Glossary: terms in nature and land-use projects

Short explanations of the terms that recur in the Danish Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart), lowland projects and documentation. Every entry refers to official sources.

0-9

§ 3-protected habitats (§ 3-natur): § 3-protected habitats are habitat types protected under § 3 of Denmark's Nature Protection Act, meaning their condition must not be altered without an exemption.

A

Afforestation (Skovrejsning): Afforestation is the establishment of new woodland on land that was not previously wooded, typically agricultural land.
Agency for Green Land Conversion and the Aquatic Environment (Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø, SGAV): SGAV is Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø (the Agency for Green Land Conversion and the Aquatic Environment), which administers large parts of the land-use programme under the Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart).
Anchor municipality (Ankerkommune): An anchor municipality coordinates one of the 10 intermunicipal partnerships between the local green tripartite groups.
Audit trail (Revisionsspor): An audit trail is a log of who did what and when in a case.

B

Baseline: A baseline is a dated record of an area's condition against which later changes are compared.
Biochar (Biokul): Biochar is a carbon-rich material from biomass pyrolysis that can store carbon in soil.

C

Cadastral parcel (Matrikel): A cadastral parcel is a plot of land recorded in the cadastre, Denmark's official register of real property.
Carbon-rich lowland soil (Kulstofrig lavbundsjord): Carbon-rich lowland soil is soil with a high organic carbon content, typically found in river valleys and former bogs, which emits greenhouse gases when drained.
Chairing municipality (Formandskommune): The chairing municipality leads the work of a local Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart) and ensures progress.
Climate-lowland projects (KLA, Klima-lavbundsprojekter): KLA covers the two nationally funded initiatives under VLP, established under track 2.
Coastal Water Council (Kystvandråd): A coastal water council is an advisory partnership working towards healthier coastal waters in one or more catchments.
Compensation for loss of value (Værditabskompensation): Compensation for loss of value compensates landowners for the loss in value that a project causes to their land.

D

Danish Elevation Model (Danmarks Højdemodel, DHM): The Danish Elevation Model (Danmarks Højdemodel) is the nationwide terrain and surface model, available to download free of charge via Dataforsyningen (Denmark's data distribution platform).
Danish Nature Agency (Naturstyrelsen): Naturstyrelsen (Danish Nature Agency) manages the state's forest and nature areas and is a key project owner in land-use conversion.
Denmark's Environmental Portal (Danmarks Miljøportal): Danmarks Miljøportal (Denmark's Environmental Portal) is a public-sector partnership owned by the state, municipalities and regions, supporting digital environmental administration.
Denmark's Green Land Fund (Danmarks Grønne Arealfond): Danmarks Grønne Arealfond is the fund being established under Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart) to drive land-use change.
Denmark's Land Information (Danmarks Arealinformation): Danmarks Arealinformation is the mapping tool provided by Danmarks Miljøportal (Denmark's environmental portal), with data on land use, nature protection and regulations.

E

EAFRD (ELFUL): EAFRD (ELFUL) is the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, which co-finances VKP projects.
Environmental GIS (MiljøGIS): MiljøGIS is the mapping system of Miljøministeriet (the Danish Ministry of Environment), used, for example, to draw area boundaries when applying for grants for privately owned untouched forest.
Establishment project (Etableringsprojekt): An establishment project is the part of a wetland or lowland project in which the project is physically constructed.
Evidence chain (Evidenskæde): An evidence chain is a connected body of documentation in which each link is traceable: where data comes from, who has assessed it, and when.
EXIF: EXIF is a standard for metadata in image files, such as time, camera and GPS position.
Extensification (Ekstensivering): Extensification means managing land less intensively, for example with less fertiliser or as permanent grassland.

F

F2 self-service (F2-selvbetjening): F2-selvbetjening (F2 self-service) is the application system accessed from MARS for preliminary studies and track 2 in VLP.
Feasibility study (Forundersøgelse): A feasibility study assesses whether a wetland or lowland project can be implemented before an application for implementation funding is submitted.
Follow-up flight (Efterflyvning): A follow-up flight is a new drone flight over a project area after baseline, during which the same points are photographed again.
Forest preservation obligation (Fredskovspligt): A forest preservation obligation is a restriction under the Danish Forest Act requiring an area of land to remain forest.

G

Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart): Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart) refers to the Agreement on a Green Denmark (Aftale om et grønt Danmark) of 24 June 2024 between the government and the parties to the green tripartite agreement.
GSD (Ground Sample Distance): GSD indicates how much ground area a single pixel in an aerial photograph covers.

H

Hydrological coastal water group (Hydrologisk kystvandsgruppe): A hydrological coastal water group is a group of sub-catchments used to calculate the nitrogen impact of land conversion plans.

L

Land consolidation (Jordfordeling): Land consolidation is a combined transaction in which plots are exchanged and traded simultaneously to bring a project area together.
Land ownership feasibility study (Ejendomsmæssig forundersøgelse): A land ownership feasibility study explores landowners' interest and wishes in a wetland or low-lying land project.
Land retirement adviser (Udtagningskonsulent): A land retirement adviser helps landowners and project owners implement land-use conversion projects.
Land-use conversion plan (Omlægningsplan): A land-use conversion plan shows how a local Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart) will meet its share of the required nitrogen reduction and the lowland target through land-use conversion.
Livestock CO2e tax (CO2e-afgift på husdyr): The livestock CO2e tax is a tax on livestock emissions introduced under the Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart) from 2030.
Local Green Tripartite (Lokal grøn trepart): A local Green Tripartite is a collaborative body that coordinates land-use conversion within a river basin. There are 23 such bodies.

M

Mosaic provision (Mosaikbestemmelsen): The mosaic provision means that small natural areas below 2,500 m² are also protected under § 3 (of the Danish Nature Protection Act) when, together with other protected habitat types, they cover at least 2,500 m².
MRV: MRV stands for Measurement, Reporting and Verification of impacts.
Multifunctional Land Registration (MARS): MARS stands for Multifunktionel Arealregistrering (Multifunctional Land Registration) and is the platform for land-related measures under the Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart).

N

Nature national park (Naturnationalpark): A nature national park is a large state-owned natural area where nature is intended to develop more on its own terms.
NDVI: NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) is an index of green vegetation calculated from near-infrared and red light.
Nitrogen-reduction wetland (Kvælstofvådområde): A nitrogen-reduction wetland is a wetland intended to reduce nitrogen discharges into fjords and coastal waters.

O

One-off compensation (Engangskompensation): One-off compensation is paid to landowners who retain their land in a wetland or low-lying land project.
Orthophoto (Ortofoto): An orthophoto is an aerial photograph that has been geometrically corrected so it can be used as a map with a consistent scale.

P

Phosphorus wetland (Fosforvådområde): A phosphorus wetland aims to reduce phosphorus discharges into lakes.
Preservation covenant (Servitut om fastholdelse): A preservation covenant is a registered restriction on land use that ensures a wetland or low-lying land project is preserved.
Project land (Projektjord): Project land comprises areas within a wetland or lowland restoration project.

R

Repeat photography point (Gentagelsespunkt): A repeat photography point is a fixed location photographed on each flight so images can be compared over time.
Replacement land (Erstatningsjord): Replacement land is farmland outside the project area that landowners may receive in exchange for project land.
River valley restoration (Restaurering af ådale): River valley restoration reconnects a watercourse with the land alongside it.

S

Secretariat municipality (Sekretariatskommune): The secretariat municipality provides secretariat support and cross-party coordination in a local Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart).
Self-service portal (Tast selv): Tast selv (self-service portal) is the system used for applications and payments for VKP establishment projects under track 1.
Sentinel-2: Sentinel-2 is the EU's Copernicus satellite mission, providing free optical imagery of the entire Earth.
SHA-256: SHA-256 is a cryptographic hash function that creates a unique fingerprint of a file.
Strengthened environmental guarantee (Skærpet miljøgaranti): The strengthened environmental guarantee is an element of Green Tripartite (Grøn Trepart) that applies from 2027 onwards.
Sub-catchment (Delvandopland): A sub-catchment is part of a catchment to which nitrogen reduction requirements are allocated.

T

Technical feasibility study (Teknisk forundersøgelse): The technical feasibility study assesses the effects and consequences of a wetland or lowland project.
Track 1 (Spor 1): Track 1 establishes VKP projects with EU funding, allowing land consolidation, land purchases and compensation for loss of value.
Track 2 (Spor 2): Track 2 involves establishing KLA projects with national funding, with landowners retaining their land in return for one-off compensation.

U

Untouched forest (Urørt skov): Untouched forest is forest left to develop naturally without conventional forestry operations.

V

VKP: Water and climate projects (Vand- og klimaprojekter): VKP comprises the four EU co-financed measures under VLP implemented under track 1.
VLP - Wetland and lowland projects (Vådområder og lavbundsprojekter): VLP is the joint grant scheme for wetland and lowland projects, continuing VKP and KLA.

W

Watercourse buffer zone (Bufferzone langs vandløb): A buffer zone is a strip along a watercourse where land use is assessed separately, for example for planting or extensive farming.
Wetland (Vådområde): A wetland is an area where the water level has been raised so the soil is wet for most of the year.
WFS: WFS (Web Feature Service) is a standard for retrieving geographical vector data online, e.g. for QGIS or ArcGIS.

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