August Mentz

Who was August Mentz?

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 from 1899 to 1923. In 1912 he defended his doctoral thesis on the “Current Vegetation of Danish Bogs and Swamps”. 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 1925-1944. However, with his background in moor reclamation, he had a foot in both camps – utilitarianism and conservationism.