Collective Impact

Thirteen parties in the Collective Impact initiative develop, through multidisciplinary and research-supported pilot projects, a Danish model for how to create synergy in the efforts for nature, biodiversity, climate and environment respectively in our sparse areas in our small country; a Danish model for a land reform with multilateral societal benefits. At the same time, these efforts can help to make it better to run businesses and live in rural areas, which creates support rather than local resistance. It is socio-economically attractive and helps ensure change at a very low level of conflict compared to other (governmental or research) approaches.

Behind the pilot projects and the resulting Danish model are Danish Agriculture & Food Council, The Danish Society for Nature Conservation, The Danish Forest Association, KL, BirdLife Denmark, The Outdoor Council, Danish Sports Angler Association, Danish Hunter's Association, Rural Joint Council, Sustainable Agriculture, DGI, Organic National Association.

The parties have tested the ideas in three pilot projects in Skive, Jammerbugt and Ringkøbing-Skjern municipalities. The methods are further developed and qualified in the fourth project in Mariagerfjord Municipality, which runs until 2022.

In the area around Glenstrup Lake and Østerkær Bæk in Mariagerfjord Municipality, the Collective Impact parties have initiated a project in 2019-2022, where the parties wish to demonstrate that trusting collaboration on common goals and visions for the area can benefit everyone – both for people who own and live on the land, and for those who live in the area and use the landscapes in other ways. At the same time, the parties wish to demonstrate that multifunctional land consolidation with multilateral land considerations is a bottom-up change that can meet targets and (directive) requirements from above.

In the pilot project in Mariagerfjord Municipality, the focus is on further developing involvement tools to strengthen democratic co-creation and decision-making, with qualified knowledge of the landscape and the community values ​​of the local area as the focal point. It is an approach where local actors become active contributors in the development of locally adapted solutions rather than passive recipients of solutions developed by authorities.

In the pilot project in Mariagerfjord Municipality, the planning process stands on four legs; respectively.

1. Establishing a facilitator function
2. Establishment of the Local Change Council
3. Preparation of local development plan
4. Use of a multidisciplinary screening method to gather common knowledge about the multifunctional potential of the landscape.

In the implementation phase of the pilot project, the land consolidation tool is used in combination with other tools and instruments to fulfill the initiatives of the local development plan. The research team will then evaluate the extent to which they have succeeded in meeting the local wishes for the use of the landscape and whether they contribute to meeting national and international goals for nature, environment and climate.

The fourth demonstration project is funded by Realdania with DKK 5 million and additional financing for the purchase and sale of land. The municipality of Mariagerfjord co-finances the project through the working hours spent. In addition to the complementary funding, the project is supported by the EU LIFE IP Natureman – “the farmer as a nature manager” and the complementary project "Nature - a profitable part of agriculture".

Further information about Collective Impact's own website.

Further information on Joint Change read the report: Collective Impact – vejen til en bedre brug af det åbne land?