The Nature School

Since 2006 the Børge Hinsch Foundation has operated a nature school which is freely available to all interested parties. The nature school is managed by head ranger Claus L. Olesen.

Tel.(++45) 23 95 81 06
E-mail: claus.l.olesen@gmail.com
The nature school offers a wide range of exciting activities, challenges and other events for everyone interested in nature and all its wonders.

Basic module

Start your visit to the Børge Hinsch Foundation Nature School at Valdemars Slot with the basic module of approx. 2 hrs. duration.

This module includes:
The module starts off with a tour of the trophy museum. During the tour you will hear a number of good stories about the trophies, hunting and wildlife. After you have been shown round the museum we will test our skills in the virtual shooting range - Lasershot. While you wait for your turn to shoot, all participants will get the chance to make a small trophy of deer antler, to take back home with you. Alternatively you can explore around the museum some more or try to solve a number of fun puzzles.

Optional modules

When you have finished your tour of the museum and completed the first module, you are free to choose one or more of the following optional modules, which have a duration of around 2 - 4 hrs.

The creative workshop “ Green whittling”

Wood is an incredible material that can be used in any number of ways. From way back in prehistoric times we humans have made tools out of wood. We will go for a walk in the woods to look for pieces of wood that we can use to carve into different tools. We could make a butter knife, a palette or perhaps an orange peeler - it is only your imagination that sets the limits. It is both cosy and educational to sit around a fire and whittle away at a piece of wood.

The creative workshop “Make your own whittling knife”

It is also possible to make your own whittling knife. With the help of a fresh branch and a knife blade, you can make a fine whittling knife, with its own personal character. The branch is first firmly attached to the blade, and then you can carve the handle into just the shape you would like. The result will be a fine little whittling knife, which you can take with you home.

The creative workshop “Mask making”

Masks have played a part in religious rituals and other ceremonies all over the world. Using inspiration from Børge Hinsch’s amazing collection of masks, we will work in the nature school’s workshop to create some beautiful masks. The masks can be painted and decorated with many different materials. You could use leather, fur, shells, beads, teeth - just let your imagination run free.

The creative workshop “Antler Animals”

Deer antler is one of the most amazing materials. In the nature school’s workshop we will search through the boxes of odds and ends to find just the piece of antler that inspires you to carve it into an animal. Then it’s just up to your imagination; should the animal have 2 or 4 legs, or will it be a snake with no legs at all? The animals can be painted and decorated with many different materials. You could use leather, fur, shells, beads, teeth - just let your imagination run free.

The creative workshop “ Soapstone”

Soapstone is a fantastic material that is easy to work with. Historically it has been used to make household items such as pots and oil lamps, but it has also been used to make many different figurines and other carvings. Inspired by Børge Hinsch’s soapstone figurines and tupilaks from Greenland, we will rasp, file, grind, smooth and polish away to produce our own soapstone figurine.

“Hunting for the pleasures of the table”

Since people first came to Denmark nature has always offered plenty of opportunities to get something really good to eat. One result of the hunter spending time in the great outdoors is that they come home with the most delicious, low-fat meat imaginable. In the nature school’s outdoor kitchen we will work together over the campfire to prepare some really tasty dishes made with game from the countryside around Valdemars Slot.

“Hunting for the sea’s edible treasures”

Fish and fishing have always been of great importance to the Danish people. Back in the stone age fishing was the most important source of food, while today recreational angling is as popular as ever, and many Dane’s enjoy going out with their fishing rod. Try being a fisherman for the day, borrow one of the nature school’s fishing rods and test your skills against the fish that swim close to the shores around Valdemars Slot. There are many methods you can use to catch fish, all depending on the season, you can fish with bait close to the seabed for flatfish, with floats for garfish or try spinning for sea trout.

Birdlife of the manor’s lake

In the Børge Hinsch Foundation’s hunting and trophy museum is a totally unique collection of birds. Here you can find some of the birds that you will see on the lake just outside Valdemars Slot. The lake is home to an outstanding number of different birds. Armed with binoculars and telescopes we will take a closer look at the many birds and hear about their ways of life and how they are adapted to life in and around the water.

The hunter’s toolbox

The hunter has a wide range of exciting things in his tool box. We will take a closer look at some of its contents. The tool box contains both shotguns and rifles, and we will see and hear what the differences between the two are. Last, but not least, is the hunting dog. The ranger will demonstrate how man’s best friend functions as an effective hunting dog.

Bow shooting

The first hunters went off hunting with a longbow and arrow. It is a fantastic experience to try and follow in their footsteps, and it certainly isn’t easy. The nature school has all the equipment you need to try shooting with the original hunting weapon. The greatest danger is that you may become so addicted to bow shooting you won’t want to stop. You all also learn about the modern bow hunter and take a look at the equipment he uses.

A duck lives on water

Ducks are fantastic birds, they are wonderfully adapted to life in and around water. There are many different species of ducks, in Denmark there are 18 species that have hunting seasons, plus a number of species that may not be hunted. Many of these species have adapted themselves to take advantage of different niches. We will investigate how these ducks have evolved to their specific niches, and how all of them are adapted to life in and around water. We start by looking at the different species in the hunting and trophy museum’s fantastic collection of birds. We will then start to work on a number of exciting tasks that will lead us to a greater understanding of the duck’s specialist adaptations and way of life.

The Pheasant inside and out

There are many pheasants around Valdemars Slot, and they are well looked after by the estate’s gamekeeper. In this course we will take a close look at what kind of a bird the pheasant actually is, and find out why we have pheasants in Denmark and the rest of Europe. We will also examine the pheasant’s physical appearance, how the feathers are built up and arranged on the bird, and ask questions such as what are the different types of feathers adaptations and uses, why does the pheasant’s beak look the way it does, and where are the pheasants teeth? All students will receive the booklet “Pheasant” which is produced by the Danish Hunters’ Association.

Overnight Accommodation

To a limited extent, the Børge Hinsch Foundation’s Nature School can offer facilities for groups to stay overnight in four 10 person “lavvuer” tents, which are based on a traditional Sami tent from Lapland. A camp can be pitched close to the school, nearby some public toilet facilities. Meals are prepared over an open fire, and you will fetch water in canisters.

If you have any special requirement please talk to our ranger who will be pleased to offer any assistance he can.

A visit to the Børge Hinsch Foundation’s Nature School only costs the price of an admissions ticket to Valdemars Slot, which is available for 10.00 kr. per person for school classes, youth clubs, scout packs and groups of adults etc. of at least 10 people. Ring and book your visit with the ranger Claus Olesen on tel. (++45) 23 95 81 06 or by e-mail: claus.l.olesen@gmail.com.

The Børge Hinsch Foundation’s Nature School at Valdemars Slot has already been a great success:

In the years since the school was established in 2006, on average there have been between 1,200 and 1,500 people a year who have made full use of the facilities offered by the nature school, much to their enjoyment. With the full-time appointment of Claus Olesen as ranger on 1st January 2013, we aim to double or even triple the number of visitors each year so that many more people will be able to participate in and enjoy the many activities the nature school has to offer.

In addition to the many activities already on offer, in the future the Nature School will offer a series of new educational activities aimed at different target groups, both those already exiting such as school groups and youth clubs and at new audiences.

With the expansion of the activities on offer, individual groups of participants will be able to decide if their visit last a few hours, a full or half day or even over a number of days. We offer full flexibility so that as many people as possible will be able to make use of everything the Nature School can offer.