The foundation aims to support charitable purposes, and the board has decided to grant an application from the Toftum Homeowners Association.

– I was very pleasantly surprised when we received the news that our project has been supported, as it means we can get started, says Erik Høi Thomsen, who is a board member of the homeowners association, which consists of 50 holiday homes located in an area on the northwestern part of Rømø.

Together with the association's chairman, Otto Nissen, he is the driving force behind the project, which includes the establishment of a footpath, a pond, and a bridge that will connect two roads in the area. Tønder Municipality has pledged to support the establishment of the pond, which will promote biodiversity in the area.

– We already have a rich wildlife on Rømø, but we want to create even better conditions for the animals, and a pond helps attract birds, frogs, insects, etc., says Erik Høi Thomsen.

The project has been in the works for a couple of years, and the board has allied itself with several nature guides who have advised them.

– We held a general meeting where we had a visit from a nature guide who talked about the original nature and landscape in which we live. Subsequently, we started to clear ditches so we could drain the area. In that process, a former field path became visible, and that is what we now wish to use as a footpath, says Erik Høi Thomsen.

According to Erik Høi Thomsen, the nature guides have found that there are several rare plants in the area that will have even better conditions once the extensive vegetation is cleared.

– We had a workday during the summer vacation where we removed quite a few invasive species in the area to create better conditions for the rare species, says Erik Høi Thomsen, who expects the project to start next year.

There have been critical voices from residents who fear that the nature project will lead to increased traffic in the area. However, this is not a concern that Erik Høi Thomsen shares.

The footpath and the area have not been maintained for several years, and our hope is that this nature management will provide us with better opportunities to enjoy nature, wildlife, pick berries, and gather herbs for cooking and herbal schnapps, he says.