Climate Lowland Project Gråkær Enge

Map of the project area.

The climate-lowland project Gråkær Enge is located in the river valley between Vorning Å and Skals Å in Mariagerfjord Municipality. The project area is part of Natura 2000 area 30: "Lovns Bredning, Hjarbaek Fjord, Simested og Nørre Aadal samt Skravad Bæk" in Natureman subregion N30-11.

The project covers an area of 168 ha. Project actions will be to create natural hydrology by cutting off ditches and drains, as well as closing down pumping stations and pumping wells. During the planning and construction of the project, there will be a special focus on locating and, if possible, restoring groundwater-born nature types such as alkaline fens and springs.

The project is expected to retain 1,679 tonnes of CO₂e annually, corresponding to 10 tonnes of CO₂e/ha/year. The expected nitrogen reduction is 7.8 kg N/year, corresponding to 46 kg N/ha/year. There is a risk of loss of phosphorus to the aquatic environment in the first years after realization of the project. The consultant in the feasibility study has assessed that there will be a risk of a temporary loss of phosphorus, but that the project will overall benefit Hjarbæk Fjord. With the cessation of cultivation, the lowland project contributes to reducing the discharge of nitrogen into the aquatic environment for the benefit of Hjarbæk Fjord and Limfjorden.

The project's feasibility study was prepared in 2021 and construction work is expected to be complete in 2024. It is a prerequisite for the climate lowland project in Gråkær Enge that agreements are made with all affected landowners. In this connection, it is an important key to realization that a land distribution is initiated. Farmers are thus given the opportunity to take land out of use for nature and environmental purposes, in return for receiving good agricultural land as compensation.

Through land consolidation, the fields can often be gathered into larger contiguous areas, which improves the future possibility that the river valley can be grazed, to the benefit of both flora and fauna.

The land consolidation is expected to be integrated with a Multifunctional Land Consolidation in this part of Skals Ådalen. With this, more wishes and needs in the area can be met, e.g. recreational purposes, initiatives that improve biodiversity, groundwater protection and rounding off agricultural properties. There are around 10 landowners involved in the land distribution.

Further information about the project can be found on the Danish Nature Agency website: Klima-lavbundsprojekt - Gråkær Enge.