Cook’s Fælled
When a biodiversity project is paired with a strong sense of community
Some years back, at WCE, Cook purchased the farmhouse, the stables, and the land of our neighbor. Since then, the patch of land adjacent to the WCE facility has been a grassy field constantly in need of cutting. Last year, a part of the land was transformed into a meadow filled with wildflowers that you would expect in such a non-cultivated field.
In 2022, my fantastic colleagues at WCE took it to the next level. They looked at the costs of maintaining the “lawn” and concluded that the maintenance budget was better spent by establishing a biodiversity field. A plan has been laid for the next 5-6 years where every year we can add a little more biodiversity to the project: “stone-lakes,” orchard, a patch of pine forest, etc.
Such a wild meadow with walking paths, benches, and tables is so much better when it’s being put to good use. Obviously, all WCE colleagues can use it for breaks, walk n’talks, but we wanted more.
So, we named our field the Cook Common. According to the dictionary, a “common” is a piece of open land for public use, and the term village common meant the common land that could be accessed by every villager. Here they could pasture their cattle, collect firewood, harvest fruits, and hunt animals, and now with the Cook Common (in Danish: Cook’s Fælled) WCE has given the village of Bjæverskov access to its common.
We have invited schools, a daycares, and a center for the elderly specifically, and the town of Bjæverskov generally, to use the Cook Common.
The inauguration took place on the last Wednesday of September, when people from Bjæverskov and our colleagues listened to Thomas Gabriel, Cook Denmark’s managing director, give the inauguration speech. The botanists who have helped WCE realize the project made sure that everyone could get a guided tour of the paths and further information about the flora.
The Cook Common will be subject to continuous development, and hopefully it will be a place where people can connect, a place of serenity and joy for colleagues, visitors, friends, and neighbors.
Click on the video below to see a series of pictures of the Cook Common from the beginning until today:
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I love this story and job well done.
Thanks Janet <3
What an uplifting story! Would love to visit this meadow and smell the flowers!
Hi Oksana – we would love to welcome you. Thank you for the comment.
I love this – thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much Sara
Great initiative, well done to all at WCE for helping the environment and the local community
Thank you Bill, I’ll pass you comment along. On top of the benefits for the environment – and the increased connectivity – it’s also a daily pleasure to watch the small miracles and masterpieces of Mother Nature. As the other day, when the winter sun was shining from a clear blue sky – not a cloud in sight – and frost covered the meadow. Beautiful
What a great way to stay connected to the local community! Great story, Tine!
Thank you Brian – and we’re already considering how we can use it more – to connect even further
It has been an absolute pleasure to follow the work with the common and using it for walks during breaks 🙂
Yes – loving that more and more people are using it – colleagues and villagers alike.
Personally I’m also looking forward to watching the changes as the seasons change – and as the Cook Common develops