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Dieren en planten

Water en land

Mens en Milieu

Nature policy   National Parks   
Sign near the entrance to the Bollekamer on Texel, Foto Fitis, www.fotofitis.nl

National Parks

The idea to designated areas as national parks began more than a century ago in the United States. The purpose is to protect and conserve valuable nature areas for the future. A national park must encompass a minimum of 1000 hectare. The area must consists of lakes, pools, dunes or woods containing unusual plants or animal life and must have a significant scientific value. In a national park, agricultural land is limited and preferably non-existent. Recreation remains possible.

  • National parks in the wadden region

    Establishing National Parks in the wadden region is a different story than for the rest of the Netherlands. As stated in the Structure Scheme Green Areas, because of its character and dimension, the wadden region is not the same as the rest of the developing National Park network in the Netherlands, when considered (inter)nationally with its extremely high nature and landscape values. In addition, a large part of it is already protected via the PKB Wadden Sea and the Nature Protection Act. In fact, the Dutch wadden region forms one interlinking entity with the German and Danish wadden region. The largest part of the German wadden region is National Park. Over the long range, advising to give the entire wadden region an international park status will be considered.
    Schiermonnikoog took more than five years between being a 'national park in formation' and a true National Park. The residents were afraid that their freedom would be infringed upon. They expected that large parts of the island would no longer be trespassable. In addition, the residents were not ready to accept the new managers of the island. The same problems played a role on Texel. The plans to give the dunes the status of national park began around 1985. It remained a plan, partially due to the large amount of opposition among the local residents. In April 1994, the temporary committee for National Parks visited the wadden island again. Two months later, the committee decided to give the dunes of Texel the highest priority and the National Park Dunes of Texel was opened in 2002.
    The situation on Schiermonnikoog proves that a national park offers protection. According to the managers (Natuurmonumenten), 27 bird species that were on the Red List for vulnerable and rare birds were nesting in the park in 1995. For example, the spoonbill, great ringed plover, great bittern, redshank and sedge warbler. Many Red List species are observed in the coastal regions and damp dunes of the Wadden Islands. Schiermonnikoog is one of the few areas in Europe where natural dune formation is still taking place. The region is 5400 hectares large and consists of dunes and salt marshes. Schiermonnikoog is an important rest and nesting area for birds.
    Should the entire Wadden Sea become a national park, then the Temporary Committee for National Parks advises close agreements with the German provinces along the wadden coast and Denmark are necessary. In that way, the entire Wadden Sea in each country would be protected in the same manner.

  • National Parks in Germany

    The largest part of the Protective region in the German Wadden Sea is made up of national parks that have been established by the three responsible provinces: Schleswich-Holstein, Niedersachsen and Hamburg. The establishment is in agreement with the Nature Protection Act of Germany.

  • National Park Niedersachsisches Wattenmeer

    The National Park Niedersachsisches Wattenmeer was established in 1986 by the federal state Niedersachsen. The park is bordered on land by the dikes, dunes, 'geest' grounds and estuaries. The seaside border is the islands. It also includes the uninhabited parts of the islands. The boundary between the Netherlands and Germany in the Ems-Dollard region has not yet been established. Therefore, this problem area is not part of the park. The navigational channels of the Jade, Weser and Elbe are also not part of the National Park.
    The National Park contains an area approximately 2400 square kilometers and is divided into three zones.
    Zone 1 - the nucleus zone - contains 54% of the area and is beholds the most ecologically valuable areas. All activities which can destroy, damage or change the park or parts of it are forbidden. The public is forbidden to enter, with the exception of the indicated paths and routes. Exceptions are made for certain activities related to farming, hunting and fisheries.
    Zone 2 - the intermediate zone - contains 45% of the entire region. All activities are forbidden which change the character of the Wadden Sea and the islands, in particular the landscape beauty and the value of experience. The zone is accessible for the public, with the exception of the salt marshes during the bird nesting season (from 1 April till 31 July).
    Zone 3 - the recreational zone - contains around 1% of the entire region. Activities related to recreation and spas are allowed in this area.

  • National Park Hamburgisches Wattenmeer

    The National Park Hamburgisches Wattenmeer was established by the federal state Hamburg in 1990. The national park contains the Hamburg part of the Wadden Sea including the islands Neuwerk, Scharhörn and Nigehörn and is around 100 square kilometers. The park is divided into two zones in which various activities are allowed.
    Zone 1 - the nucleus zone - consists of 70% of the region. This zone is not accessible for public and a number of activities, including commercial activities such as professional fishing.
    Zone 2 - contains the remaining 30% of the region. This includes the island Neuwerk, a smal region west of Neuwerk and a small area on the mainland. Some activities are allowed here.

  • National Park Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer
    Westerhever, Foto Fitis, www.fotofitis.nl

    The National Park Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer was established in 1985 by the federal state Schleswig-Holstein. The borders of the national park are formed by a line running 150 meters seaward of the dikes, geest grounds and dunes onthe mainland and along the coasts of the islands and Halligen. The national park contains a surface area of around 2730 square meters and is divided into three zones. Different activities are allowed per zone:
    Zone 1 - the nucleus zone - consists of the regions that are important for seals and regions that are important as nesting, molting, resting and foraging areas for birds. The areas in this zone are mainly tidal regions and contain 31% of the national park. The nucleus zone is not accessible for public.
    Zone 2 - consists of other ecologically important regions, such as salt marshes, which do not fall under zone 1.
    Zone 3 - consists of the rest of the National Park.
    Every activity which could cause destruction, damage or changes to the protected region, or could lead to lasting disturbance, is forbidden. The activities that are allowed are listed in paragraph 6 of the 'Act for the National Park'.