UNESCO-World Natural Heritage Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea World Natural Heritage stretches across the German and Dutch part of the Wadden Sea. It covers an area of almost 10,000 square kilometres along the coast with a length of about 400 kilometres and has been under protection for more than a generation.

The Wadden Sea – one of a kind in the world!

The Wadden Sea is an exceptionally dynamic landscape. Nowhere else in the world have the tides created a more diverse landscape that keeps changing to this day. An extended system of large tideways and small tidal creeks runs through wide tidal flats and borders consolidated, dry sands. Mussel beds, dense areas of seaweed and soft intertidal estuarine mudflats provide food for many animals. Blooming salt marshes in the vast dike foreland and on Islands and holms alternate with white beaches and dunes. This diversity of the landscape makes the Wadden Sea a unique habitat for more than 10,000 animal and plant species. The Wadden Sea is an essential stopover and resting ground for millions of migratory birds.

Experience the Wadden Sea – a walking-tour on the sea bottom!

When hiking through the tideland, you will only hear the wind, the sizzling noise of the mud and the calling of the birds. To this day you can experience how the interplay of nature's forces – wind, water and waves – have been forming this landscape since the last ice age and how it takes a new shape time and again. Taste the salty air and breathe the smell of the tidal flat. While walking you will feel how common cockles and blow lugs squirt water and sand upwards. Shrimps scuttle off in a hurry in the shallow water and somewhat further away you can even discover flatfishes. The retreating sea leaves craps, mussels, starfishes and hermit crabs behind. From a befitting distance you can even watch seals sunbathing on a sandbank!

Contact:

Nationalpark Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer
Virchowstr. 1
26382 Wilhelmshaven

+49 (0) 4421 / 911281
+49 (0) 4421 / 911280

poststelle@nlpv-wattenmeer.niedersachsen.de
http://www.nationalpark...enmeer.niedersachsen.de

• http://www.wattenmeer-weltnaturerbe.de

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