1. Biodiversity distribution in
Kalvebod Fælled
Integrating heterogeneous nature data in GIS
Author: Michala Kristensen
Academic advisor: Ole Hjort Caspersen
Assistant advisor: Anton Stahl Olafsson
Submitted: 31 July 2015
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
Master’s thesis in Nature Management (Landscape, Biodiversity and Planning)
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN

2. Current context
 Nature Park Amager
Certification as Nature Park in January 2015
One of the largest urban parks in the world
(3500 ha)
Increased recreational use in future
 New management plan for Kalvebod Fælled
 Nature Park Strategy and Nature Park Plan 2015-2020 – too general goals
Strategic planning document Nature Park Amager – Opportunities and Efforts
(Caspersen et al.) including Landscape Character Analysis
Biodiversity perspective not included
 Use of GIS at national (Biodiversity Map of Denmark) and municipal levels
Problematic use at local scales

3. Problem formulation
The main focus was to investigate how the data on biodiversity in
heterogeneous nature databases can be combined in order to provide
a science-based decision support tool for the future management
and spatial prioritization
1) What are the requirements that biodiversity data have to fulfill in
order to be useful for analysis using GIS platforms?
2) How can the biodiversity data from different sources be used to
identify spatial distribution patterns in biodiversity?
3) How can the designation of Landscape Character Areas be
enriched by the biodiversity data?

4. Case area: Kalvebod Fælled
History, terrain, hydrology
 former seabed reclaimed in 1941-1943
 original coastal meadows in northeast
 site-specific hydrological conditions

5. Case area: Kalvebod Fælled
Nature protection
 NATURA-2000 area, Vestamager Nature Reserve (Vildtreservat), protected by Conservation Order
(Fredning), § 3 protected nature types (covering 90%)
 Dominant nature types: coastal meadows, coastal grasslands, forests and scrubs

6. Case area: Previous analysis
Biodiversity Map of Denmark Landscape Character Assessment Recreational development
Areas with high species scores 7 Landscape Character Areas projects
(Ejrnæs et al., 2014) (Caspersen et al., 2015) Nature Park Amager –
Opportunities and efforts
(Munck Petersen et al., 2015)

7. Method: Data sources
Monitoring programs
Naturdata.dk (only NOVANA data used)
Citizen science platforms
Danmarks svampeatlas, DOFbasen.dk, Fugleognatur.dk
Time period: past 10 years (1.1. 2005 – 1.1. 2015)
Database Availability of the data Organism groups
Total number of
observations
Precise Imprecise
Danmarks
svampeatlas
Available Fungi 928 0
DOFbasen.dk Available Birds 0 124.098
Naturdata.dk Available All organism groups 4198 0
Fugleognatur.dk Available with license All organism groups 1191 545

8. Method: Working process

9. Results: Suggestions for database improvements
Svampeatlas.dk
+ good user interface
+ geographically precise data (smartphone App in development)
Fugleognatur.dk
+ cover all species groups
+ geographical precise data (Naturbasen App)
- problem with data availability (private owned)
DOFbasen.dk
+ great amounts of data
+ good user interface and easy download
- problem with geographical precision (smartphone App recomended)
Naturdata.dk
+ great amounts of data
- outdated user interface, complicated structure, time consuming download
- geographical coordinates not directly connected

10. Discussion: General recommendations for data sources
1) Dealing with geographical precision issues
(e.g. by development of smart phone Apps)
2) General revision of Naturdata.dk database
(and The Danish Natural Environmental Portal)
with focus on providing better access to raw data
3) Exploration of the citizen science potential for biodiversity data collection
Creating a central platform for biodiversity data supported by up-to-date technologies
Positive side-effect:
Public engagement and future interest in biodiversity and conservation

11. Results: Overall distribution map
Data included (all species):
9461 observations of 1184 species
Fungi species: 347
Plant species: 309
Invertebrate species: 234
Bird species: 283
Vertebrate species excluding birds: 11
Distribution map is based on:
2023 observations of 233 species
(incl. 150 bird species) in the selected
categories

12. Results: Priority areas for biodiversity – fungi and invertebrates

13. Results: Priority areas for biodiversity – plants and birds

14. Results: Priority areas for biodiversity designation
Designation of approximately one
third of the case area (737 hectares)
includes following areas:
Klydesø Lake area
Northern Pinseskoven Forest
Koklapperne
Eastern Svenskeholm
Hejresø Lake
Store Høj Lake
Small area in Fasanskoven Forest
Designation covers wide range of
different nature types

15. Discussion: Priority areas for biodiversity vs. Biodiversity Map
General distribution is in good
accordance
Major differences:
 Koklapperne area
 eastern Svenskeholm
 Hejresø Lake
 central part of
Kalvebod Fælled
 Large polygons
 Based on Red-Listed species
 Weighted species score
 Higher suitablility to local scale
 Based on broader range of
categories
 Transparent method
(no weighting system)

16. Results: Priority areas for recreational development
8 priority areas for recreational
development were identified:
1) Northeastern Fasanskoven Forest
2) Fasanskoven Forest near Kalvebod Sti
3) Central area of Svenskeholm
4) Area around Villahøj and Svenskehøj
5) Area around Ugandavej
6) Southern part of Pinseskoven Forest
7) + 8) Small areas by the artificial dike
Zonation is a central strategy inspired by
recreation management frameworks
(Recreation Opportunity Spectrum framework)
Basis for zonation applied by
the Danish Nature Agency:
Priority areas for biodiversity = Silent zone
Priority areas for recreational development
= Facility zone
Areas suitable for recreation
= Outdoor recreation zone

17. Discussion: Priority areas for recreational development
Good coherence with the
suggested key projects
(2, 5 and 6 correspond to main
entrances and key projects)
Adjustments and differences:
 Area of Kalveboderne
(concentration of activities
in the north)
 Area of Indvindingen
(consider Hejresø Lake)
 Area no. 4 (Villahøj and
Svenskehøj) can attract
visitors inside the park

18. Results: Adjustments to the Landscape Character Areas (LCA)
Suggested adjustments
1) Extension of the LCA Svenskeholm
towards east
2) Establishment of new LCA
“Southern coastal meadows”
3) Sub-division of the LCA area
“Kalvebod Fælled” in 4 sub-areas
Adjusted LCA areas can serve as basic areas for
similar nature and recreation management

19. Conclusion
The GIS-based method resulted in:
– priority areas for biodiversity and recreational development designation
– adjustments to the Landscape Character Areas
Therefore, the combination of monitoring data and citizen science data can be used
to provide basis for management actions at local scale.
Suggestions for improvements:
 Adress the limitations of data sources (access and precision)
 Explore the potential of the citizen science data

20. Thank you for your attention!

21. References
Caspersen, O. H., Petersen, R. M., Nyed, P. K., Stilling S., Christensen I. K., Lynggard, I., Schoor, I., Santini, A., Østerbye,
K. G. D., Pejldrup, S., & Hartman, L. (2015). Naturpark Amager. Muligheder og indsatser. Temaraporter. IGN
Rapport Januar 2015. Frederiksberg C: Institut for Geovidenskab og Naturforvaltning, Københavns Universitet.
Ejrnæs, R., Petersen, A. H., Bladt, J., Bruun, H. H., Moeslund, J. E., Wiberg-Larsen, P., & Rahbek, C. (2014).
Biodiversitetskort for Danmark. Videnskabelig rapport fra DCE - Nationalt Center for Miljø og Energi nr. 112.
Aarhus: Aarhus Universitet, DCE – Nationalt Center for Miljø og Energi.
Munck Petersen, R., Caspersen, O. H., Nyed, P. K., Stilling, S., Christensen I. K., Lynggaard, I., Schoor, I., Santini, A.,
Østerbye, K. G. D., Pejldrup, S., & Hartman, L. (2015). Naturpark Amager. Muligheder og indsatser. Katalog. IGN
Rapport januar 2015. Frederiksberg C: Institut for Geovidenskab og Naturforvaltning, Københavns Universitet.