Land reclamation and nature conservation

1946 - 1961

After the Second World War, employment considerations became less important for DDH ’s work. During this period, the company began collaborating closely with the agricultural industry on the performance of extensive land reclamation and drainage projects.

In the laboratory this activity resulted in a shift from peat and lignite analyses to soil analyses for agriculture.

The post-war years were spent remedying the damage done to plantations which had suffered from heavy felling during the war. At the same time, new interest appeared for establishing plantations. In order to promote more rational forest management, DDH ’s Plantation Regulation - today DDH ’s Area Planning – was set up. Its aim was to survey the wood mass in the forests.

At the same time DDH commenced its first projects concerning nature conservation and care of the countryside. The company established its first waste water pipes in 1947-1948, and in later years DDH began to construct sewage treatment plants. The first nature conservation projects involved planting vegetation in order to obscure disused lignite beds. This work was based on experience developed from the first planting activities designed to enhance the countryside carried out in 1921.