Center for Bio-diversitet
The Centre for Biodiversity
|
About the Centre for Biodiversity - Danish Non-Governmental
information centre
The Centre is an independent Danish information
centre established in 1995. Its aim is to provide information
about preserving the man-made diversity of crops and livestock
breeds - not in a remote and exclusive gene bank but at
grass-roots level out in the backyard so that the general public
can once again enjoy the living cultural heritage.
In the old days there was a much more varied range
of varieties of local crops, a variety of potato or strawberry for
every taste and purpose. Now we only have a few varieties that are
well-suited to mass production; but they taste pretty much the
same and not very exciting!
The old varieties adapted to our climate through
generations of selection. Well-adapted livestock and plants
flourish and therefore have less need of drugs and toxic sprays.
As a non-governmental organisation the Centre can
talk of threatened plants and animals from a purely
preservation-oriented perspective - free of political
considerations.
And we can also draw attention to adverse
development trends - free of organisational bonds and commercial
considerations.
Present situation in Denmark
The recreational breeding culture is a valuable
lifestyle which does not consume resources and reinforces local
social networks. It represents great potential for grass-roots
participation in conservation. Nevertheless, Danish authorities
are trying to displace this traditional lifestyle by bureaucratic
means, and a great loss of biological and cultural diversity
continues.
As an independent Civil Society Organisation the
Danish Centre for Biodiversity strongly opposes this trend, but so
far with no effect, as the Danish authorities, in spite of
officially inviting NGOs to participate, continue the displacing
of biodiversity in domestic animals.
Campaign: online-versions of our flyer -
claiming protection of smallholders and their animals
"Animals are not just for
profit"
Djur
är inte bara profit!
Smallholder Unite
Dutch Association of
Smallholders (NBVH) urge European smallholders to unite for
protection of their lifestyle and their animals.
NEW Letter to the EU council about
bird flu ( Aviean Influenza) from civil society organisations
representing 28 countries - NEW
As a small organisation we do not have the
resources to translate all documents to English, but here you
find some of the most important:
back
to center
-- e-mail
to Center for Bio-diversitet
© Center for Bio-diversitet. Denmark
Latest update Nov. 2010.
Please link to -
http://www.biodiverse.dk - only!
Center for Bio-diversitet is an independent
NGO/CSO information-center. We aim to promote biological
diversity and the protection and conservation of old and new
varieties with valuable characteristics.
Editor: Heine Refsing