WSNL 1997-1

J. E. Enemark

The Foundation for a National Park Plan -
The Synthesis Report

Jens A. Enemark, Secretary, Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Wilhelmshaven

After 5 years of research and a synthesis phase of an additional two years, the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Ecosystem Report was published in September 1996. A main task of the synthesis work was to review the interactions between the natural and socio-economic systems and to evaluate their magnitude and development trends. The effects of changes in the structure and functioning of both systems, either expected or, which became apparent during research, were analyzed and elucidated on using some cases scenarios. Thus, the report provides the foundation for a National Park Plan for the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park.

The report consists of two parts. Part one is a summary of the main results of the ecosystem research relevant for the conservation and management of the Wadden Sea, including a description of the area, planning instruments and relevant international arrangements. Part two entails the foundations for a national park plan based on the results of part one and an assessment of the areas of conflict. This part of the report is vehemently discussed publicly in Schleswig-Holstein. The issues so intensely discussed in public are, especially, the proposals for extending the outer boundaries of the National Park, the changes in the zoning system, the extension of the Biosphere Reserve and the resulting amendment of the National Park Law of 1985.

According to the report, the outer boundaries of the existing National Park must be extended.

The proposed extension includes, in particular, the area up to the 3-nautical-mile offshore line, the 150 meters in front of the seawalls and the coastline, the existing or planned nature protected areas - a.o. dunes, salt marshes, cliffs, heaths - on the islands, on the adjacent mainland and in the Elbe estuary. Those areas belong ecologically to the Wadden Sea ecosystem and should therefore be managed as one entity. The extension of the National Park would increase the area from the current 273,000 ha to about 349,000 ha, of which the major part is the extended offshore zone.

The report also suggests the introduction of a new zoning system to replace the existing one. The proposed zoning system aims at a more comprehensive protection of the ecosystem compared to the somewhat patchwork-like one of the current system consisting of core zones covering tidal inlets. The core zones would be without resource use, with the exception of commercial fishery. Access would, however, be allowed for recreational purposes under special circumstances and for public awareness and information. Within the core zones, sensitive areas would be designated for waterfowl in which access would be prohibited for parts of the year. In addition, two reference areas are proposed designated in the Sylt tidal inlet and south of the Eider estuary for monitoring and scientific research. The reference areas would be without resource use but allow for navigation in designated channels. Finally, the proposal foresees the designation of recreational activities zones along the coast and on the islands.

WSNL 1997-1

J. E. Enemark

The report further suggests extending the existing Biosphere Reserve, which is equal to the National Park, to include the adjacent mainland and islands and the offshore zone up to 12 nautical miles as the development zone of the Biosphere Reserve. The aim is to address developments of relevance for the National Park, while at the same time, creating opportunities in connection with the National Park, such as European funding and marketing of local products of the development zone.

The above suggestions should result in the amendment of the National Park Law of 1985. In particular, the amendment of Section 2, the objective is much debated in the region. The current Subsection 2 states that "unreasonable impairment upon the interests and the customary practices of the local population shall be avoided. All issues of use or exploitation have to be impartially considered in the light of the overall protective aims of the national park and in individual cases" . It is proposed to include this Subsection in a section dealing with "Demands" ("Gebote"). Since this Subsection was a compromise at the time of the adoption of the Law in 1985, some people view this as an impairment of the consensus which was reached in former times.

The new proposal for Subsection 2 would merely bring Schleswig-Holstein in line with what is customary in trilateral Wadden Sea conservation and management. The said section of the National Park Law of 1985 is, in comparison with the protection systems of the other Wadden Sea countries and states, an exception.

The extension of the boundaries of the National Park is also not a new element. The neighboring Danish Wadden Sea Nature Reserve is delimitated by the 3 nautical mile line, and in Lower Saxony, major parts of the islands are encompassed by the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park. Finally the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation Area is the area between the 3 nautical mile and the mainland including the Ramsar areas and EC Bird Directive areas.

The establishment of a Biosphere Reserve entailing a sea and landward development zone, is in a formal sense, a new element. Since 1980, however, it has been a key element in Dutch Wadden Sea policy to take account of the developments in adjacent areas having an impact on the conservation of the Wadden Sea itself. Also, major areas landward are part of the Danish Wadden Sea Ramsar and EC Bird Directive Areas.

Probably, the new element for conservation and management in a Wadden Sea context is the proposal for the introduction of a new zoning system based on comprehensive zones consisting of tidal inlets. It can be argued that such a zoning system is ecologically more justifiable, compared to most other zoning systems in the Wadden Sea, and, furthermore, from a management point of view, entails a number of advantages in terms of efficiency, implementation and public awareness. Since it is claimed that there are very few disadvantages for the current users, it seems to be an approach which deserves serious deliberation.

It has been agreed to have an unbiased public discussion with stakeholders about the proposals in the forthcoming two years.

On March 5, 1997, the state Government of Schleswig Holstein represented by the Minister of the Environment, Mr. R. Steenblock, and the chairmen of the North Frisian and the Dithmarschen Wadden Sea Advisory Councils, Mr. O. Bastian and Mr. J. Klimant, reached an agreement on the further discussion of the proposals of the Synthesis Report. The agreement entails 6 points which shall serve as a framework for the discussion of the further development of the National Park:

1. The establishment of the National Park serves to protect the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea and to preserve its particular characteristics, beauty and natural state. Its wide range of species, both flora and fauna, is to be protected and natural processes are to be allowed to take place with a minimum degree of disturbance.
   
2. Unreasonable impairment upon the interests and the customary practices of the local population shall be avoided. All issues of use or exploitation have to be impartially con
   
3. A landward extension of the National Park Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea must be derived from the protection objective and demands an individual assessment and is subject to an agreement with the Advisory Boards.
   
4. A seaward extension of the National Park Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea, the relocation of protection zones and the establishment of reference areas must be decided on in accordance with Section 4, Subsection 2 and Section 9, Subsection 3 of the Law on the Protection of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea (The National Park Law) in agreement with the Advisory Boards.
   
5. The State Government can submit its own Draft National Park Law if, in a case of an individual assessment according to no. 3 or 4, an agreement cannot be reached with the Advisory Boards. The State Parliament will, on request of the Advisory Boards, be informed by the State Government on the reasons for the renunciation and the contents of the disputed issues. Until the final decision of the State Parliament, the State Government will not undertake further preparatory measures to implement the proposed draft law.
   
6. On the basis of, respectively, the existing concept of 1995 for the management of salt marshes in front of the seawalls and the "Overall Plan for the Enforcement of the Seawalls, Shortening of the Dikes and Coastal Protection in Schleswig-Holstein" (Generalplan Deichverstärkung, Deichverkürzung und Küstenschutz in Schleswig-Holstein), coastal protection has still the priority in the weighing of protection aims and necessary coastal protection measures.

WSNL 1997-1

J. E. Enemark

Authors address:

Common Wadden Sea Secretariat
Virchowstr. 1
D - 26382 Wilhelmshaven
E-mail: enemark@cwss.whv.net