Unsere Dörfer: Niedergang und Aufbruch

The consolidation of farm land has changed the landscapes and villages of North Frisia and other areas. Fields were pooled to create large expanses allowing industrialized agriculture. Surfaces were levelled: More than 90,000 km of dead-straight roads were built and 40,000 km of streams were canalized. Today’s dangerous flood waters are considered to be one of the consequences. Hedgerows were cut down to create large expanses of arable farm land. Insects and birds were driven out. In Schleswig Holstein, more than 28,000 km of hedge banks disappeared.