Five applications awarded for research about the Wadden Sea
natural world heritage site situated at the doorstep of three industrial nations and under pressure of the triple ecological crisis. It is an area that needs adequate protection and preservation to maintain its Outstanding Universal Value.
Importance of preserving the Wadden Sea
Dr Diana Giebels has a passionate response when asked about the importance of preserving the Wadden Sea: “The Wadden Sea is a beautiful area and its ecosystem is vital as it provides food for a high variety of animals. At the same time it is a complex area. The area is rich in species and so is our knowledge about it, however not enough is known about the interaction of different forces that truly shape the Wadden Sea.” Dr. Ir. Erik Horstman shares the same sentiment: “The Wadden Sea has to deal with many different stressors on a daily basis. It's interesting to think about ways we can help the Wadden Sea ecosystem adapt naturally. Doing this is not just about nature, it's also about improving the livelihoods and well-being of the people in the Wadden Sea communities, now and in the future.”
Research with impact and political relevance
Karst Jaarsma, a policy officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) in the Netherlands, believes the government can play a vital role in this call. He states: “This call is an excellent example of how science can influence the actions taken by the government. We will gain more information on how to maintain and improve the Outstanding Universal value of this high quality world site. With this knowledge the government will be able to take the right measures to preserve the Wadden Sea.”
The bilateral German-Dutch research projects will help us gain a better understanding of the complex pressures on the Wadden Sea. They will also pave the road to societal impact by charting options for action and developing strategies for management measures. In addition, the programme is an investment in a new generation of Wadden experts, as well as a new bridge between countries, disciplines, institutes and types of stakeholders. In the next four years, the projects are going to combine a focus on sedimentary dynamics and saltmarsh processes with benthic ecology, terrestrial biology, landscape and legal design. They are all set to improve our current understanding of the Wadden Sea and work towards a systemic view of this wild (eco)system.
The five granted projects can be found at the website of NWO.
This call commits to the Trilateral Research Priorities as described by the Trilateral Programme Committee for Wadden Sea Research in the Trilateral Research Agenda.