1. Policy & Management
Science for Nature Conservation and Management
The 12th International Scientific Wadden Sea Symposium in Wilhelmshaven (30
March – 3 April) will focus on how research and monitoring can provide input to
conservation and management. Recommendations will be given on how the EU
Directives (Birds and Habitats Directives, Water and Marine Strategy Framework
Directives) should be applied in the Wadden Sea to ensure a harmonized
management based upon an ecosystem approach.
In 10 thematic sessions with 77 presentations, the symposium will discuss how
to define scientifically sound conservation objectives and assessment criteria
and how to deal with neobiota (prevention, early detection, control). Further,
the symposium will focus on how to restore habitats, how to substantiate
sustainability and how to integrate human use and nature conservation. Special
themes are “The Wadden Sea as cultural landscape”, “BioGeoChemistry of tidal
flats” and the new Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Deadline for registration is 15 February 2009. The
registration fee of 130 Euro covers all meals (lunch and dinner) and the
excursion on 3 April. More information about the program, download of abstracts
and online registration at:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/news/symposia/ISWSS-2009.html
2. Research & Monitoring
Trends of Migratory and Wintering Waterbirds in the Wadden Sea 1987/88 -
2006/07
For the second time, the Joint Monitoring of Migratory Birds (JMMB) Group has
published trend calculations of 34 waterbird species for the international
Wadden Sea and the four regions - The Netherlands, the Federal States of
Germany, Niedersachsen and Schleswig-Holstein, and Denmark. The new information
is available on the homepage of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat by the
URL
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/TMAP/Migratory_birds.html
Now, trends from 1987/98 until 2006/07 in overviews of 20 years and 10 years
periods are presented, as well as trends including a short explanatory note for
each individual migratory bird species covered by the trilateral monitoring
program.
Workshop on Mapping of Subtidal Habitats
 In preparation of
the Wadden Sea Quality Status Report 2009, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat
(CWSS), the GKSS Research Center and the ENCORA network organized a trilateral
workshop on mapping of subtidal habitats at the GKSS in Geesthacht on 16
December 2008. The workshop was attended by 30 experts from research
institutions and administrations from the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.
Structure and substrate of the seabed as well as the diversity and spatial
distribution of marine habitats is one of the key items addressed in European
directives and action plans (e.g. Water Framework Directive, Habitat Directive,
Marine Strategy). A lot of mapping effort has been undertaken in the last decade
on national and European level regarding the open shelf seas (e.g. the MESH
project of the Interreg IIIB Programme.). In contrast, information exists only
sparsely for the Wadden Sea area and different mapping methods are applied which
have not yet been harmonized on trilateral level.
The workshop prepared an inventory of available information and initiatives
running in the Wadden Sea and identifed gaps in information. In addition, it
compared the applied methodologies, prepared a contribution to the Wadden Sea
QSR 2009, and agreed on joint follow-up activities.
Further information:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/news/news/subtidal-mapping-2008.html
Dutch Wadden Academy - Leeuwarden Conference
On 1-2 December 2008, the Dutch Waddenacademy presented its ideas and
ambitions to a diverse audience of administrators, politicians, scientists and
NGOs, at an inaugural symposium, held in Leeuwarden. The objectives of the
Waddenacademy, which is embedded in the Dutch Royal Academy for Sciences (KNAW),
are
- to identify gaps in interdisciplinary knowledge relevant for sustainable
development of the Wadden Sea area;
- to promote a consistent research agenda for the regional, national and
international level;
- to promote delivery of knowledge and the exchange of knowledge between
science, government, industry and societal organisations.
The Waddenacademy consists of 5 professors in the fields of ecology, economy,
climate and regional planning, culture and geomorphology. The chairman spends
two, and the other members spend one day per week each on matters concerning the
Waddenacademy. The Waddenacademy has a small secretariat, based in Leeuwarden
and is financed primarily through the Wadden Sea Fund with about 1 million Euros
annually. Besides, it receives cofinance from the province Fryslân.
At the Symposium the Waddenacademy members presented their views on the main
themes to be addressed in future Wadden Sea research. See http://www.waddenacademie.knaw.nl/
The chairman of the Waddenacademy, Pavel Kabat, underlined the need for a
large-scale research programme into the future of the nature function of the
Wadden Sea, in particular in the light of accelerated sea level rise. Kabat
stated that there is a substantial knowledge gap regarding the possible impacts
of sea level rise on the Wadden Sea.
The focal point of several of the presentations was on the need for more
interdisciplinary research. Also the relevance of international research
programmes was emphasised.
The Waddenacademy will present its integrated research vision at the end of
May 2009. The first intermediate results will be published in March. The
objectives of the Waddenacademy will also be presented at the Scientific Wadden
Sea Symposium in a keynote lecture by Pavel Kabat.
3. Trilateral Meetings
JMMB/JMBB
17 – 18 February 2009, Hamburg, Germany
Trilateral Working Group (TWG)
25 February 2009, Wilhelmshaven,
Germany
SO Meeting
26 February 2009, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Communication Workshop
27 February 2009, Bremen, Germany
CPSL
11 – 12 March, 2009, Bremen, Germany
TMAG 09/1
29 April, Hamburg, Germany
TMAP Salt Marsh Workshop
26 – 27 May 2009, Langeoog, Germany
CPSL
27 – 28 May 2009, Bremen, Germany
A complete overview is at:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/trilat/meetings/meetings.html
Meetings of the Wadden Sea Forum (WSF) are at:
http://www.waddensea-forum.org/WSFnewCalendar.htm
4. Symposia & Workshops
Coastal Protection and Climate Change
On 29 January 2009, Mr Jacobus Hofstede (Ministry of Agriculture, Environment
and Rural Areas Schleswig Holstein) and chairman of the trilateral working group
“Costal Protection and Sea Level Rise” (CPSL) presented a talk about strategies
for coastal protection in the Wadden Sea. About 80 persons joined the evening
talk in the National Park information center “Das Wattenmeerhaus” in
Wilhelmshaven, which was jointly organized by the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat,
the National Park Administration Lower Saxon Wadden Sea and the
“Wattenmeerhaus”.
Since 1998, the trilateral working group with members of coastal defence and
nature conservation authorities from the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark has
been working on possible effects of accelerated sea-level rise and on the
integration of coastal defence and nature conservation policies, as well as
physical planning in coastal areas.
More information and download of the CPSL reports:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/management/cpsl/cpsl.html
Upcoming events:
Only new events are listed. A complete list of upcoming events is at:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/news/events/otherconf.html
17 February 2009, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Global and regional biodiversity
Lecture by Mr. Reichholf (University of Munich)
Das Wattenmeerhaus
www.wattenmeerhaus.de
10 - 12 March 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark
International Scientific Congress
on Climate Change
http://climatecongress.ku.dk
15 – 18 June 2009, Chania (Crete), Greece
29th Annual EARSeL
Symposium
http://earsel29.maich.gr/index.html
18-20 June 2009, Chania (Crete), Greece
4th Workshop Remote Sensing of the
Coastal Zone
Coasts and Climate Conflicts
http://www.earsel.org/SIG-CZ/4th-workshop/
10 - 14 August 2009, Stralsund, Germany
Progress in Marine Conservation in
Europe 2009
2nd International Conference, hosted by the Federal Agency for
Nature Conservation (BfN)
www.habitatmare.de
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