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Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan Eighth Trilateral
Governmental Conference
on the Protection of the
Wadden SeaStade, Germany,
October 22, 1997
Preface The Wadden Sea: into the next Millennium 1 The Wadden Sea is an area of outstanding natural value. It is characterized by a high biological productivity and high natural dynamics. The Wadden Sea is the largest European wetland area and its tidal flats form the largest unbroken stretch of mudflats worldwide.
2 The Wadden Sea area has been inhabited for thousands of years. In the beginning, the population lived mainly from hunting and fishery. Together with permanent settling and the development of agriculture, land reclamation became an important activity. In the course of the last century, and especially since the end of World War II, the influence of humans has increased with growing technical possibilities and economical opportunities. The Wadden Sea is an area where people live, work and recreate.
3 It is only 30 years ago that there were serious plans to embank substantial parts of the Wadden Sea for agricultural purposes. Nowadays, it is a common understanding that the Wadden Sea is an area with unique natural values which are the basis for livelihood of the local people, tourism, recreation and other activities.
4 At the beginning of the 1970s, national and international policies for combatting chemical pollution of the sea started. Since then, a considerable shift in thinking occurred which resulted in substantial improvements in the quality of the water and sediment.
5 This shift in thinking started at the beginning of the century through the pioneer work of concerned citizens and non-governmental organizations who founded protected colonies for birds. Still, it has taken almost 70 years before the official awareness of the importance of the area resulted in effective nature protection. Central, regional and local governments and interest groups have played an important role here, although they have often been criticized.
6 Almost 20 years ago, a process began which resulted in the protection and conservation of the entire Wadden Sea with nature reserves and national parks and the establishment and extension of the trilateral Wadden Sea cooperation between The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. In parallel, parts of the area were designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Areas), Bird and Habitat Directives areas and as Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserves.
International Designations
(see maps in Appendix I)(1)The Conservation Area consists of the trilateral areas of conservation as defined in §10 of the Leeuwarden Declaration
A. Legally binding
EC Directives1. The Council Directive 79/409/EEC 1979 (EC Bird Directive) aims at the protection of all species of naturally occurring birds in the territory of the member states. According to the Bird Directive, member states shall classify the most suitable territories for the conservation of these species, including migratory species, as special protection areas (SPAs). The Dutch part of the Conservation Area1 has been designated as SPA. In Germany, the Lower Saxony part of the Conservation Area has been designated as SPA, as well as, the islands of Scharhörn and Neuwerk and the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park and five adjacent areas. The designation of the Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park is under preparation.
In Denmark, the Danish part of the Conservation Area, with the exception of the shipping lane from the North Sea to Esbjerg, the uninhabited parts of the islands and the adjacent marsh areas on the mainland have been designated as SPAs2. The Council Directive 92/43/EEC 1992 (EC Habitat Directive) aims at the conservation of habitats of wild flora and fauna in the member states. In the framework of the Habitat Directive, a coherent ecological network, called NATURA 2000, shall be established. NATURA 2000 will consist of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) designated according to the Habitat Directive, and the SPAs of the Bird Directive. The designation of SACs will be undertaken in the forthcoming years and major parts of the Wadden Sea will be included in NATURA 2000.
B. International
Conventions and Programs3. The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat 1971 (Ramsar Convention) is a world wide treaty for the conservation of wetlands: shallow open waters and any land regularly or intermittently covered or saturated by water. In the framework of the Convention, wetlands of international importance are designated by the contracting parties. Major parts of the Wadden Sea have been designated as Ramsar sites: The Dutch part of the Conservation Area is a Ramsar site. In Germany, the Wadden Sea Ramsar sites are basically the national parks and a number of areas on the islands and the adjacent mainland. In Denmark, the Wadden Sea Ramsar site consist of the uninhabited parts of islands, adjacent marsh areas on the mainland and the Danish part of the Conservation Area, except for the shipping lane from the North Sea to Esbjerg and the Esbjerg harbor.
4. Man and Biosphere Reserves (MAB) are protected areas of representative terrestrial and coastal environments which have been internationally recognized under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) MAB Program for their value in conservation and in providing the scientific knowledge, skills and human values to support sustainable economical development. The German and the Dutch parts of the Conservation Area have been designated as Man and Biosphere Reserves.
7 The Wadden Sea is a coastal sea and there are many interactions with the North Sea and the northwestern European mainland. The quality of water, sediment and marine habitats of the Wadden Sea is to an important degree affected by the North Sea and activities in the catchment are as of the debouching rivers. The Wadden Sea is an important nursery area for North Sea fish and some species of marine mammals. For these reasons, the trilateral policy and management regarding pollution and species and habitat protection issues have been, and are, closely related to developments within the framework of the North Sea Conferences, the Oslo and Paris Conventions and, in their succession, the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the northeast Atlantic (OSPAR Convention 1992), which is expected to be ratified in the near future, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
8 Through these national and international designations and treaties, the Wadden Sea has obtained an extended and comprehensive protection status. The protection schemes and arrangements resulting from these designations, can be regarded as a start of the implementation of the commitments emerging from the Convention on Biological Diversity and Agenda 21. They are also the basis for the present and future sustainable use and development of the Wadden Sea region.
9 It is often argued nowadays that "we have done enough for nature" and even that the Wadden Sea is overprotected. The many rules and regulations, however, directly reflect the many claims to use the Wadden Sea. These claims are often as relevant as a decade ago and, in a number of cases, even more serious. Land reclamation will not be carried out again and the reduction of pollution is a highly relevant political issue but intensified impacts and conflicts may be expected from, amongst others, gas exploration and exploitation, wind energy, deepening of estuaries and coastal protection, in light of the increased sea level rise.
10 Moreover, we are dealing with a system which reflects past impacts. Land reclamation, for example, has reduced the size of the area which again has reduced the ability of the system to deal with an accelerated sea level rise. The occurrence of black spots in the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea is an indication of accumulated organic material resulting from eutrophication. Also, the high number of threatened habitats, as indicated in red lists, must be reduced to achieve the full scale of habitat types which belong to a natural and dynamic Wadden Sea.
11 The Targets, which are the focal point of this document, reflect both the need for a recovery of the natural values of the Wadden Sea ecosystem and the necessity that human activities in the area must also be possible in the future. The Targets make clear that an increase of natural and undisturbed habitats all over the Wadden Sea is a condition for the restoration of the ecosystem. The Targets have been formulated in an open-end way, although the direction towards the desired situation is given. This means that there is room for negotiation, both from the user and the nature protection sides.
12 At the same time, it is a precondition that sustainable human activities in the area remain possible in the future. Sustainable development also has to take into account the needs and requirements of the population, e.g. coastal protection measures, management of shipping routes, energy supply, agriculture, fishery, tourism, infrastructure and internal and external security.
13 Through this Plan, inhabitants, users, visitors and all stakeholders in the Wadden Sea region are invited to provide their ideas and inputs to the implementation of the Targets.
The Shared vision 14 The Targets feature a shared vision of the Wadden Sea which encompasses the countries' aspirations:
- A healthy environment which maintains the diversity of habitats and species, its ecological integrity and resilience as a global responsibility.
- Sustainable use.
- Maintenance and enhancement of values of ecological, economic, historic-cultural, social and coastal protection character, providing aspirations and enjoyment for the inhabitants and users.
- Integrated management of human activities which takes into account the socio-economic and ecological relationship between the Wadden Sea Area and the adjacent areas.
- An informed, involved and committed community.
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