There is a place where Heaven and Earth share the stage
Wadden Sea World Heritage
There is a place where Heaven and Earth share the stage
Since June 2009, the Wadden Sea has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This puts the Wadden Sea on an equal footing with world-famous nature reserves such as Yellowstone in the United States, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The years of good cooperation between the Wadden Sea countries is at the root of this success..
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What is World Heritage?
World Heritage Site is a monument, area or landscape with natural and/or cultural-historical value that is unique in the world.
UNESCO defines World Heritage as ‘a special, universal value, it must be irreplaceable, unique and considered the property of the world.The granting of World Heritage status is a recognition for the area, but does not legally provide additional protection.
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The Wadden Sea is unique
De Waddenzee is een erkend biologisch ecosysteem die je alleen vindt aan de Nederlands-Duits-Deense Noordzeekust.
Op de Waddenzee wisselen eb en vloed elkaar elke zes uur af, waardoor het landschap van moment tot moment verandert.Een uitgebreid stelsel van geulen wordt afgewisseld door drooggevallen zandplaten. Deze variatie aan landschappen maakt de Waddenzee tot een uniek leefgebied voor meer dan 10.000 vaak zeldzame plant- en diersoorten, wat een uitzonderlijk grote voedselrijkdom voortbrengt. Daarnaast is het een onmisbare tussenstop voor miljoenen vogels tijdens hun trektocht.
Hidden islands in the Wadden Sea
Did you know they existed? That uninhabited islands still exist in the Dutch Wadden Sea? They are hidden between sandbanks and gullies and only appear at low tide. No paths, no houses and no permanent residents-only sand, sea and the birds that land there. A mysterious world many do not even know exists....
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De Noorderhaaks
Het eiland Noorderhaaks bevindt zich tussen Den Helder en Texel en wordt ook wel De Razende Bol genoemd door de krachtige stroming en de continu veranderende vorm van dit zandplaatje. De stroming rond het eiland kan zo sterk zijn dat de zandbanken vaak verschuiven, wat je vanaf Texel goed kunt zien.
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The Richel
Located between Vlieland and Terschelling, De Richel is actually nothing more than a narrow, uninhabited sandbank. Yet this place has a striking role in the Wadden Sea: you regularly find groups of seals resting and birds perching there to look for food. The shape of the sandbank can be slightly different every year, due to currents and tides. Although De Richel often disappears partly under water, it remains a special piece of Wadden Sea where you can see nature taking its own course.
Griend
Griend is a small, uninhabited island in the Wadden Sea, located roughly between Terschelling and Harlingen. Griend is an important breeding and resting place for birds. Visitor access is restricted to protect the birds and their nests, so people usually get to see Griend from a distance.
The island consists of vast sandbanks and natural vegetation, constantly changing due to tides and wind. It is precisely this dynamic nature that makes Griend so special: there are no permanent buildings and nature determines the island's shapes and boundaries.
Engelsmanplaat
In the middle of the Wadden Sea, between the Wadden Islands of Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, lies Engelsmanplaat. At first glance, this sandbank, which constantly changes shape and size under the influence of wind and water, appears pristine and deserted. Yet this place has a special history, full of stories about stranded sailors, people in hiding and shipwrecks.
Simonszand
Simonszand is one of those places in the Wadden Sea you wouldn't expect to exist. It is a sandbank between Schiermonnikoog and Rottumerplaat, so empty that you mostly encounter birds and seals. The shape of Simonszand changes with the currents and tides, so the island almost seems to wash away at times. There is no facility or fixed path-only sand, water and animals that seek their rest here. Thus, as a visitor, you remain a remote witness to the untamed nature of the Wadden.
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Rottumerplaat
Rottumerplaat is one of the most remote and uninhabited islands in the Wadden Sea, located northeast of Schiermonnikoog. The island consists mainly of sandbanks and salt marshes, and is an important nesting area for birds. People hardly come there, except for research or management. With no buildings and constantly changing sandbanks, Rottumerplaat shows what nature looks like when it has free rein.
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Rottumeroog
Located in the Wadden Sea, not far from the German border, Rottumeroog is one of the easternmost uninhabited islands in the Netherlands. The island is a protected nature reserve where birds and seals can live undisturbed. There is no permanent habitation and the sandbanks are constantly shifting. This makes Rottumeroog a special piece of untamed Wadden Sea.
The Wadden Sea is unique!
