Hans-Ulrich Rösner Receives the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon

For more than 40 years, Dr. Hans-Ulrich Rösner has been dedicated to protecting the Wadden Sea, serving for many years as director of the WWF Wadden Sea Office in Husum. Representing the Wadden Sea Team of green NGOs, he has helped building up our Wadden Sea family across borders and has shaped the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (TWSC). On 2 June, he received the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon (Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande) in recognition of his work. The team of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) extend their heartfelt congratulations and thank Hans-Ulrich for his tireless dedication and the groundbreaking conservation achievements that shape the Wadden Sea today and will continue to do so in the future.

“We are truly excited for Hans-Ulrich - we also regard this recognition as fully deserved. Hans-Ulrich Rösner is a name that is hard to miss in the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation. Over the past decades, he has made outstanding contributions to the conservation of the Wadden Sea. The creation of the International Wadden Sea School is just one example among many. We are immensely grateful for his unwavering dedication to our shared mission of protecting the Wadden Sea. It is both a privilege and a pleasure to continue working alongside him,” says Sascha Klöpper, CWSS Executive Secretary.

From 1995 to 2025, Hans-Ulrich headed the WWF Wadden Sea Office in Husum. During this time, he played a key role in securing the Wadden Sea’s designation as a transboundary UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the Trilateral Cooperation, he had a significant influence on nature conservation policy for the protection of the Wadden Sea in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany. Though officially retired, Hans-Ulrich will remain an active member of the Wadden Sea family as Advisor to the Wadden Sea Board.