In 2022, empowering the youth to take action in conservation has been a key focus of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, with activities not only in the Wadden Sea, but also on the global scale.

After the conclusion of the Trilateral Youth Conference in September 2022, young adults from Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands continued with their exchange to increase youth’s influence on the conservation of the Wadden Sea.

The 19 site managers came from four nature reserves and national parks that make up the World Heritage Site.

In November and December 2022 two workshops on nature- and climate-friendly ferries took place in Leer and Oldenburg (Lower Saxony). Experts and stakeholders from the national park authority, environmental NGOs, water police, academia, tourism, as well as commercial and recreational shipping came together to discuss sustainable ferries in the Wadden Sea.

Harbour seals are one of the most iconic species in the Wadden Sea and among the top predators in this dynamic ecosystem. Their protection is regulated by the Agreement on the Conservation of Seals in the Wadden Sea.