Watt Welten UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea Visitor Centre
Region
Europe
Country
Germany
Flyway
East Atlantic flyway
Initiative
WLI Europe
About
Name of organisation
City of Norderney, Wadden Sea National Park Authority, BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany
Funding support
Public
Number of staff
10
Number of visitors per year
80,000
Overall aims of the centre
Environmental education and awareness raising
Description of the centre
The Watt Welten UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea Visitor Centre is located on the island of Norderney, one of the seven East Frisian Islands in Lower Saxony, Germany. The Wadden Sea, UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006, is a very important roosting and feeding area for millions of migratory birds along the East Atlantic Flyway. Surrounded by vast mudflats, dunes and salt marshes, the island’s avifauna is highly diverse and attracts a multitude of migratory birds. The Visitor Centre contains an interaction exhibition, featuring the world heritage criteria and information on fauna and flora of the island and the Wadden Sea. We offer around 40 different types of educational activities to increase the visitor’s awareness on environmental issues (e.g., mudflat hiking tours, birdwatching, hikes in the dunes and the salt marshes, etc.). Once a year, we take part in the annual Migratory Bird Days – nine days in autumn dedicated to migratory birds and bird migration – that are held along the entire German coast from the Dutch Border to the Elbe River.
Work Areas
Main CEPA work area
- around 40 different types of educational activities to increase the visitor’s awareness on environmental issues
- collaboration with school classes (primary and secondary school) as well as further education
- engaging local people in citizen science projects (e.g., aviathlon)
- using social media and print media
Top three successes
Outdoor activities (guided tours) are generally much in demand and very successful (nature excursions, bird watching events)
Top three challenges
Our greatest challenge is how to engage people (tourists) that are generally not interested in nature at all and do not care about the national park, its purpose and regulations.
Expertise
Interpretation techniques
Creating signage; site information; Producing written materials; Using audio-visual tools; Developing nature trails
Visitor centres
Running a visitor centre
Participation
Working with disabled people; Engaging young people; Engaging the local community; Working with volunteers
Education and communication
Early years education; Delivering adult education; Working with primary schools; Lobbying / running campaigns; Working with secondary schools
General
Auditing / assessing effectiveness; PR and marketing; Fund-raising
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