The Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park celebrated its 40th anniversary on 1 October. To mark this special occasion, Schleswig-Holstein’s Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt invited companions of Germany’s largest national park to a celebration in the halls of the park’s largest education centre, Multimar Wattforum, in Tönning. The state’s Minister-President, Daniel Günther, gave the keynote speech. Representatives from nature conservation, tourism and mussel fishing agreed in the debate that the positive development of the national park gives every reason to celebrate, but looking to the future, the expected rise in sea levels is the greatest threat and challenge. The nature conservation associations WWF and Schutzstation Wattenmeer agreed with this assessment in their statement, but said that there was still much to be done to create sufficiently large fishing-free zones.
Improved marine protection, the achievement of the 30 X 30 target and the Wadden Sea in the chain of protected areas along the East Atlantic flyway of coastal birds are also high on the agenda of VISION 52. The initiative by Marén Bökamp-Hamkens, director of the Multimar Wattforum, to establish a partnership between Multimar and VISION 52 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the national park is therefore particularly fitting.
The educational work at the Multimar Wattforum National Park Centre and the VISION 52 initiative share a common goal: to raise awareness of the need to protect the Wadden Sea and to actively involve people in sustainable action. Both organisations base their educational work on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and use clear, participatory approaches to promote joint thinking on ecological, social and economic sustainability.
As the education and experience centre of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, the Multimar Wattforum brings the importance of this unique ecosystem to life and shows ways in which nature conservation and ecological tourism can be reconciled. VISION 52 complements this work by providing impetus for social change and responsibility. National parks make an indispensable contribution to the preservation of biological diversity and protect valuable habitats from overuse and destruction. They are refuges for numerous animal and plant species and, at the same time, places of learning where visitors can experience how sensitive and yet resilient natural systems can be. In the 40th anniversary year of the national park, it is clear how closely environmental education, sustainability and shaping the future work together – in a joint effort for the Wadden Sea and its people.
May this partnership not only have a positive impact on the further development of the Wadden Sea National Park, but also inspire other protected area initiatives along the East Atlantic Flyway of coastal birds.