A strong team of Denmark’s leading researchers in environment, agriculture, biodiversity, and land use has secured 37.7 million DKK from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the 15 June Foundation to establish the project TRANSFORM. The funding is part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s 10-billion DKK initiative to support projects under the framework of the Green Tripartite Agreement.

"Transforming our landscapes on a large scale is a monumental challenge – but it is absolutely necessary to meet our goals for water quality, climate, biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture," says Professor Henrik Vejre from the University of Copenhagen.

The main challenge is that Denmark’s landscape was designed to support agriculture and forestry in the 19th and 20th centuries.
"This means we now need to find new solutions for how best to use our land so that there is room for both food production, nature, and environmental protection," he explains.

Professor Tommy Dalgaard from the Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University adds:
"Fundamentally, it is about the Danish people's relationship with the landscape. How do we want to manage our land and nature? And how should agriculture produce in the future? Answering these questions requires not just natural science expertise but also insights from disciplines like law, economics, anthropology, social sciences, and cultural history."

When it comes to implementing the Green Tripartite goals across the country, it is the local actors who hold the responsibility.

A major part of the TRANSFORM project will therefore take place locally, with particular focus on the areas of Lemvig, Lolland, and Silkeborg, where so-called "Living Labs" will be established. These areas were chosen because of their strong local commitment to innovation, their diversity of challenges and opportunities – and the fact that they complement each other well.

"When politicians decide to invest 43 billion DKK in transforming Denmark, it must be done in a robust and lasting way – making full use of the expertise available both at research institutions and among the many different local and national stakeholders," says Irene Wiborg, Head of Environment at SEGES Innovation.

Achieving the mission set by the Green Tripartite Agreement requires a broad and interdisciplinary approach.
"At SEGES Innovation, we contribute with expertise in agricultural economics, value chains, communication, data use, stakeholder engagement, and land use," she continues.

Thus, interdisciplinarity is a cornerstone of the project, which brings together advisers, municipalities, and local actors from across the country with researchers from several Danish universities.

Professor Henrik Vejre explains that the official launch of the TRANSFORM project will took place on 23 April 2025 in the historic surroundings of Bernstorff Palace – a fitting venue, as it was the starting point for the major Danish land reforms of the 18th century.

In the 1760s, J.H.E. Bernstorff and A.P. Bernstorff redistributed the lands of Vangede, Ordrup, and Gentofte, granting property rights to farmers.
"With this historic inspiration, we now embark on yet another reform of our landscapes," says Henrik Vejre.

The day featured presentations by key actors, an introduction to the project’s goals and strategic direction, and a celebration marking the first steps towards a long-term transformation of Denmark’s landscapes and society.
"Together with the entire team behind the TRANSFORM project, we are excited to get started and to celebrate this milestone in festive surroundings," he concludes.

Contact:

Henrik Vejre
Professor
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
Email: hv@ign.ku.dk
Phone: +45 3533 1819

Irene Wiborg
Head of Environment
SEGES Innovation
Email: iaw@seges.dk
Phone: +45 3092 1733

Tommy Dalgaard
Professor
Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology
Centre for Landscape Research in Sustainable Agricultural Futures (Land-CRAFT.dk) and Centre for Sustainable Landscapes in a Changing World (Sustainscapes.org)
Email: tommy.dalgaard@agro.au.dk
Phone: +45 2070 6132