Spiekeroog excursion 2011

From 3 to 7 October 2011, as every year, the Department of Engineering Biology conducted an island excursion in cooperation with the Lower Saxony State Agency for Hydraulic Engineering, Coastal Protection and Nature Conservation (NLWKN). This year it was to Spiekeroog for the first time.

In addition to insights into the conflicting priorities of nature conservation and coastal protection in the Wadden Sea National Park and World Heritage Site, the focus was primarily on engineering-biological construction measures for island protection. In contrast to the neighbouring island of Langeoog, Spiekeroog has massive revetments and sheet pile walls on the western head of the island to protect the island from dune breaches and sand erosion during storm surges. The so-called "Hessen Wall" and the so-called "Shoemaker Wall" have protected the western head of the island since the middle of the 19th century. In the dune area of the camping site in the immediate vicinity of these structures, a dune widening with "helmet stocking" and other engineering-biological protection measures were carried out this year, which were examined by the students.

Unlike Langeoog, only the village of Spiekeroog is completely surrounded by a protective dike. Thus, buildings outside this dike are only located in higher dune areas. Only the "Hermann Lietz School" has its own dike in the east of the island to protect it from storm surges. What is unique about this dike is that it is a pure sand dike without the usual layer of clover. However, since the height of the dike no longer protects the school sufficiently from storm surges, an increase in the height of this facility is being planned or is currently being implemented. Due to the good cooperation with the NLWKN in recent years, it was made possible for the students to participate in the planning process by carrying out stepping stones and to provide ideas on sand dike greening.

One excursion highlight was the visit to the salt marsh and the Wadden Sea with the NLWKN's community service bird conservationist.