Simple indicators used in Danish statistics dealing with traffic and environment by Michael Berg Rasmussen

Statistics about environment in Statistics Denmark Environment and economic activity Consumption and quality of drinking water Traffic and environment Other sources in Denmark: ”The Danish Nature & Environment Portal” (

Traffic and environment (1) Task: Make a measure that shows to what degree the nature in Denmark are under the influence of traffic and transport.

Traffic and environment (2) Background The constant expansion of transport infrastructure and the continuous growth in traffic puts an increasing pressure on nature areas and biodiversity. This is done by direct impact and disturbance caused –partly because of the proximity to the transport infrastructure and –partly because of the fragmenting and isolating of habitats done by the linear infrastructure, which are creating barriers, that prevent the spreading and wandering of animals and animal populations from habitat to habitat.

Simple indicators to measure the pressure of transport infrastructure on nature Method The European Environment Agency (EEA) has developed two simple methods to measure this: Number of birds sanctuaries - Special bird areas (SPA’s) and Ramsar Wetland - which have a major transport infrastructure within 5 km of their centre Average size of land parcels not fragmented by transport infrastructure

Method no. 1: Proximity of transport infrastructure to bird sanctuaries Count how many bird sanctuaries that are influenced by major traffic infrastructure situated within 5 km of their centre The most easily done method

Proximity of transport infrastructure to bird sanctuaries – used material Basic map of Denmark ( The National Survey and Cadastre in Denmark ) Various traffic-maps ( Krak ) –Major roads –Railroad –Airports and Airfields –Ferry berths (but not other kinds of harbours – f.ex. industrial harbours) Maps of bird sanctuaries Special Bird Areas and Ramsar Wetland ( The Danish Nature & Environment Portal)

Proximity of transport infrastructure to Special birds areas (1)

Proximity of transport infrastructure to Special birds areas (2)

Proximity of transport infrastructure to Special birds areas (3)

Proximity of transport infrastructure to Special birds areas – main results YearNumber of SPA’s Number and areas close to:Number of influenced areas Percentage of influenced areas Number of not influenced areas MotorwaysPrincipal roads RailroadFerry Berths Airport and Airfields ,5 % ,4 % ,6 % ,1 %53

Method no. 2: Average size of land parcels not fragmented by traffic infrastructure Cut Denmark into parcels by the help of major linear traffic infrastructures Measure the areas of the land parcels and calculate the average size of those The most difficult done method

Average size of land parcels not fragmented by traffic infrastructure – used material Basic map of Denmark (The National Survey and Cadastre in Denmark) Various traffic-maps (Krak) –Major roads –Railroad

Average size of land parcels not fragmented by traffic infrastructure (1)

Problems in creating land parcels It was not possible to use line- themes as a cutting-tool In ArcView 3.3 (as we used at that time) only polygon-theme could be used as a knife

An alternative manner to cut land parcels Put in the m gridnet of Denmark

Average size of land parcels not fragmented by traffic infrastructure (2)

Average size of land parcels not fragmented by traffic infrastructure (3)

Average size of land parcels not fragmented by traffic infrastructure (4)

Average area of land parcels not fragmented by linear traffic infrastructure – main result Year Number of land parcels come into being by the fragmentation caused by major linear traffic infrastructure Average size of non-fragmented land parcel20,754 km²20,841 km² Greatest non-fragmented land parcel1513,886 km² Smallest non-fragmented land parcel0,001 km² The total area of the non-fragmented land parcel42.152,124 km²42.162,096 km² The total area of the linear infrastructure883,508 km²873,537 km² The total area of Denmark43.035,632 km²43.035,633 km²

Paradoxes in the two surveys Less Special Bird Areas seem to be influenced over time (67 in 2002 and 60 in 2009) Non-fragmented land parcels seem to grow bigger over time (20,754 km² in 1999 and 20,841 km² in 2002)

Explanation to paradoxes Abandoned railroads are on the map as long as the railway track still are their The information about fairy berths in the map material is not continuous from year by year

Other problems in the map-material Information about industrial harbours etc. is missing

Problem in the fragmentation method The method is prevailing made by the European Environment Agency for continental countries. Denmark is composed of 407 islands and islets We have chosen to consider each island an islet as a separate land parcel in order not to include sea-areas But this is not in line with the principles from EEA So our average size of non-fragmented land parcel-areas are approximately only the half of the result from EEA

A light for the future A new arrangement ensure that all Danish national institutions will have free admittance to all geodata from the Danish “National Survey and Cadastre”. It will ensure us better geodata for the future.

The End - thank you for your attention!