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Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan Eighth Trilateral Governmental Conference on the Protection of the Wadden Sea Stade, Germany, October 22, 1997 Contents: Preface I. Integrated Management II. The Targets: 1 Landscape and Culture 2 Water and Sediment 3 Salt Marshes 4 Tidal Area 5 Beaches and Dunes   6 Estuaries 7 Offshore Area 8 Rural Area 9 Birds 10 Marine Mammals   Appendix I: Maps Appendix II: Index of Activites Appendix III: Glossary   1 Landscape and Culture About 2,600 years ago, salt marshes started to develop behind the Wadden Sea islands. The green, fertile grounds, which are, nowadays, the embanked polders and marsh areas of the northern Netherlands, northern Germany and the most southern part of Denmark, were soon to be inhabited and cultivated. The contemporary towns and villages are in many cases located at the authentic settlements on the small artificial mounds which were erected by the earliest settlers from the 7th century B.C. onwards. Nowadays, they belong to the most characteristic elements of the Wadden Sea marsh landscape. The earliest inhabitants lived in an area of tidal flats, moors and swamps. The mounds constituted the only active interference in the area. About 1,000 A.D., the building of a comprehensive system of seawalls and sluices commenced, in order to enable further grazing and agricultural use. It allowed for settling in the marshes without the use of artificial mounds. Through the subsequent centuries, a unique and wide-open landscape developed with extensive agricultural activities with, a.o., cattle breeding and an industrious commerce with a large part of Europe. In conjunction with agriculture, North Sea fishery, trade and whaling, a flourishing economy developed in extensive periods throughout the centuries on the islands and the polder and marsh areas which laid the foundation for the development of urban centers and villages and which, in terms of buildings and houses, are quite characteristic, well conserved and unique. Of international interest is, also, the role the Wadden Sea played in international shipping. Through the ages, important routes went through the Wadden Sea. A prominent record of this history are the numerous ship wrecks in the Wadden Sea.   Status The topography of the contemporary landscape is, to a large degree, determined by the way it was shaped by Man. The ditches and the cultivated landscape still follow the natural creek and lagoon system of the salt marshes. The roads are situated along the shores and the higher parts of the marshes and polders and the contour of the seawall determines the horizon. The Wadden Sea landscape is characterized as wide open, with the seawall as the delimitation between the dynamic processes of the tidal flats and salt marshes and the cultural landscape of the marshes and polders. The cultural-historic and landscape values of the area are intimately related to the economic and social development of the coastal area and, by international standard, unique and unrivalled. The cultural historic and landscape values are equivalent to the area's natural values and are an important basis for the development of tourism. The cultural-historic and landscape heritage and the diversity between the regions are essential for the comprehension of the area's development and identity and the inhabitants' identification with the landscape. It entails a distinctive international dimension comparable to its natural values. Therefore, it was agreed at the Leeuwarden Conference in 1994 to pay attention to this aspect as the third dimension in the trilateral Wadden Sea cooperation, in addition to the natural and environmental dimensions. The integration of all three dimensions into a coherent policy and management is essential to ensure a sustainable development.   Targets       IDENTITY - to preserve, restore and develop the elements that contribute to the character, or identity, of the landscape. VARIETY - to maintain the full variety of cultural landscapes, typical for the Wadden Sea landscape. HISTORY - to conserve the cultural-historic heritage. SCEBERY - to pay special attention to the environmental perception of the landscape and the cultural-historic contributions in the context of management and planning.   Assessment The landscape and cultural-historic heritage of the Wadden Sea Area is under rapid transformation because of changes in agricultural practices, amongst others, changes in crops, enlargement of land parcels, urbanization and industrialization, and the associated construction of infra-structural installations. This development interferes with characteristic elements such as the openness, serenity and identity of the landscape, the topography of the landscape and the cultural-historic remnants. The construction of wind turbines has increased significantly during recent years because the production of electricity from wind energy is particularly productive in the area. However, wind turbine installations also interfere with the landscape values. The historic elements of the area are, to a lesser degree, under transformation, although, at the end of the last century and the start of this century, some of the historic elements of the area partly disappeared, e.g. the old dikes and mounds which were partly excavated for fertilizer.   How to proceed Because historic elements of the landscape and buildings are, to a considerable extent, protected by national legislation, the existing legal, administrative and planning instruments in the three countries should enable an integrated maintenance and development of the landscape, including proper planning of wind turbines. At the same time, the awareness of the unique cultural-historic and landscape values must be enhanced because it is important for the comprehension of, and the identity with, the landscape and cultural-historic values. The promotion of sustainable cultural tourism may contribute to both enhancing the awareness of the said values and provide opportunities.   1.1 Trilateral policy and management 1.1.1 The nomination of the Wadden Sea Area, or parts thereof, as a World Heritage Site will be strived for, taking into account the natural and cultural-historic values of the area. 1.1.2 The cultural-historic and landscape elements of the Wadden Sea Area will be protected and conserved through appropriate planning and management. 1.1.3 The awareness of the area's cultural-historic and landscape values will be enhanced, where possible and appropriate, on a joint basis. 1.1.4 The construction of wind turbines in the Conservation Area is prohibited. (Identical with 9.1.9). 1.1.5 The construction of wind turbines, in the Wadden Sea Area outside the Conservation Area, is only allowed if important ecological and landscape values are not negatively affected. (Identical with 9.1.10).   1.2 Trilateral projects and actions 1.2.1 The preparation of a nomination of the Wadden Sea Area, or parts thereof, as a World Heritage Site (WHS) in close cooperation with the local and regional authorities, as well as, local interest groups and local citizens, taking into account i.a. the recommendations of the 1997 workshop on cultural-historical and landscape values. 1.2.2 An inventory and a map of the most important cultural-historical and landscape elements of the Wadden Sea area including - an assessment of which elements should be maintained and developed and - recommendations for the protection, taking into account the recommendations of the 1997 workshop on cultural-historical and landscape values. The result of the investigation will be published in a report in each of the three languages to ensure that the information is easily accessible and will be widely dispersed. 1.2.3 An investigation on how the cultural and landscape features can be taken into account in Environmental Impact Assessments and an exchange of information on this. 1.2.4 An investigation of the possibilities of an initiative in the field of cultural tourism, in close cooperation with local authorities and relevant organizations.   Top of Page / Next Chapter: II. The Targets: 2 Water and Sediment