Kirsten Lynge on the seagrass roof of Læsø: ‘It doesn't exist anywhere else in the world’

What makes Læsø a very special place?
 

‘On this small secluded island in the Kattegat, we have something you won't find anywhere else in the world - we have Rønnerne and we have over 350-year-old seaweed houses. These two things have an amazing history. Rønnerne is a small, strange pocket of nature where the geological layers and the way the sea water washes ashore create incredibly salty water. This was discovered hundreds of years ago, and as a method of extracting the salt was discovered, people began to settle on the island. As the production of salt increased, the trees on Læsø became depleted, which meant that alternative building materials had to be found. They discovered the use of washed-up eelgrass, and it was the island's women who developed the unique weaving method that made the seaweed houses so durable. Today, you can experience the same seaweed houses that were built over 350 years ago, and at Læsø Saltsyderi you can experience the extraction of salt - in exactly the same way as in the beginning. That kind of history is unique and inalienable. That's why Læsø's seaweed houses and salt-making tradition have been tentatively inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.’

The Tanghus are over 350 years old - can we be inspired by them today?
 

‘When you build a concrete high-rise building today, you expect a lifespan of around 60 years. In comparison, on the island of Læsø, for example, you'll find Museumsgården, which is built of eelgrass, driftwood and clay. And it's still standing 350 years later. All materials are gently extracted without energy-intensive processes, which means they don't emit much CO2. This can only inspire the future of sustainable construction.’
 

Why is eelgrass sustainable?
 

‘First and foremost, there is a lot of life where eelgrass grows, producing oxygen and filtering the water so that impurities sink to the bottom. A newly planted eelgrass bed actually stores CO2 faster than a newly planted forest or rainforest. That's why a lot of enthusiasts on Læsø are planting more eelgrass in the sea around the island. And when the eelgrass sheds some of its leaves in the autumn and they wash up on land, it needs to be salvaged while it's fresh so it can be used for building materials.’
 

What does the future hold for Læsø?
 

‘When we started working actively with eelgrass again, not many people knew what it was. But now the whole country - and the world - is starting to realise how important eelgrass is for our future. And I think the seaweed roofs, for example, have helped put eelgrass on people's lips. As a guest on Læsø, you get to experience a piece of history that you can't experience anywhere else in the world. Right now, local forces are also working to build a nature and marine centre with knowledge about the unique nature of Læsø, where the eelgrass and the salty Rønner play a crucial role.’