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The man behind the Foundations

The Aage V. Jensen Foundations were established by the Danish master carpenter, Aage V. Jensen. He was deeply interested in nature, wild animals and birds, and he decided that the primary objective of the Foundations should be: Nature conservation and wildlife protection

Aage Villiam Jensen was born on 17 November 1911 near Nibe in northern Jutland. His parents were small­holders. At the age of 8 he moved with his family to the city of Aalborg, where he was later apprenticed to a local master carpenter.

As a journeyman he travelied and worked in Germany, ltaly, and Switzerland. In the Swiss Alps he found a beau­tiful small valley close to the river Rhone, which made an unforgettable impression on him.

After his return to Denmark in the mid-1930s he set up his own business as a master carpenter in Capenhagen and began building minor houses. Never making much of himself, Aage V. Jensen became one of the leading builders in Denmark during the 1960s.

When he retired from the day-to-day running of his com­pany in 1969 he moved to his beautiful Swiss valley. While hiking in the mountains he decided that a part of his fortune should be donated to charity – especially to nature conservation and popular nature education.

Aage V. Jensen died on 10 May 1986 in his home in Switzerland.

All his life Aage V. Jensen had the reputation of being an unobtrusive and modest man and until his death he made a large number of anonymous donations. To provide for the future work for nature conservation and wildlife pro­tection he established the Aage V. Jensen Foundations, and he left it to the Board to implement and develop his plans after his death.

The objective of the Foundation is to contribute to the conservation of nature in all its diversity, and at the same time to open the eyes of the public to all that nature has to offer.

About us

Aage V. Jensen was an entrepreneur, both by profession and in spirit. Throughout his life he broke new ground; also in relation to his greatest passion: Nature. By founding the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation he wanted to reciprocate the enormous joy nature had given him and help ensure its conservation.

We create the basis for innovative projects that aim at conserving nature by bringing together the best possible competencies. Today the Foundation works to perpetuate the passion of our founder by creating the best conditions for the development and implementation of long-term initiatives needed to conserve nature.

More funding is an imperative if we are to safeguard a rich and harmonious nature. We wish to get involved in projects that can inspire new standards for the future conservation of nature. We do this by exploring new ways of mobilising people’s skills and financial resources.

Like our founder, Aage V. Jensen, we are both realistic and willing to take risks. We give priority to projects, in which biodiversity is most at risk and in which a major effort is called for.

For us, nature represents an entity, in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The other Aage V. Jensen Foundations

Aage V. Jensen’s Foundations consist of two Danish and an international foundation, all of which work for “nature conservation and the protection of wild animals”.

The aim of the foundations is to help preserve, protect, develop and make visible the natural values. The most important vision is to give everyone the opportunity to experience a rich nature – today and far into the future.

Supports nature conservation projects in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. i.a. book releases, dissemination projects, knowledge collection and scientific documentation.

https://www.avjf.dk/avjf/

The foundation only supports projects in Denmark. According to the articles of association, this purpose must be sought to be achieved by:

  • to acquire, own and operate natural areas
  • to carry out and support restoration projects both in relation to the natural areas owned by the Foundation and outside these areas
  • to provide support for research and dissemination projects related to the conservation and development of nature, as well as the protection of wild animals, in Denmark.

https://www.avjf.dk

Maremani nature reserve

In northernmost South Africa close to the Limpopo River, which is the frontier to Zimbabwe, the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation has since 1999 developed a nature reserve of 38,000 ha.

Through the acquisition of a number of arid hunting and infertile farming areas it has become possible to let the natural biodiversity of the wooded savannah regenerate in a large continuous natural area without internal fences, but with watering holes and secure habitats.

Upon thorough studies of the viability of the area, numer­ous large herbivores have been re-introduced, i.a. elephant, roan antelope, sable antelope and the special Central and South African Lichtenstein’s hartebeest.

Maremani Nature Reserve maintains good populations of most of the large carnivores on the African continent: leopard, wild dog, spotted and brown hyena, side-striped jackal and black-backed jackal.

Many scientists and experts have contributed to planning the nature reserve. The management is supervised by one of South Africa’s most recognised nature experts, Dr. Sa­lomon Joubert, former director of Kruger National Park, who contributes to securing the contact with students and scientists who visit Maremani.

Education and information on natural values and environmental issues

Pangolin Release Project

Wild dogs Project

Our values

Board of Foundation

Mette Skov
Lawyer and Board Member in several companies and charitable foundations

Märten Geiger
Lic.jur. LL.M. (Bruges) at Allgemeines Treuunternehmen (ATU), Vaduz

Sys Rovsing
Lawyer in own law firm and Board Member in several companies and foundations

Arly Petersen
Financial Advisor with long-time background in International banking

The Foundation is under supervision by the Liechtenstein Foundation Supervisory Authority, that amongst other things controls that “the management and use of the assets of the Foundation by the Foundation Board is carried out in accordance with the object of the Foundation and in conformity with the regulations of law and of the Foundation documents.”