Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is the world’s largest continuous system of intertidal sand and mudflats, extending over 10,000 km² along the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a globally important ecosystem supporting migratory birds, marine mammals and nursery habitats for commercial fish species. Despite strong conservation efforts, the region faces increasing pressures from climate change, fisheries and coastal infrastructure.
In REWRITE, the Wadden Sea serves as a large-scale reference system where restoration and rewilding strategies aim to enhance natural dynamics, restore key habitats such as seagrass beds, and reconcile ecosystem protection with sustainable socio-economic uses.

Characteristics

Habitat types in Wadden Sea

90%

Mudflats with microphytobenthos

10%

Saltmarsh, oyster & mussel reefs

<1%

Seagrass meadows

Historical trajectories

  • Many coastal transitions, very limited space

  • Strong urge to act (e.g., active restoration), less motivated to protect

  • Conflicting guidelines, frameworks & laws

  • Cumulative impacts of climate change (heatwaves, droughts & enhanced sea level rise)

Main objectives

  1. 1

    Explore how the concept of rewilding can apply to a large and highly anthropized intertidal ecosystem

  2. 2
    Support restoration of key habitats such as seagrass beds and oyster reefs
  3. 3
    Promote sustainable management, through rewilding, balancing nature conservation and human uses

Past, current and future restoration actions