10
1 The Coast
processes and that humans are depending on natural provisions some people started to
preserve rivers, landscape and flora and fauna. On the one hand, nature conservation is
conducted by different organizations called non-governmental organizations (NGO) such
as Friends of the Earth or World Wide Fund for Nature. On the other hand, nature conservation is since decades a task of governments, for example, in Germany the national law
on nature conservation was first introduced in 1935 and got finally into force in 1977. In
Germany the Federal States developed own regulations for nature conservation which are
equivalent to the national law in the light of the concurrent legislation.
The five coastal Federal States in Germany have their own nature conservation laws
touching the conservation and protection of their coastal areas, for example, the law on
the national park in Schleswig-Holstein or Lower Saxony. Also on land several rules and
laws exist which protect specific species and landscapes against deterioration. That nature
conservation in the Wadden Sea depends upon the water is obviously clear, but also in
the hinterland some biotopes and habitats are depending on specific water conditions, for
example, wet shallow areas on meadows for wading birds.
Conflicts between nature conservation and coastal defense are mainly upon the way
of protecting people against flooding. For example, the closure of a bay would transform
a saline water environment into a fresh or brackish water environment. On the one hand,
the benefit for coastal protection would be that the main dike line will be shortened which
might save money for maintenance. On the other hand, a dramatic change for the saline
water habitat would take place with severe consequences for endemic plants and animals
(see Sect. 8.4 or the consequences caused by the implementation of the Delta Plan in The
Netherlands since 1955). Furthermore, salt marshes are called dike fore land by coastal
engineers as they are important to support the main dike in protecting people against
flooding (e.g. energy dissipation of waves before attacking the outer slope of the dike).
By mutual agreement a broad salt marsh (fore land) is desirable, but with conflicting ways
of achievement. For coastal protection the solidification of the edge of salt marsh would be
preferable to counteract erosion, where nature conservation would like to support natural
dynamics.
1.4.5 Tourism and Recreation
The first recreational use of the Wadden Sea coast dates back to the eighteenth century. The
islands were discovered by the upper class to serve as a spa due to the saline environment.
Also today the Wadden Sea islands are attractive locations for tourists and recreational use.
The main land coast also got more attractive for tourists since the harmful diseases were
repelled. For a certain amount of time the coast was seen as an inhospitable area suffering
shortages and inhabited by the poor.
Today, tourism and recreation are growing economic branches at the coast. The need
for building areas and for fresh water is increasing. Consequently, increasing values for
tourist infrastructure demand for the protection against flooding either by the sea or by
rivers.
1 The Coast
processes and that humans are depending on natural provisions some people started to
preserve rivers, landscape and flora and fauna. On the one hand, nature conservation is
conducted by different organizations called non-governmental organizations (NGO) such
as Friends of the Earth or World Wide Fund for Nature. On the other hand, nature conservation is since decades a task of governments, for example, in Germany the national law
on nature conservation was first introduced in 1935 and got finally into force in 1977. In
Germany the Federal States developed own regulations for nature conservation which are
equivalent to the national law in the light of the concurrent legislation.
The five coastal Federal States in Germany have their own nature conservation laws
touching the conservation and protection of their coastal areas, for example, the law on
the national park in Schleswig-Holstein or Lower Saxony. Also on land several rules and
laws exist which protect specific species and landscapes against deterioration. That nature
conservation in the Wadden Sea depends upon the water is obviously clear, but also in
the hinterland some biotopes and habitats are depending on specific water conditions, for
example, wet shallow areas on meadows for wading birds.
Conflicts between nature conservation and coastal defense are mainly upon the way
of protecting people against flooding. For example, the closure of a bay would transform
a saline water environment into a fresh or brackish water environment. On the one hand,
the benefit for coastal protection would be that the main dike line will be shortened which
might save money for maintenance. On the other hand, a dramatic change for the saline
water habitat would take place with severe consequences for endemic plants and animals
(see Sect. 8.4 or the consequences caused by the implementation of the Delta Plan in The
Netherlands since 1955). Furthermore, salt marshes are called dike fore land by coastal
engineers as they are important to support the main dike in protecting people against
flooding (e.g. energy dissipation of waves before attacking the outer slope of the dike).
By mutual agreement a broad salt marsh (fore land) is desirable, but with conflicting ways
of achievement. For coastal protection the solidification of the edge of salt marsh would be
preferable to counteract erosion, where nature conservation would like to support natural
dynamics.
1.4.5 Tourism and Recreation
The first recreational use of the Wadden Sea coast dates back to the eighteenth century. The
islands were discovered by the upper class to serve as a spa due to the saline environment.
Also today the Wadden Sea islands are attractive locations for tourists and recreational use.
The main land coast also got more attractive for tourists since the harmful diseases were
repelled. For a certain amount of time the coast was seen as an inhospitable area suffering
shortages and inhabited by the poor.
Today, tourism and recreation are growing economic branches at the coast. The need
for building areas and for fresh water is increasing. Consequently, increasing values for
tourist infrastructure demand for the protection against flooding either by the sea or by
rivers.