IWSS Workshop Report 2015. - The International Wadden Sea School

IWSS
Workshop Report 2015
Towards a Wadden Sea
World Heritage Awareness
Vlieland, The Netherlands, 17.-19.11.2015
1 Introduction
Communication of and raising awareness for the Wadden Sea World Heritage are essential
factors for a broad acceptance and support of the long-term protection of the Wadden Sea as
well as for the sustainable development of the adjacent region. The Tønder Declaration 2014
recognizes this in paragraph 76 and 77:
76. Enhance the awareness of the young generation of the Wadden Sea as a shared
heritage through development of appropriate educational outreach and products as
an integral part of the World Heritage communication and education.
77. Therefore stimulate and support the development of a trilaterally coordinated
World Heritage education network, building upon the already existing International
Wadden Sea School (IWSS) network including regional and local initiatives.
The 13th IWSS workshop – hosted by the local visitor centre De Noordwester – was joined by
17 participants from 15 institutions in the Dutch, German and Danish Wadden Sea Region.
As in the previous years, the meeting provided insight into the recent developments of
Wadden Sea education and offered first-hand “Wadden experience”. As several participants
and institutions were new to the international cooperation of visitor centres, a strong focus
was put on networking and the exchange of experience and ideas for current and future
World Heritage education activities. To share the various centres’ activities, presentations
were prepared and compiled in this report.
Anja Szczesinski, WWF Germany
1 2 Current State of Wadden Sea Education:
Impressions from Visitor Centres and Organizations in the
Trilateral Wadden Sea Region
2.1 The Netherlands
•
Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen
NEW VISITORS CENTER
Theme: Recycling and Re-use
Focus on: Information & Education
Waddensea diorama
NEW WEBSITE
working on it!
FOCUS ON ENGAGEMENT WITH:
!  Donators
!  General public
!  Educational program
!  Volunteers (visible online)
!  CTA
WISHES:
!  Multilanguage: EN/NL/GER
!  Seal Encyclopedia
!  Blog / Vlog
!  Volunteers and Sealcare
!  Live Camera-feed
!  Fanbase
!  Volunteers
www.zeehondencreche.nl
2 •
Ecomare gave insight into a new
discovery program that has been
designed according to the “Discover
Carousel” (pupils work independently
in small, rotating groups on different
tasks with the guide as general
instructor and resource). This
structure, comprising the columns
“experience”, “discover” and
“research”, has been introduced to all
Waddenzeeschool-activities.
www.waddenzeeschool.nl
www.ecomare.nl
•
A smart and simple tool for outdoor education has been
developed by Waddenvereniging:
Various educational illustrations (maps, flyway route, etc.)
printed on outdoor-proof tarpaulin with eyes for mounting
on walls, pinning to the ground, etc.
The sheets can be rolled and folded for an easy take-along
in backpacks, etc. and help illustrate explanations on
guided tours.
•
Coordinated by the Waddenvereniging & Natuurschool, the Dutch IWSS-network
arranged a “Waddenzee united”-day on 24.9.2015 with a central event in Lauwersoog
and various activities on the islands. The event was financed by the Ministry for
Economic Affairs that granted support for (inter-)national Wadden awareness raising
among Dutch school children.
http://www.waddensea-worldheritage.org/de/node/1374
www.natuurschool.nl
www.waddenvereniging.nl
Sharing educational activities & useful resources
3 2.2 Germany
•
Schutzstation Wattenmeer has successfully
launched the “Beach Explorer”-program, a webrespectively app-based identification tool and
database for beach findings:
www.beachexplorer.org
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.beachexplorer.app
iPhone: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.beachexplorer.app
Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/store/apps/beach-explorer/9nblgggzv8p5
The project idea was “born” during the IWSS workshop on Ameland in 2006 and after
several years of fundraising, project development and implementation the offer was
published in Germany. Dutch and Danish versions are in preparation.
A “BalticExplorer” is available for the Baltic Sea (www.balticexplorer.org).
In November 2015, the project was awarded the tourism prize (2nd place) of
Schleswig-Holstein: http://www.schutzstation-wattenmeer.de/aktuell/newsbeitrag/ansicht/silber-fuer-den-beachexplorer/
Within the framework of the “Watt für Fortgeschrittene”-project, comprehensive
teaching resources for advanced classes have been developed and published online:
http://www.schutzstation-wattenmeer.de/wissen/unterrichtsmaterial/watt-fuerfortgeschrittene/
•
Naturschutzgemeinschaft Sylt, for the first time participating in an IWSS workshop,
gave a comprehensive overview on the organisation’s numerous activities on the
island of Sylt, Germany. See Annex 1 and
www.naturschutz-sylt.de
•
The Wadden Sea National Park Administration of Schleswig-Holstein prepared a
presentation on the current National Park School program and the recent activities
of the Junior Ranger program. See Annex 2 and
http://nationalpark-wattenmeer.de/sh/lernen-und-erleben/nationalpark-schulen-1180
http://nationalpark-wattenmeer.de/sh/lernen-und-erleben/junior-ranger
•
In Cuxhaven, Germany, the brand new UNESCO World
Heritage Visitor Centre Cuxhaven has opened in
October 2015: “We bring people closer to nature!
Uniquely situated in the Wadden Sea national park itself,
our new building is an architectonic landmark that fits
comfortably into the surrounding natural landscape. Here
there is a lot for visitors to discover about the Wadden
Sea.” For more information see Annex 3
www.wattbz.cuxhaven.de
En: www.cuxhaven.de/pics/medien/1_1455026157/English_Version.pdf
•
Nationalpark-Haus Wittbülten on the island of Spiekeroog shared various novelties
in their scientific and educational work and gave insight into their experience with
sick-fish-trouble shooting. See Annex 4 and
www.nationalparkhaus-wittbuelten.de
4 •
The activities of the UNESCO Wadden Sea Visitor Centre Wilhelmshaven were
presented together with a general overview on visitor information in Lower Saxony
and some inspiring thoughts on sustainability. See Annex 5 and
www.wattenmeer-besucherzentrum.de
http://nationalpark-wattenmeer.de/nds/lernen-und-erleben
•
Impressions of the new exhibition in the National Park visitor centre on the island of
Neuwerk in the Wadden Sea National Park of Hamburg as well as various outdoor
activities – among which special offers for dog-owners – are compiled in Annex 6.
2.3 Denmark
•
The Danish Wadden Sea Interpreters’ Forum (“Vadehavets Formidlerforum”),
formerly co-ordinated by Ulrik Gelderman Lützen, has a new co-ordinator: Ditte Dyrbo
Hviid. Ditte shared, referring to the respective websites, information on the
educational activities of the Danish education program “Mit Vadehav” as well as the
interpreters’ forum.
www.vadehav.dk/en/intro/
www.mitvadehav.dk
•
The Fisheries and Maritime Museum in Esbjerg is the centre Ulrik now works for
and he gave a comprehensive overview on the museum’s numerous fields of work
and in- as well as outdoor activities. See Annex 7 and
www.fimus.dk/en/
2.4 International Wadden Sea School
The current state and perspectives of the work of the IWSS are compiled in Annex 8 and
a comprehensive report on the IWSS activities in 2014 and 2015 is provided in Annex 9.
3 Excursion to Kroon’s Polders
Following the IWSS workshop tradition of experiencing local nature and practical outdoor
activities, the group embarked – guided by colleagues from Staatsbosbeheer – on a field trip
to the Kroon’s Polders:
Source map: Lammerts E.J. en Grootjans A., 2007.
Natuurontwikkeling Kroon's Polders. Duin no. 2,
Stichting Duinbehoud.
5 The Kroon's Polders is an important nature area for plants, nesting birds and
migrating birds on Vlieland. The area was constructed by building drift dikes on what
used to be part of the Vliehors. The purpose was to prevent Vlieland and the Vliehors
from separating during a heavy storm.
The Kroon's Polders were constructed in the beginning of the 20th century. The area
was part of the large sandbank the Vliehors. Superintendent P.A.Kroon from
Rijkswaterstaat (the governmental department responsible for coastal protection) had
branches and reed screens placed in order to build a drift dike. When these dikes
formed, polders were created which were quickly covered in growth. Kroon kept
creating drift dikes, parallel to the others, whereby more and more of the sandbank
was converted into plains covered with plant growth.
At one point, Kroon's superiors told him to stop constructing dikes. He was so upset
that he wrote a letter to the royal house asking what was wrong with his attempts to
increase the kingdom. It did not help. Further expansion of the polder was ended.
The young area was a good field for grazing, however it was too wet. Jan Cupido,
living in the Posthuis, was the first to use the polder as pasture and placed a windmill
on the transverse dike in order to drain it. With the growth in tourism, Cupido changed
his management of the area and removed his livestock. In the meantime, the State
Forestry saw the important nature value in the area and all livestock was removed
from the polder.
There was a period of time that the air force had a small airport in the fourth polder.
This air strip was used for light propeller planes. But the air force also had problems
with the water levels so they laid down drainage in the terrain. After the helicopter
arrived, the strip was no longer used and nature took over.
Source: Ecomare Encyclopedia
http://www.ecomare.nl/en/encyclopedia/regions/wadden-sea-region/dutch-wadden-region/vlieland/vlie-nature/kroonspolders/
6 4 Perspectives of Wadden Sea Education
3.1 Pool of Ideas
The following ideas were collected for the short-, mid- and long-term implementation of World
Heritage education. The various activities will be described more comprehensively in the
Action Plan of the World Heritage School Program.
•
•
•
•
New edition of the teaching resource “Pause im Wattenmeer – Zugvögel zwischen
Arktis und Afrika” in the WHS layout and Danish as well as Dutch versions
Updated version of the “bird migration timetable poster”
WHS illustrations on outdoor-proof material (such as the new Waddenverening-tools)
WHS colouring book as small emotional merchandize
5 Expectations & Evaluation
To ensure a satisfying and effective workshop, the participants were asked at the beginning
why they joined the workshop respectively what they expected and at the end of the meeting
whether the expectations were met and what should be improved for future workshops.
5.1 Why the participants joined the workshop (summarized answers)
•
•
•
•
•
Meet international colleagues
Get insight into different practical approaches
Learn from each other, get feedback and help
Explore chances of World Heritage
Share material and ideas
5.2 Feedback: Positive aspects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Time for comprehensive presentation of each centre
Room for networking
Opportunities for material bazaar
Well-balanced programme
Good organisation
Discussions on practical issues
Excursion (Kroon’s Polder)
5.3 Feedback: Room for improvement
•
•
More time to explore the surroundings
Workshop could be 1 day longer
7 6 Participants
Denmark
Ditte Dyrbo Hviid
Ulrik Gelderman Lützen
Vadehavets Formidlerforum
Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet
[email protected]
[email protected]
Kirsten Thiemann
Schutzstation Wattenmeer
Imme Flegel
Margit Ludwig
Bernhard Rauhut
Roger Staves
Nationalparkhaus Neuwerk
Naturschutzgemeinschaft Sylt
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Germany
Anja Szczesinski
Charlotte Winkelmann
UNESCO-Weltnaturerbe
Wattenmeer Besucherzentrum
WWF Germany
Nationalparkhaus Wittbülten
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen
De Noordwester Vlieland
Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen
Natuurcentrum Ameland
Bezoekerscentrum
Schiermonnikoog
Ecomare, Texel
Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen
Waddenvereniging
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Netherlands
Sander van Dijk
Marc ter Ellen
Renee Hoogland
Johan Krol
Mia Michels
Arthur Oosterbaan
Wolter Stam
Lian Zigterman
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
7 Annex
1 Presentation Naturschutzgemeinschaft Sylt
2 Presentation National Park Administration of Schleswig-Holstein
3 Presentation UNESCO World Heritage Visitor Centre Cuxhaven
4 Presentation National Park Visitor Centre Wittbülten
5 Presentation National Park Administration of Lower Saxony
6 Presentation National Park Visitor Centre Neuwerk
7 Presentation Maritime and Fisheries Museum Esbjerg
8 IWSS: Current State & Perspectives
9 IWSS Report 2014/2015
10 Workshop Program
8