August Mentz
Encyclopedia
August Mentz was a Danish
botanist, peat extraction
and moor reclamation
expert and a pioneer in nature conservation.
Mentz studied botany
at the University of Copenhagen
under professor Eugen Warming. He was employed by the Danish
Moor Reclamation Society ("Det danske Hedeselskab") from 1899 to 1923. In, 1912 he defended his doctoral thesis on the “Current Vegetation of Danish Bogs and Swamps” (Mentz 1912). From 1923 to 1938, he was professor of botany
at Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College
. He edited two voluminous colour plate floras – ”Billeder af Nordens Flora” and “Vilde Planter i Norden”.
Mentz was chairman of the state
advisory board on conservation (”Naturfredningsrådet”) 1925-1944. However, with his background in moor reclamation
, he had a foot in both camps – utilitarianism and conservationism.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
botanist, peat extraction
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
and moor reclamation
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
expert and a pioneer in nature conservation.
Mentz studied botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
under professor Eugen Warming. He was employed by the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Moor Reclamation Society ("Det danske Hedeselskab") from 1899 to 1923. In, 1912 he defended his doctoral thesis on the “Current Vegetation of Danish Bogs and Swamps” (Mentz 1912). From 1923 to 1938, he was professor of botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
at Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College
University of Copenhagen Faculty of Life Sciences
The faculty previously known as the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University is located in Frederiksberg, Denmark and was established in 1856. As of 1 January 2007, the University merged with the University of Copenhagen...
. He edited two voluminous colour plate floras – ”Billeder af Nordens Flora” and “Vilde Planter i Norden”.
Mentz was chairman of the state
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
advisory board on conservation (”Naturfredningsrådet”) 1925-1944. However, with his background in moor reclamation
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
, he had a foot in both camps – utilitarianism and conservationism.
Selected publications
- Mentz, A. (1892) A fossil clay coast vegetation from Store Vildmose. Botanisk Tidsskrift 18 (2). (in DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
). - Mentz, A. (1909) The structure and biology of Arctic flowering plantsThe structure and biology of Arctic flowering plantsThe Structure and Biology of Arctic Flowering Plants is a classical scientific work on morphology and anatomy in relation to the harsh arctic environment. It was initiated by Eugenius Warming and conducted by himself and a suite of students and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen.Warming, E....
(ed. E. WarmingEugenius WarmingJohannes Eugenius Bülow Warming , known as Eugen Warming, was a Danish botanist and a main founding figure of the scientific discipline of ecology...
. Empetraceae. Empetrum nigrumCrowberryCrowberry is a small genus of dwarf evergreen shrubs that bear edible fruit. They are commonly found in the northern hemisphere, from temperate to subarctic climates, and also in the Southern Andes of South America and on the South Atlantic islands of South Georgia, the Falklands and Tristan da...
. Meddelelser om GrønlandMeddelelser om GrønlandMeddelelser om Grønland was a Danish scientific periodical issued by the Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland. Founded by Frederik Johnstrup, it was published from 1879 to 1979...
36: 155-167. - Mentz, A. (1909) Naturfredning - særlig i Danmark. Udvalget for Naturfredning og Gyldendalske Boghandel Nordisk Forlag, KøbenhavnCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. 63 pp (in DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
). - Mentz, A. (1912) Studier over danske Mosers recente Vegetation. Gyldendalske Boghandel, KøbenhavnCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, 287 pp. Doctoral thesis (in DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
). - Mentz, A. & Ostenfeld, C.H.Carl Hansen OstenfeldCarl Emil Hansen Ostenfeld was a Danish systematic botanist. He graduated from the University of Copenhagen under professor Eugenius Warming. He was a keeper at the Botanical Museum 1900-1918, when he became professor of botany at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College...
(1901-1907) Billeder af Nordens Flora. København : G.E.C. Gads Forlag. Vol. 1-4, With 633 plates (in DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
). - Mentz, A. (1928) Naturen og Forskeren. Kritisk Revy 3: 27-32 (in DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
). - Jessen, KnudKnud JessenKnud Jessen was a Danish botanist and quaternary geologist.He was state geologist 1917-1931. In 1931, he succeeded C.H. Ostenfeld as professor of botany at the University of Copenhagen and director of the Copenhagen Botanical Garden, a position he held until his retirement in 1955...
& A. Mentz (1937-1940): Vilde Planter i Norden. G.E.C. Gad, KøbenhavnCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
(in DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
). - Gram, K., Jensen, Hj. & Mentz, A. (1937) Nytteplanter. Gyldendal, København. 504 pp. (in DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
).