WSF News
2nd Climate Vulnerability Index workshop
On 16 – 17 February 2021 the WSF participated in the second phase of the workshop "Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) at UNESCO Worldheritage Wadden Sea". The workshop on Community Vulnerability was facilitated by the CVI developers Scott Heron and Jon Day (Townsville, Australia). The 2 phase included material of a World Heritage Marine Programme site managers e-meeting, where the chairpersons of the Task Group World Heritage (TG-WH), Barbara Engels, and EG-C, Robert Zijlstra, and the CVI developers, presented the results of the CVI process in the Wadden Sea. Preparatory to the workshop, the CVI developers provided video information on the CVI method and on outcomes of the Phase 1 Workshop on Outstanding Universal Value Vulnerability, where workshop participants prioritised three key climate stressors impacting the OUV of the Wadden Sea: sea level rise, temperature increase and extreme heat events.
GET INVOLVED in the Green Coastal Deal SURVEY
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1) write a short text on what you think a “Green Coastal Deal” should consist of (max. 500 words).
2) you receive an excel-sheet with the kindest request to fill-in the boxes.
Please, understand this survey as first step in compiling issues, which are linked to a “Green Coastal Deal” in your point of view. GreenCoastalDeal_WSF-Survey
more information on page : GreenCoastalDeal
Round Table "Shipping Safety" - Trilateral Stakeholder Analysis

Download the full report.
With Hydrogen to Mittelplate

WSF 38 plenary meeting on 29 October

Holger Ansmann (MdL) visited the WSF

Cooperation talks - Dr. Frank Ahlhorn together with WHV e.V.

For the local maritime industry (consisting out of the Lower Saxony Port Representation (NHV), the working group of Lower Saxonian Sea Ports and the WHV e.V.), Hans-Joachim Uhlendorf has already been involved in the WSF for years, which lays the foundation for authorized representation between the maritime industry and the WSF. "Our main topics for the WSF are e.g. a CO2-neutral Wadden Sea Region. This coincides with projects that we are planning together with investors for the port of Wilhelmshaven" says the WHV e.V. board. "We see this as a basis for concrete cooperation with the WSF."
The interviewees see further possibilities for cooperation in the following:
- Participation in the planned "Round Table Ship Safety in the German Bight"
- Initiative for the natural preservation of shipping lanes through so-called ecological sediment management
- Risk Management, e.g. for flood and disaster control
- Demographic change in the Wadden Sea Region and its consequences
- Routing and shore connection for the submarine cables of offshore wind farms
The participants in the conversation agreed that this first contact laid the foundation for further trusting discussions.
published: https://www.wab.net/aktuelles/news/detailseite/dr-frank-ahlhorn-geschaeftsfuehrer-des-wadden-sea-forum-ev-war-zum-kooperationsgespraech-bei-der-w/
Radio OLDENBURG1-Bücherwelten Interview
In a very lively discussion, moderator Thomas Kleinspehn interviewed our managing director Dr. Frank Ahlhorn on the Wadden Sea Forum and its content.
Airtime:
Friday, 02 October 2020 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Rebroadcast: 11. October 2020 from 12:00 am to 1:00 pm
Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen exchanged ideas with WSF
During a visit to the WSF office on August 25th a broad discussion about relevant topics from medical supplies, offshore energy to climate change and its consequences for the coastal region were covered by the state parliament member Meta Janssen-Kucz (Leer / Borkum) as well as the port and shipping politicians of Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen, Bärbel Kraus and Ulf Berner together with the new managing director of the WSF, Dr. Frank Ahlhorn. Ms. Janssen-Kucz highlighted the successful efforts of the WSF to work on nature and climate protection in the Wadden Sea Region across national borders together with a sustainable economy and to think of this region as an attractive living space for people and to promote it in projects. Dr. Ahlhorn presented current projects and future plans, such as the initiative for "ecological sediment management" in the Wadden Sea or the intended exchange on the routes planned through the Wadden Sea for the submarine cables connecting off-shore wind farms with the mainland. Dr. Ahlhorn made clear that the WSF understands and offers itself as a neutral discussion/exchange platform for various topics for the Wadden Sea Region. Ulf Berner: "Climate protection and making business are not mutually exclusive, but on the contrary, we need an innovative, sustainable economy to protect this living space and to further develop it at the same time."
New Managing Director WSF is Dr. Frank Ahlhorn
The long-time managing director of the Forum, Manfred Vollmer, retired in July 2020. On August 1, Dr. Frank Ahlhorn has been taken over. Dr. Ahlhorn has been dealing with topics on the coast of the southern North Sea for over 20 years. He studied mathematics and marine environmental sciences in Oldenburg and received his doctorate in the field of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IKZM) at the University of Kiel. As part of his professional positions at the Coast Research Center, as a research assistant at the University of Oldenburg and nine years of self-employment, Dr. Ahlhorn worked on various research projects related to the coast at regional, national and European level. Topics such as flood and coastal protection as well as civil protection and water management, but also demographic change played a role. Dr. Ahlhorn grew up in Butjadingen, Wesermarsch district, directly behind the dike. In the WSF, Dr. Ahlhorn wants to further expand and strengthen the successful cooperation between the various players from the local region, but also from the Netherlands and Denmark.
WSF Goose Management Newspaper Article
Recently the "Ostfriesische Nachrichten" placed an article about our position regarding Goosemanagement. "Farmers are annoyed about damages caused by barnacle geese. Wadden Sea Forum calls for a quick solution for agriculture in Leer and complains about the inactivity of the regions." (read the full article in German) and (see more information on Goosemanagement)
WSF Resolution Goose Management
The WSF plenary discussed in its meeting on 18-19 November the process of implementing the AEWA management plans for Greylag and Barnacle geese on flyway level. These management plans were adopted by the range states in December 2018. For the implementation in the different countries Favorable Reference Values (FRVs) have to be defined. As this process is lacking, the WSF elaborated a resolution, which requests the responsible ministries to speed up the process and support the AEWA concept. The Meeting adopted the resolution without any vote of dissent. (see more information and document)