TMAP Kwelders (WOT-04-009-035.02)

Salt marshes are dynamic ecosystems with a high natural value due to the unique salt-tolerant plants and animals that live there. In addition, they form a gradual transition between water and dike, and they have an important role in coastal protection and carbon storage.

 

The national and international nature objectives for these salt marshes are:

• maintaining the current area of salt marshes, as compensation for salt marshes lost due to embankments;
• approach to a more natural salt marsh structure of the mainland salt marshes; while preserving the salt marsh area and taking up as little space as possible on the present mudflat;
• improved natural vegetation structure (biodiversity); i.e. the development of a complete succession series from pioneer zone to salt marsh zones, with associated natural dynamics.

 

The aim of this project is to monitor the area and quality (= structure and function in accordance with the Habitats Directive) of the salt marshes in the Wadden Sea. This serves as support for the Ministry of LNV with various (policy) questions, the establishment of policy for the Wadden Sea and for national and international reporting obligations (the Quality Status Report of the Wadden Sea and the Habitats Directive Report Article 17). Various stakeholders at local, national and trilateral level benefit from a well-founded and balanced management of these salt marshes. The results of long-term monitoring, (management) experiments and advice based on research and practical experience are fed back to managers and owners in order to continuously optimize salt marsh management.