Linking Conservation and Tourism Example Wadden Sea

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1 Wadden Sea World Heritage Site Linking Conservation and Tourism Example Wadden Sea Harald Marencic Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Wilhelmshaven, Germany

2 Wadden Sea World Heritage Site 1. Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation 2. World Heritage Site 3. Tourism in the Wadden Sea 4. Development of a Tourism Strategy

3 The Wadden Sea Denmark Schleswig- Holstein Hamburg Lower Saxony Germany The Netherlands

4 The Wadden Sea Denmark Largest unbroken stretch of intertidal mudflats in the world Highly productive ecosystem million birds pass through each year Shared by three countries 14,700 km² Trilateral Cooperation Area Schleswig- Holstein Hamburg Lower Saxony Germany The Netherlands

5 Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation The Netherlands - Germany Denmark Guiding principle: to achieve, as far as possible, a natural and sustainable ecosystem in which natural processes proceed in an undisturbed way Joint Declaration on the Protection of the Wadden Sea Common Wadden Sea Secretariat 1997 Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan th Trilateral Governmental Conference, Sylt, 18 March 2010

6 National Conservation Regimes Denmark: 1982 Statutory Order Nature and Wildlife Reserve (From 2010: National Park) Trilateral Conservation Area 11,000 km² Germany: Federal Nature Protection Law, 1985/86/90: National Parks (3 Federal States) The Netherlands: 1982 Nature Protection Act, Planning Decree Wadden Sea

7 Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan Targets: Landscape and Culture Water and Sediment Salt Marshes Tidal Area (tidal flats and subtidal gullies) Beaches and Dunes Estuaries Offshore Zone Birds Marine Mammals Fish Regulations on : Agriculture Fishery Hunting Dredging and dumping Sand and clay extraction Tourism Shipping Energy (wind, gas, oil) others Introducing and applying information systems (visitor guidance), Temporal and spatial zoning, Closure of ecologically most sensitive areas such as breeding and moulting areas.

8 Trilateral Monitoring Program Trilateral Monitoring and Assessment Program (TMAP) Aim of the TMAP: To provide a scientific assessment of the status of the ecosystem To assess the status of implementation of the trilateral Targets of the Wadden Sea Plan Quality Status Report 2009

9 Wadden Sea World Heritage June 2009: Inscription of the Wadden Sea on the World Heritage List What is a World Heritage Site? Unique, outstanding universal value World Heritage Convention UNESCO 1972 Signed by over 180 states World Heritage List: about 900 sites 176 natural World Heritage Sites

10 The History 1988 First application by the National Park Lower Saxon Wadden Sea 1991 Trilateral Feasibility Study 2001 Start of national consultations 2005 Dutch-German Nomination January 2008: Nomination Dossier to the UNESCO Evaluation by IUCN February 2008 March 2009 Field Mission September 2008 February 2009 Supplementary Information May 2009 IUCN Report to the World Heritage Committee June 2009: Inscription Wadden Sea on the World Heritage List

11 Inscription on the World Heritage List It must be of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) Criteria to assess global importance Satisfy the condition of integrity Adequate protection and management

12 Criteria viii: Undisturbed geomorphological processes and dynamics

13 Criteria ix: Ecological processes, natural forces and dynamics prevail

14 Criteria x: Biodiversity: Unique in its variety: 10,000 species, cross roads for 10 million birds

15 Wadden Sea World Heritage Criteria for global importance: Geology, ecological processes, biodiversity Integrity: All habitats, features and processes on 10,000 km² Long-term conservation and management: Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan / TMAP National parks and nature reserves

16 Decision World Heritage Committee 2009 Inscribes the Dutch-German Wadden Sea on the World Heritage List under natural criteria (viii) geomorphology, (ix) ecological processes and (x) biodiversity Statement of Outstanding Universal Value which is basis for future protection and management Encourage the extension of the Danish part Prepare and implement an overall Tourism Development Strategy Implement monitoring program to control invasive species Strengthen cooperation with state parties at the African Eurasian Flyways

17 Wadden Sea World Heritage No change of protection status no new regulations Recognition of the Wadden Sea higher responsibility, also towards the World community Support regional development and conservation: Tourism, information and awareness, education - Unique Selling Point Enhancement of international cooperation on the protection of the Wadden Sea (e.g. bird flyway, shipping), Our joint responsibility Our joint opportunity

18 The Wadden Sea Region: Stakeholders The Wadden Sea is an area where people live, work and spend their holidays. About 75,000 inhabitants in the Wadden Sea Cooperation Area (on islands, outside WHS) About 3.7 million inhabitants on the mainland in the Wadden Sea Region

19 Wadden Sea and Tourism - History Seaside resorts at the German North Sea coast in the 19th Century 1797 Königlich-Preußische Seebadeanstalt on Norderney 1819 Wyk on the island Föhr, 1837 Büsum 1855 Westerland auf Sylt Island of Norderney, East Frisia First nature resorts at the Wadden Sea coast private initiatives 1909 Verein Jordsand 1912 Insel Mellum

20 Wadden Sea and Tourism - Basic Data 10 million arrivals per year million day trippers every year 50 million overnight stays Turnover per year: about 5.6 Billion Euro Source: QSR Figures from various years and sources/regions

21 Tourism and Conservation The History 1970: Establishment of small info centers in cooperation with tourism an nature NGOs. 1980s: Establishment of national parks in Germany: Tourism organisations feared additional restrictions only few support. Increased support of tourism sector in campaigns against marine pollution and further embankments. 1990s: Working group National Park and Tourisms in Schleswig-Holstein. since 2000: National Park Partnership Programs. More tourism offers for guests (education, awareness, protection). Support of World Heritage Nomination.

22 Tourism in the Wadden Sea Lower Saxony Gästezahlen Visitors East Ostfriesische Frisian Mainland Inseln Gästezahlen Ostfriesische Küste Visitors East Frisian Islands Source: National Park Administration, Lower Saxony

23 Management of Tourism German NP Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan Introducing and applying information systems (visitor guidance), Temporal and spatial zoning and/or closure of ecologically most sensitive areas such as breeding and moulting areas. Lower Saxony NP Schleswig-Holstein NP

24 Management of Tourism Visitor centers Over 50 centers, main visitor centers are e.g.: The Netherlands EcoMare, Texel Nature Center, Ameland Germany Norderney, Wilhelmshaven, Cuxhaven, Multimar Tönning, Schutzstation Wattenmeer, Naturgewalten Sylt Denmark Ribe, Mandø, Varde Å

25 International Wadden Sea School Three countries One Nature to enhance the awareness of the Wadden Sea Area as a shared natural heritage, to create an understanding among young people for the need to protect and sustainably manage the Wadden Sea region as a whole. A Wadden Sea Wide Educational Programme

26 World Heritage Communication Work Fields 1. Information and awareness Central internet portal ( PR Activities, info material, branding, media Annual joint campaigns Regional activities, e.g Flyers Small, Flying, and Big Five in S-H 2. Environmental education and cooperation of info centers Cooperation of information and educational centers Qualification of multipliers Development of WH education activities 3. Tourism and recreation Sustainable Tourism strategy Marketing activities / destination WH / tourism offers Infrastructure 4. Reporting and international cooperation Support international cooperation on all levels Cooperation with other WH sites Reporting to UNESCO

27 Tourism Development Strategy 2010/11 Request by UNESCO World Heritage Committee June 2009: To prepare and implement an overall Tourism Development Strategy for the property that fully considers the integrity and ecological requirements of the property and that provides a consistent approach to tourism operations in the property. Overall Objective To provide a strategic framework for the tourism development in NL and D To describe in which way the WHS can benefit from tourism and vice versa, To develop tourism in a way that the universal values of the Wadden Sea stated will be maintained and used in a sustainable way. Tourism Strategy Group Representatives from nature agencies, tourism organizations, green NGOs, Wadden Sea Forum in NL and D

28 Tourism Development Strategy 2010/11 Task 1: Conduct a Status Analysis To assess the current status To identify opportunities for sustainable development. As baseline for future evaluation of the tourism development. Task 2: Define a common vision, overall aims and principles for the sustainable tourism development in the Wadden Sea WHS Task 3: Identify standards, criteria and indicators for sustainable tourism in Wadden Sea WHS Task 4: Describe the fields of action communication and education, market research and marketing as well as infrastructure development. Task 5: Describe how the Strategy shall be implemented determine stakeholder and involvement, responsibilities and managing bodies, financial plan funding, and time schedule. Task 6: Set up an Action Plan

29 Tourism Development Strategy 2010/11 Inventory- Quick scan Nature is acknowledged as most important asset, Mainly regional strategies (NL and D) with different focus, not yet coordinated, No common marketing strategies across regions (e.g.german coast), No common regional or national policy on sustainable tourism, Regional research on nature conservation and tourism (e.g. national parks, tourism and economy), Trilateral NetForum project (2000) provides the only region-wide approach on sustainable tourism development, Experiences from other WH sites (Wet tropics, Jungfrau-Aletsch, Great Barrier Reef, Jurassic Coast UK) Sustainable tourism policies and guidelines available (EU, UNEP, UNESCO, CBD) to be adapted to the WS situation.

30 Tourism Development Strategy 2010/11 Challenges Lack of experiences in transboundary cooperation on tourism (different culture and language) Competition between regions, Awareness for the added value of international and cross-sectoral cooperation in tourism (tourism sector and nature protection). Opportunities World Heritage as the Unique Selling Point (10,000 km², 10,000 species, 10 million birds, 10,000 years), Common responsibility by all stakeholders, Enhance awareness of (possible) visitors, Quality instead of quantity.

31 Conclusions The Wadden Sea: a good example for linking tourism and conservation Tourism organizations support nature conservation and have included it in their marketing strategy, Good visitor management system (visitor guidance, info centers), Visitors accept and support nature conservation regulations. Joint WH working groups and regional partnerships. World Heritage - New opportunities for tourism and conservation Increase of support for nature conservation, also on political level Involvement of all stakeholders (awareness, commitment), Wadden Sea as role model for linking tourism and conservation across national borders, Enhancement of international cooperation.

32 Thank you for your attention