A Network of Local Forest Owner Cooperatives
Since its founding in 1904, the Danish Forest Owner Cooperatives (DFOC), has grown into the biggest service provider in Danish private forestry. We are organising and servicing more than 5.000 forest owners in all sizes - from 1/2 hectare to more than 1000 hectares.
DFOC - Skovdyrkerne
The Danish Forest Owner Cooperatives (DFOC), in Danish: Skovdyrkerne, is a Danish association that is owned and governed by small scale forest owners/farmers in Denmark. It has practiced extension work among Danish forest owners based on advocacy and participatory principles since 1904. Around 25% of all Danish forest owners are members of DFOC. The approximately 5,000 members all together constitute 20% of the total private Danish forest cover. DFOC is organised into six local units, the Local Forest Grower Cooperatives, each lead by a board of directors, which is democratically elected by the members. The five local units are in turn represented by the Secretariat, which is elected by the general assembly. The secretariat does marketing and advocacy work for the whole organisation, while also developing the political and economic framework. DFOC works on a non-profit basis, but with a certain net worth in order to ensure all payments to members and in order to make room for investment and development.
Advisory services is the core activity
DFOC’s main product is extension - providing unbiased advice and knowledge to its members. The local units offer their members advice on responsible management of natural resources, advocacy, current laws, planning and project management, improved revenue generation, advice on how to use contractors, including how to organise the buying and selling of products related to forestry, such as selling of timber, wood chips, christmas trees, etc.
Last year our total turnover amounted to 600 mio. DKK. Via our common company, Green Product Ltd., we are Denmark’s biggest exporter of christmas trees. Another associated organisation, Danish Forestry Extension Ltd., provides consulting services abroad on all matters related to forestry, forest owners associations, afforestation, chipwood production and logistics, carbon credits etc. However, development work in the area of forest and natural resource management forms the core of Danish Forestry Extension. Since 1992, DFE has been implementing development projects with associated local partners, which are largely funded by Danida, among others. It currently works in Mozambique, Nepal, and Vietnam.
In total, we employ more than 100 persons, most of whom are qualified foresters with academic grades.
