Wadden Sea on UNESCO World Heritage list

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• published: 28 Jun 2009
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Wadden Sea National Park is an excellent example of a coastal wetland between Den Helder in the Netherlands and Esbjerg in Denmark. It is the largest unbroken stretch of intertidal mudflats in the world, and the perfect example of a coastal wetland with high biological, hydrological and ecological importance, shared between three countries: Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. 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 Wadden Sea, an estuary of the North Sea, has a total area of about 8000 square km. It is the world's biggest coherent habitat of its kind and one of the last unspoiled estuaries in Europe. There are many varied and extensive habitats in the Wadden Sea. This important estuary includes the salt marshes along the coast line as well as the islands and dunes. The mud flats consist of the areas which get flooded twice a day and then fall dry again, and of the channel system of tideways, channels and shipping channels between the islands, which are responsible for the flooding and for the draining. The mud flats are known for their very low inclination which is usually less than 1 meter of difference in altitude on a 1000 meter long stretch. About fifty islands and islets protect the shallow Wadden Sea. This 28 minutes documentary is part of the tv-series WONDERS of WILDERNESS and is available on DVD or broadcast video. The 12-part series colourfully introduces a dozen of the worlds most important national parks with their rich flora, fauna and awe-inspiring geological wonders. The series demonstrates the wisdom of the national park founders who made it possible to create safe havens for plant and animal life. They led the way in teaching us how vital it is to protect our soil, air and water from pollution both for ourselves and for future generations. © and information at WWW.FAUNAFILM.NL