Today, large Parts of the international Wadden Sea are protected - as nature protection areas, biosphere reserves and national parks. As only a trans-boundary approach to nature protection can take into account the ecological entity of the  Wadden Sea, the three bordering countries have been working together in the “Trilateral Cooperation on the Protection of the Wadden Sea” and coordinate their nature protection measures since 1978.

However, not very many people are aware of the international dimension and importance of the Wadden Sea. Yet, a “boundless Wadden-awareness” and the appreciation of this unique landscape are an important factor for the long-term protection of the Wadden Sea as a whole.

Against this background, the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation and nature conservation organizations have established the “International Wadden Sea School” (IWSS) on the occasion of the Cooperation’s 25th anniversary in October 2003.

The aim and tasks of the IWSS are to raise the awareness among children and youths of the Wadden Sea as a shared natural and cultural heritage and to create an understanding for the need to jointly protect the Wadden Sea as a whole.

• the IWSS supports immediate nature- and wilderness experiences through educational excursions and activities
• the IWSS facilitates international “Wadden experiences” by providing an information and service-platform for international school trips
• the IWSS supports the internationalisation of high-quality environmental education with networking activities and joint projects of the participating education centres