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DenmarkEast Jutland archipelago to be protected

Morten Strauch

 · 18.10.2025

Svanegrund Nature Park
Photo: Horsens Kommune
Svanegrund Nature Park will be the largest nature reserve in Denmark. It is located between Jutland and the island of Samsø and also includes the heavily polluted Horsens Fjord. The ambitious project gains momentum thanks to a major donation from the A.P. Møller Fund of the container shipping company Maersk.

The islands of Samsø, Endelave and Tunø are popular destinations for German sailors, but like Horsens Fjord, they are heavily affected by environmental pollution. Fertilisers, sewage treatment plants and industrial run-off contribute to nutrient enrichment in the sea. This excess of nutrients promotes the growth of algae, which clouds the water and reduces its oxygen content. This creates so-called dead zones in which neither fish nor crustaceans or other larger creatures can survive.

Over the next five years, reefs, seagrass meadows and biogenic structures in the shallow fjord landscape, which has suffered from a lack of oxygen for decades, are to be restored in the 84,000-hectare Svanelund Nature Park. 110 million DKK (15 million euros) will be provided by the A.P. Møller Fund.

Exactly how the nature reserve will affect water sports enthusiasts remains to be seen. However, there is reason for hope, as protected areas in Denmark are not traditionally characterised by large no-go zones. Instead, they are designed to bring people closer to nature. Facilities already planned on land include information stands, birdwatching towers and campsites with overnight cabins. However, restrictions on anchoring should be expected due to the new seagrass beds.

"Life around Danish waters is under threat, and it is our duty to take action. I am therefore pleased that the foundation can improve the living conditions for animals and plants in Svanegrund Nature Park. It also raises awareness of our shared responsibility by enabling more experiences and activities in the area's diverse nature," says Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, Chair of the A.P. Møller Foundation for General Purposes.

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Morten Strauch

Morten Strauch

Editor News & Panorama

Morten Strauch was born in Schleswig in 1977, but grew up mainly in Lüneburg. He joined the Boy Scouts so that he could take part in a youth sailing camp in the Stockholm archipelago. After an internship at BOOTE magazine, he dropped out of his communications design studies, followed by 13 years as a freelance photographer and author for BOOTE, BOOTE Exclusiv and YACHT. In 2019, he was hired by Hanseyachts to serve as press spokesman and marketing manager. Consequently, the long-awaited first boat becomes a Hanse 291. Three and a half years later, he returns to Delius Klasing, this time as an editor for YACHT in the Panorama department. When not (also) privately on the water, Morten can be found scuba diving or collecting fossils on the coast.

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