Texel Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast Texel Island, Netherlands

Dutch Wadden Sea

The Dutch Wadden Sea is a shallow, semi-enclosed part of the North Sea, mainly consisting of tidal mud flats, sand flats, sea gullies and salt marshes; the area is bordered by a series of dune barrier islands, the "wadden islands". The Wadden Sea stretches along the North Sea coast from Den Helder (NL) up to Esbjerg (DK) and is the largest estuarine area in Europe. Most of the sea and the uninhabited islands are State Nature Reserve, which is regulated by the Nature Conservation Law and a spatial planning act (PKB). The area is of international importance being a nursery of marine life, a resting, moulting and feeding area for several millions of migratory birds, and a habitat for thousands of birds, seals and many other species. The area has been selected for European protection as part of the Natura 2000 Network. The region, especially the wadden islands, is also a key recreational area for the Netherlands and Germany..

Location: the Dutch Provinces of Noord-Holland, Friesland and Groningen.

Size: the entire area is ca. 250 000 ha; the nature reserve is ca. 150 000 ha.

Owner and management: the area is owned by the State and managed by the Ministries of Nature management, Agriculture and Fisheries (LNV) and Transport and Water management (V&W).

Actuality: In March 2002 the Dutch Parliament has rejected a number of economic development plans that were included in the 3rd governmental planning act for the area (3rd PKB Waddenzee). Especially the Minister of Economic Affairs had proposed to allow gas drilling and the building of a wind power plant in the Wadden Sea. The Wadden Sea society has led an NGO campaign against these proposals.

Nature and Landscape

Sea & Coastline
The natural values of the area are primarily connected to the shallow sea with its mud and sand flats that fall dry at low tide. The marine fauna is diverse and for example rich in worms, shellfish, crustaceans, and fish. Moreover, it is a nursery for shrimp and fish stocks for the North Sea and a food resource for birds and seals. Among the birds, the waders forage at low tide and rest on higher beaches, dunes and islands at high tide; the seals rest on sand flats and beaches at low tide and mainly feed at high tide.

Sand Dunes
Important dune systems have developed on the dune barrier islands:
Rottum: two islands, Rottumeroog (350 ha, gradually eroding) and Rottumerplaat (400 ha, gradually increasing), both uninhabited and closed to the public
Schiermonnikoog: a National Park (1890 ha) with dunes and salt marshes
Ameland: 791 ha of dunes
Terschelling: ca. 5000 ha of dunes, with salt marshes towards the east;
Vlieland: 1840 ha of dunes and wetlands
Texel: 3760 ha of dunes including a beautiful tidal inlet (Slufter). Initial development of small dunes is also taking place on:
Noorderhaaks: large sand flat, west of the Marsdiep channel
Griend: small island that has been repeatedly enlarged (artificially), now ca. 100 ha More information on Younger dunes in the Netherlands is available in this Guide; information on management aspects can be found in EUCC's Dune Management Guide.

Forests
Due to the harsh climatic circumstances natural woodland in the wadden area is generally low and dominated by oak (Quercus robur); this type of woodland has only developed on the five largest dune islands. In the 20th century many conifers have been planted to stabilise shifting sand dunes, partly as an employment project in the 1930-ies.

Salt marshes
Along the fringes of the shallow sea the higher beaches have been colonised by salt resistant vegetation and are therefore called salt marshes. Remarkable salt marsh areas include:
Bosplaat: almost 4000 ha at the east part of Terschelling; a Council of Europe diploma area
Schorren: 80 ha at the NE side of Texel
Noord-Friesland Buitendijks: 130 ha of salt marshes and summer polders.

Estuaries
At the southern side of the area there are two specific areas that have been formed as estuaries:
Lauwersmeer: once the Lauwerszee but embanked in 1969; partly a military area (Marnewaard), partly a National Park in formation (4617 ha), mainly with wetlands and water
Dollard: the estuary of the Eems, a 4400 ha brackish tidal area bordered by salt marshes.

Flora & Fauna
The shallow sea is rich in algae, especially diatoms and frog-algae, and hosts several species of green seaweed (Marsh samphire, Gutweed, Hen pen, Velvet horn), brown seaweed (Spiral wrack, Channelled wrack, Bladder wrack, Egg wrack, Tangle), red sea weed (Carragheen moss and Purple laver) and also 'blue seaweed' (more like bacteria) like cyano bacteria and blue-green algae.
Examples of the rich invertebrate fauna include Rag-worm, King rag, Estuary rag-worm, Lugworm and Lobworm, many species of shellfish, shrimps, lobsters and crab. Most abundant fish species are herring, sandeel, mackerel, sprat and plaice. Important breeding birds include Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Bar-tailed godwit, Little stint, Dunlin, Sanderling, Knot, Ringed plover, Kentish plover, Grey plover, Brent goose, Barnacle goose, Wigeon, Shelduck, Eider, Herring gull, Black-headed gull, and Common tern. And last but not least, the area hosts a healthy population of Common (or Harbour) seals (circ. 3000 in 2001) and Grey seals (circ. 600 in 2001).

Visitor centres
Schiermonnikoog: Visitor centre of the National Park Schiermonnikoog, Torenstreek 20, 9166 LK Schiermonnikoog, tel. 0519 531641.
Vlieland: "De Noordwester", Dorpsstraat 150, 8899 AN Vlieland, tel. 0562 451700.
Texel: "EcoMare", Centrum voor Wadden en Noordzee; tentoonstellingen en opvang van zeehonden en zeevogels. Ruijslaan 92, 1796 AZ De Koog, tel. 0222 317741, www.ecomare.nl.

Nature management
Nature management in the area is determined by the PKB Waddenzee, a national attempt to combine economic development with environmental protection of the area. Through the various PKB's the government promotes sustainable development by controlling the extent of fisheries, gas exploitation, recreation and tourism and military activities. The PKB is binding upon all state, regional and local authorities. The draft 3rd PKB determining the future of the area for the next 10 years, is still under discussion. The Wadden Sea society (Waddenvereniging) and other NGO's have repeatedly asked for further restrictions to military activities and to mechanical shell fishing that is particularly damaging to bird populations; see www.waddenvereniging.nl and www.interwad.nl.
Since 1997 the governments of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark are working jointly on the protection and conservation of the entire Wadden Sea Area, supported by the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (www.cwss.de). In 1982 the countries agreed upon the Joint Declaration of the Protection of the Wadden Sea; the countries intended to coordinate their activities and measures in order to protect the Wadden Sea. A trilateral Wadden Sea Plan, adopted in 1997, focuses on: a healthy environment, diversity of habitats and species, sustainable use, integrated management, coastal protection and informing and involving the local population.

History

Origin. The area has been part of a shallow coastal sea for hundreds of millions of years, but during the various Ice Ages, the southern North Sea area dried up. At the end of the Riss Glacial (200-125,000 years ago), the glaciers deposited lateral moraines at Wieringen and at Texel. After a flooding period, the southern North Sea area dried up again during the next and last Ice Age (Würm Glacial, 70-10 000 years ago) and was completely covered by wind-borne sand deposits. Under the influence of the rising sea level, these sand deposits formed salt marshes and sand barriers ca. 5-10 km north of the current coastline. After a period of further rising of the sea level, the sand barriers moved towards the continent until they arrived more or less at the location of the current coastline, ca. 5000 years ago. During a period of ca. 3000 years low dunes developed on the sand barriers, while large peat moors developed behind them. These moors were often flooded and covered by sea clay.
Taking shape. The relatively low sand barriers were interrupted by large tidal inlets, especially the Vlie (between Vlieland and Terschelling) and the Eems estuary. Because these tidal inlets caused a continuous inflow of salt water, the area remained a "wadden area" (from the Dutch word "waden", meaning "to wade"): a shallow basin with tidal areas, sand banks, salt marshes and channels and a relatively small tidal difference (2-3 m). It was a relatively calm environment in which tiny particles, consisting of young sea clay from the southern North Sea, were deposited. The Wadden area included the Lauwerszee (between Groningen and Friesland), the Middelzee (right through current Friesland) and the Vlie.
Changing patterns. A number of heavy storms in the 13th century caused the Dollard to come into existence in the Eems estuary. The sand barriers were swallowed by the sea and provided sand for a series of young Wadden isles. Due to the storm tide on All Saints' Day in 1570, the island Texel (N15) was permanently divided from Huisduinen (now part of the mainland of Noord-Holland) by the Marsdiep channel. The channels and sand banks have not remained the same over time and they are still changing under the influence of storms, accretion of land and the strong currents; as are the islands. Through erosion on the west sides and accretion of sand on the east sides the islands are subject to constant development.
20th century. The Dutch Wadden Sea has always been an environmentally vulnerable area and since the 20th century it has been threatened by pollution. Three factors contribute to the relatively high level of contamination of the area. Most importantly, many industrial and agricultural activities are located in and around basins of rivers, which flow into the area. Secondly, the North Sea current brings many contaminating materials, especially from the Rhine, into the area. Finally, the Wadden Sea is also affected by atmospheric deposition stemming from the highly industrialised countries in NW and Central Europe.

Cultural Heritage

There are many remarkable buildings on the islands, just a selection here:

Schiermonnikoog
Witte Huis ("white house"): town hall of the island, from 1857; it was painted white later on. Before 1857 the meetings of the town councils were held in cafés and hotels. Nieuwestreek 5, tel. 0519 535050.
Water tower: used to be the lighthouse until it was rebuilt into a water tower in 1911.
Lighthouse: 37 m high, from 1853, built by King Willem III, closed to the public.

Ameland
Hollum, one of the oldest villages, with:
Reformed church: with foundations from the 12th century
Lighthouse: 59 m high, from 1880. Temporarily closed. Bornrif, Burgerstraat 2, Hollum. Tel. 0519 554703.

Terschelling
Brandaris: Lighthouse dating back to 1593, 52.5 m high, and situated in the island's main town, West-Terschelling. Closed to the public.

Vlieland
Lighthouse Vuurduin: 18 m high, built on a 40 m high dune (Vuurboetsduin) in 1876, open to the public, tel. 0562 451389.

Texel
Lighthouse Eierland: 53 m high, built in 1863. Closed to the public

Visitor Info

Accessibility: The five largest (inhabited) islands can all be visited, but visitors cannot take their car to either Vlieland or Schiermonn

The history of the Slufter , a tidal inlet on the island Texel, Dutch Wadden Sea

The history of the slufter goes back to the seventeenth century and is closely related to the former inhabitants of the island. At that time Texel was a lot smaller than today, reaching no further north than roughly where ‘De Koog’ is nowadays. To the north a small dune island was situated, called Eijerland. Between these two islands an area of wetlands with large sandbanks and creeks was located. Around 1630 the islanders built a sand dyke across the highest part of the sandbanks by trapping sand with reed mats. More and more sediment built up so that in 1835 it was possible to reclaim the Eijerland polder, the largest Polder of Texel. In 1856 the sea broke through the dyke and created holes in three places. Two of the gaps were filled, but attempts to repair the third failed. Since then the area situated between the Muy and the Eierland Dunes has an open connection with the North Sea, the so-called Slufter. Nowadays the Slufter covers an area of 455 ha being a long, narrow plain intersected by a creek system with its associated salt marsh vegetation. During flood tides the whole area is under water.

Management of the Slufter
The largest section of the Slufter is managed as a bird reserve. The northern part (salt marshes and the surrounding dunes) is not open for the public. During the breeding time the western side of the marsh is also closed. Only to the southern section public has free access. The closed area is clearly signposted. In the extension of the Oorsprongweg, on the sand dyke, there is a look-out post into the nature reserve.

Results
Although the creation of the slufter was not planned, the result of the 1856 accident is a valuable nature reserve. The fact that salt water flows in regularly has led to gradients in the soils with respect to salt and mud content, relief and moisture. In this dynamic environment pioneer conditions with its connected pioneer communities can develop regularly. Fauna and flora are closely adapted to these extrem conditions and consequently a high biodiversity is found.
The area with its great variety is also very attractive for many birds. Because of the different ecological niches different bird communities live closely together. The large flat area e.g. attracts meadow birds, incl. the lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), the redshank (Tringa totanus) and the godwit (Limosa spec.). Because of the regular flooding the input of biomass is also very high. This consequently leads to a high food supply for birds, especially for waders and seabirds. Besides, the so-called green beach offers good breeding conditions for many threatened beach breeding species, e.g. terns (Sterna spp.), plovers (Charadrius spp.) and the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta).

Tourism and recreation in the Dunes of Texel

Natural Values and importance

Landscape
The island of Texel is part of the Dutch Wadden Sea. The Wadden sea region is a patchwork of very different kind of landscape: dune areas, salt marshes, shallow water behind the islands with shoals exposed at low tide, vast sandbanks with deep channels in the openings to the sea, and on the islands not only nutrient-poor saline soils but also wooded areas and grassland areas.

The Dunes of Texel itself also show a large variety in landscape (see: Large variety in the dune landscape of Texel). This is the result of centuries of ‘teamwork’ between soil and climate, wind and water, flora and fauna. But, especially on the island of Texel, man has also played an important role.

The highest nature values of the Dunes of Texel can be found in the Horspolders and surroundings, the Slufter, in the wet dune slacks and in the areas where fresh water from the dunes enters the polders or marshes. The ecological quality of these areas is unique for the Netherlands.

Flora
The flora in the Dunes of Texel is influenced by differences and gradients in the amount of calcium in the soil and the humidity. The amount of calcium in the soil of the dunes varies from decalcified old inner dune ridges, to moderate calcareous fore dunes to calcium rich environments by calcium deposition from seeping ground water. The humidity varies from the very dry dune tops to the dune lakes with a water table of more than one meter. This variation in circumstances causes a large variation in plants and plant communities.

The different nature areas all have their own specific flora (see: Large variety in the dune landscape of Texel). On the beaches and the beach plain dune forming plants like Sea sandwort (Honckenya peploides) can be found. In the fore dunes Marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), Blue sea holly (Eryngium maritimum) and Sea rocket (Cakile maritima) grow, while further in the dunes, in the dune valleys, many rare plant species, like gentians and orchids, can be found. Large parts of the older dunes are grown with heather or are wooded. In the Slufter (see: The Slufter, a tidal inlet on the island Texel) typical marsh vegetation can be found.
A special element is formed by the almost 500 ha wooded area (The Dennen) between De Koog and Den Hoorn (see: Map of Texel). This forest was planted for the production of wood, but because of natural processes and adapted management the forest has got a more natural character.

The wet and humid dune slacks and the heaths are very valuable in a national and international context.

Fauna

Birds
The people from the island of Texel refer to their island as a bird island. Due to the relative tranquillity and prominent variation in landscape types, many different types of birds are found on Texel. In 1996, 351 different species were counted on the island of Texel, of which 120 species breed on the island. In comparison, a little more than 200 different species of birds breed in all of the Netherlands.
For some species Texel is a bulwark in the Dutch avifauna. One of these species is the Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus), a bird of prey with a preference for the dune region. Other dune birds which are found relatively often on the island of Texel are the Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), the Northern pintail (Anas acuta), the Northern wheateater (Oenanthe), the Common redpoll (Carduelis flammea) and the Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus). Furthermore, on the island of Texel three large Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) colonies are present. These colonies are important in national context because other colonies of the Spoonbill in the Netherlands had disappeared. Other birds that choose the island of Texel above other places along the Dutch coast are the Ringed plovers (Charadius hiaticula), Sandwich terns (Sterna sandvicensis), Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) and Little terns (Sterna albifrons). On the mudflats to the northeast of Texel many foraging waders and other tidal-flat birds are found.

Other animals
Large mammals were not present when Texel became an island. The largest species on the island of Texel is the hare. A species that is of great importance is the Northern vole (Microtus oeconomus). This mouse is a relict from the last ice age and the population on the island of Texel is of national importance because in the rest of the Netherlands the Northern vole has very strong competition from the Common vole (Microtus arvalis). The Common vole does not live on the island of Texel.

The Dunes of Texel are a habitat for many butterflies. Some species have the largest population on the island of Texel. In the dunes also many digger wasps and –bees, grasshoppers and dragonflies live.

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ikoog. Access is not allowed on Rottumerplaat, Rottumeroog nor on the small island Griend.
Some forms of recreation are prohibited in the Wadden Sea region. For others, exemption is required. Prohibited forms include the use of hydrofoils, hovercraft, water scooters, jet skis and other noisy craft. Water skiing is also forbidden, as are off-road cycling, kite flying, hang-gliding, the use of light aircraft and ULV's and ballooning. Yachting, mud-flat walking and some other forms of recreation are regulated in order to keep them under control.

Hiking: The five largest islands offer excellent opportunities for quiet hiking. Because of strong tidal influences, it can be dangerous to walk across the shallows and therefore they can only be explored with a guide to avoid dangerous situations. It is forbidden to cross the sea from any island to another (see under Excursions). One can do shallow hiking by low tide. It is a very special activity in the area during which a lot of animals can be seen in their natural habitats.

Biking: The bike is ideal to explore the five largest islands, but only on marked paths. All sorts of bikes and also beach transportation can be rented at various businesses on all main islands.

Excursions: Information on excursions can be obtained through the visitor centres and Tourist Offices (VVV's) of the five main islands. Crossing the shallows ('wadlopen') is only allowed with a licensed guide; www.wadlopen.net.

Water: The Wadden Sea can be visited by boat but visitors should beware of the shallows. Harbours include Den Helder, Harlingen, Lauwersoog and Delfzijl.Wind surfing and swimming is possible in many places. The zones where little or no recreational use is permitted are the closed areas such as refuges at high tide, areas where seals lie out, nesting colonies etc. If they are open to recreational users at all, then it is only at strictly limited times. Annually, the situation is re-examined to see whether the zoning arrangements need to be modified in the interests of wildlife.

Dogs: Allowed on the five largest islands. On several beaches and in the dunes dogs have to be kept on a leash.Horses: On the islands horseback riding is possible, e.g. along the beaches.

Annual events: Several sailing matches are organised every year. A very popular festival is the Oerol: culture and plays, every summer on Terschelling: www.oerol.nl Tel. 0562 448448.

Transportation
Train & ferry: The ferry to Texel leaves from Den Helder (bus connection to Den Helder station). The ferry to Vlieland and Terschelling leaves from Harlingen (station Harlingen Haven). The ferry to Ameland leaves from Holwerd (bus connection with Leeuwarden) The ferry to Schiermonnikoog leaves from Lauwersoog (bus connection from Leeuwarden and from Groningen)
Cars: it is recommended to leave your car on the mainland; visitors are not allowed to bring their cars to either Vlieland or Schiermonnikoog.