Keywords:
island barrier dune
foredune
natural dynamics
tidal inlet
birds
Location: The Netherlands, Province of North-Holland
The Wadden Island Texel
Texel is the biggest barrier island in the Wadden Sea area. The
island is situated in the Dutch part of the Wadden Sea in the
Province of North-Holland. Approximately one third of the surface
is protected nature reserve and Texel's dune region is in the
process of being established as a National Park. Texel is also
well-known to be a 'bird island'. Due to the relative tranquillity
and prominent variation in types of landscape, many different
types of birds are found on the island. 351 different species
were counted in 1996, of which 120 species breed on the island.
In comparison: a little more than 200 different species of birds
breed in all of the Netherlands. Also the spoonbill, a rare marsh
bird, can be found with three colonies on Texel.
The history of the Slufter
The history of the slufter goes back to the seventeenth century
and is closely related to the former inhabitants of the island.
At that time Texel was a lot smaller than today, reaching no further
north than roughly where ‘De Koog’ is nowadays. To the north a
small dune island was situated, called Eijerland. Between these
two islands an area of wetlands with large sandbanks and creeks
was located. Around 1630 the islanders built a sand dyke across
the highest part of the sandbanks by trapping sand with reed mats.
More and more sediment built up so that in 1835 it was possible
to reclaim the Eijerland polder, the largest Polder of Texel.
In 1856 the sea broke through the dyke and created holes in three
places. Two of the gaps were filled, but attempts to repair the
third failed. Since then the area situated between the Muy and
the Eierland Dunes has an open connection with the North Sea,
the so-called Slufter. Nowadays the Slufter covers an area of
455 ha being a long, narrow plain intersected by a creek system
with its associated salt marsh vegetation. During flood tides
the whole area is under water.
Management of the Slufter
The largest section of the Slufter is managed as a bird reserve.
The northern part (salt marshes and the surrounding dunes) is
not open for the public. During the breeding time the western
side of the marsh is also closed. Only to the southern section
public has free access. The closed area is clearly signposted.
In the extension of the Oorsprongweg, on the sand dyke, there
is a look-out post into the nature reserve.
Results
Although the creation of the slufter was not planned, the result
of the 1856 accident is a valuable nature reserve. The fact that
salt water flows in regularly has led to gradients in the soils
with respect to salt and mud content, relief and moisture. In
this dynamic environment pioneer conditions with its connected
pioneer communities can develop regularly. Fauna and flora are
closely adapted to these extrem conditions and consequently a
high biodiversity is found.
The area with its great variety is also very attractive for many
birds. Because of the different ecological niches different bird
communities live closely together. The large flat area e.g. attracts
meadow birds, incl. the lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), the
redshank (Tringa totanus) and the godwit (Limosa spec.).
Because of the regular flooding the input of biomass is also very
high. This consequently leads to a high food supply for birds,
especially for waders and seabirds. Besides, the so-called green
beach offers good breeding conditions for many threatened beach
breeding species, e.g. terns (Sterna spp.), plovers (Charadrius
spp.) and the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta).
References
- J. Beijersbergen & F. Beekman (1989): Slufters en gaten
in de duinen: naar een natuurlijker kustlandschap. De Levende
Natuur 3: 118-123. (33Kj89).
- Staatsbosbeheer (1994): ‘The Slufter’/ Salt Marsh. (33R1BN94).
- www.waddenzee.nl
