Replacing agriculture with the lake is from an enviromental point of wiew much to be preferred. More than a third of Djursland leads water to The Kolindsund System and with this large amounts of nitrate. A considerable part of this would be removed by a lake.
• From Kolindsund a system of canals lead to Grenaa and further on to Kattegat. Through this more than twice the amount of nitrogen is led out compared to the Gudenaa System.
• Saltpollution of drinking water will be considerably reduced. Today almost every well around the sound is closed. Grenaa has to get drinking water as far as Skindbjerg due to salt water in the subground.
• Large reserves of drinking water is endangered by salt from the subground and seepage of nitrate from the soil.
• The bussiness around Kolindsund will profit from a growth in tourism.
• A recreational area will attract more newcomers and thereby increace property values.
• Similar projects in other areas has been beneficial to flora as well as fauna.
• Land reclamation projects which has been given up e.g. Vejlerne has been turned into excellent bird reserves of international importance.

How to handle a restoration

• Documentation of facts will create a debate on the future of the area.
• Suggestions for sollutions must take the environment, the land owners and local interests into consideration.
• Lobbying on all political levels to influence political parties, environmental organizations, the government and the EU.
• Make suggestions for financing supported by fonds, the state and the EU.
• Raise suffient means to make the farmers enter the project voluntarily.

Kolindsunds Venner (Friends of Kolindsund)

The purpose is as far as possible to reestablish the lake Kolindsund for the benefit of all Djursland.

We tend to find sollutions which can be supported by the farmers and the authoraties and through lobbying, documentation, debates and suggestions for carrying out and financing the project to gain support for the lake and try to raise the means to make the farmers volunteer.

Take part in history and join Kolindsunds Venner

The annual due is 100 dkr.

Phone +45 86 39 43 18 for further information.

Chairman:	Jesper Nielsen	Phone:	+45 86 39 43 18
Secretary:	Søren Suurland	Phone:	+45 86 39 59 20