Real-world laboratoy Estuary

Weser peninsula Butjadingen

Located between the Jade Bight and the Weser estuary the peninsula of Butjadingen projects into the North Sea. Encircled by the Wadden Sea, this location is characterized by its enclosing dyke system, which is bordered by the Jade to the west and by the Weser river in to the east. 2014 the projecting northernmost summer polder was re-connected to the North Sea through the Fedderwardersiel. The re-coneection to the North Sea with ebb and flood was part of a compensation measure for the construction of the Jade-Weser-Port on the west bank of the Jade. The restoration of the summer polder gives the natural dynamics of the Wadden Sea the possibility to shape and form the area according to coastal dynamics and recreate a typical ecosystem over time.

Within the joint research project, the summer polder area of Butjadingen can function as a reference area in regards to the upcoming re-connection at Neßmersiel. This would allow to monitor and assess natural dynamics in coastal research on a temporally resolved scale, whereas the process was not monitored at this location. Furthermore, boat based measurements are planned to obtain a wholistic environmental status, which can be compared to those gathered around the barrier island of Spiekeroog and at the mainland coast of Neßmersiel.