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The mayor of Terschelling, Caroline van der Pol, receives the report from Pieter van Beukering

Report Addressing the Knowledge Gap for Inclusive Management of Natural Capital in the Wadden Sea published

We often talk about the “priceless value” of nature of the Wadden region. Nature that is celebrated in art, books, and films, but also the nature on which fishermen, farmers and the tourist industry depend for their daily existence. What do we know about this value of the Wadden region and does it make sense to express this value in numbers and euros?

Nature in the Wadden region is valuable in several respects. As the largest interconnected nature reserve in the Netherlands, which is internationally recognized with the UNESCO World Heritage status, the value of the Wadden region to nature is evident. The socio-cultural value for the local population who has lived from and with the sea for centuries is also obvious. And clearly, a Wadden economy without healthy nature is unthinkable. Sectors such as fishing, agriculture and tourism owe their existence to healthy nature in the Wadden region.

The studies that have been carried out in recent years into specific aspects of the value of nature in the Wadden region are important but also fragmented. What is missing is a systematic analysis of the social and economic value of different ecosystems in the Wadden region, where different values are combined in a complete picture of the natural value of the Wadden Sea.

While environmental economists have investigated countless island regions across the globe, the valuation of nature in the Wadden region is still in its infancy. This is all the more remarkable given the fortunate research position of the Wadden region with excellent data and experienced scientists.

Value of nature

A better insight into the total value of nature of the Wadden region can help us to address numerous complex challenges facing the Wadden region. For example, estimating the importance of healthy ecosystems can be a good means of increasing the awareness of policymakers, citizens and entrepreneurs of the natural values that are now often undervalued.

An estimate of the value of nature also comes in handy when making investment decisions in which the monetised effects for nature can be explicitly included in economic assessments. Moreover, knowing the willingness to pay for nature conservation by citizens and tourists can provide a good insight into the feasibility of setting up a system of sustainable financing for nature management.  It is high time to estimate the “priceless value” of nature of the Wadden region. It is time we utilise the abundantly available information and expertise and convert it into impactful and actionable research outcomes.

The report Addressing the Knowledge Gap for Inclusive Management of Natural Capital in the Wadden Sea takes a first step in this important challenge. The mayor of Terschelling, Caroline van de Pol, received the first copy today from Pieter van Beukering, portfolio Economy Waddenacademie

Download Addressing the Knowledge Gap for Inclusive Management of Natural Capital in the Wadden Sea (pdf 6,3 Mb)