A Danish biotech entrepreneur is buying farmland to restore nature across Denmark, transforming agricultural land into wetlands, forests, and wildlife habitats in an effort to rebuild biodiversity and demonstrate that ecological restoration can also be financially sustainable.
Danish millionaire Jacob Jelsing is using his fortune in an unusual way. He is buying farmland to restore nature by converting former agricultural land into wetlands, forests, and wild ecosystems that support biodiversity, while exploring new models for conservation investment.
The effort is being led by Jelsing, founder of Change Ventures, Earthbreak, and Seabreak. After helping build a successful biotechnology company that developed pharmaceutical drugs such as Ozempic, Jelsing is now investing part of his wealth in restoring natural landscapes.
Through his company Earthbreak, founded with his wife Camilla Voigt Zacho, Jelsing is purchasing farmland and transforming it into natural habitats. Wetlands, forests, and wildflower meadows are gradually being reintroduced to land that was previously used for intensive agriculture. The initiative is designed to show that it can help rebuild ecosystems while also serving as a long-term investment in environmental stability.
The idea behind buying farmland to restore nature is rooted in Denmark’s land-use history. Over the past two centuries, large areas of the country have been converted into farmland, dramatically reducing the amount of space available for natural ecosystems.
Today, roughly 60% of Denmark’s land area is used for agriculture. While farming has supported food production and economic growth, it has also contributed to declining biodiversity and pressure on natural habitats.
Agricultural intensification has also affected waterways. Fertilizer runoff from farmland has been linked to nutrient pollution and oxygen depletion in Danish fjords, which can damage marine ecosystems and fisheries.
Instead of waiting for large-scale policy changes, Jelsing decided to act directly. His approach focuses on buying farmland to restore nature by gradually transitioning agricultural land back to functioning ecosystems.
Once Earthbreak purchases farmland, industrial agricultural production is phased out. Restoration begins with ecological steps such as re-wetting drained fields, planting native trees, and allowing natural vegetation to regenerate.
Some sites have been redesigned to include ponds, streams, forests, and grazing areas that support diverse habitats for insects, birds, and mammals. Over time, these landscapes can begin functioning more like natural ecosystems again.
The restoration strategy also recognizes the role of grazing animals in shaping landscapes. In certain areas, cattle or horses are introduced to mimic natural grazing patterns that help maintain open grasslands and support plant diversity.
Buying farmland to restore nature is part of a broader conservation movement known as rewilding. Rewilding focuses on restoring ecosystems by reducing human intervention and allowing natural processes to rebuild habitats over time. Instead of managing land primarily for agriculture or forestry, rewilding projects aim to create conditions that allow ecosystems to recover and regulate themselves.
Earthbreak has already acquired several properties across Denmark. In total, the project has purchased hundreds of hectares of farmland that are now transitioning from conventional agriculture to ecological restoration.
The long-term vision extends far beyond individual farms. Jelsing hopes that buying farmland to restore nature will demonstrate how private capital can help scale up biodiversity restoration across Europe. If investors begin to view nature restoration as a viable long-term asset, more farmland could be converted into ecological landscapes.
The initiative is also exploring whether conservation can be economically sustainable. According to Jelsing, the goal is not to generate large profits but to show that nature restoration projects can still produce modest financial returns. Even relatively small returns of around 2% annually could attract investors interested in long-term environmental investments that also deliver ecological benefits.
However, buying farmland to restore nature is not always simple. Restoration projects must navigate local regulations, permits, and land-use policies that were originally designed to support agricultural production.
In some cases, re-wetting farmland or planting new forests requires multiple approvals from municipalities and environmental agencies. These bureaucratic challenges highlight how existing policies often favor agriculture even when ecological restoration may be beneficial.
Despite these challenges, Earthbreak’s projects have attracted significant public interest. When one restored farm opened to visitors, hundreds of people came to explore the landscape and learn about the restoration process.
The response suggests a growing public appetite for conservation initiatives that operate at larger landscape scales. People are increasingly interested in projects that demonstrate how damaged ecosystems can recover.
While Earthbreak currently represents only a small portion of Denmark’s agricultural landscape, the project offers a glimpse of how private initiatives can complement government conservation programs. As biodiversity loss continues across Europe, buying farmland to restore nature may become an increasingly important strategy for rebuilding ecosystems and creating healthier landscapes.
