Naturally Sylt

Spring 2026

WOOL PLEASURE

The island in sheep's clothing

After humans and dogs, sheep and their offspring constitute the third largest mammal population on the island during the summer months – far ahead of cattle, cats, goats, foxes, porpoises, and deer. The approximately 3.500 lambs and sheep of the 2026 Sylt summer season not only possess the ultimate idyllic charm: they also play a vital role in nature and landscape management on dikes, heathland, and nutrient-poor soils.

We have the boss of the northernmost sheep flock in Germany, Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen, visited during lambing season and found out in an interview why his namesake worries him. Daniela Andersen She tells the story of "Sheep Of Sylt," explaining why she, a trained industrial clerk, found her calling in agriculture despite all the challenges. Every year, this nomadic shepherdess generates a great deal of attention in the Sylt countryside. Uta WreeThe veterinarian, who holds a doctorate, is coming to Sylt this summer with 630 fjord sheep, two dogs, and two goats to work, and she talks about her vision of hiking from her family farm in Schleswig to the island next year. We've also compiled a list of the rules we humans (especially those with dogs!) need to follow so that "Uta and her beloved livestock" can carry out their work in nature safely and undisturbed.

Three people are holding lambs in a field — © Sven Erberich | Sylt Marketing

Close-up of a sheep with a thick wool coat — © Sonja Rommerskirch | Sylt Marketing

Person in barn sitting on gate next to sheep — © Imke Wein

Shepherdess with dog in front of a flock of sheep by the sea — © Sonja Rommerskirch I Sylt Marketing

AT WORK!

630 conservation activists

More picturesque than the backdrop "Fjord sheep flock amidst Nordic heathland“It's almost impossible, isn't it? But it is: especially when the Wadden Sea is shimmering in the background! The 630 animal landscape managers, their two-legged boss Uta Wree, their employed shepherd Oliver Zigahn, and two top-trained sheepdogs still cause a stir on Sylt during the summer months, even after more than ten years, wherever they go, whether herding, grazing, or ruminating.

This magnificent unity of human, animal, and nature already played a central role in a commercial with "Kloppo." The shepherdess and her flock achieved a kind of Hollywood fame two years ago when... Emmy Award winner Eugène Levy for the Sylt episode of the second season of his travel documentary “The Reluctant Traveler“brought the migrating sheep and their leader into the picture.

And in 2026? The woolly celebrities will of course be back on Sylt between mid-April and the end of October – in almost equal proportions on the nature reserve near the airport, on the Morsum Cliff and in the Braderup Heath. In all these places, the work of the human-animal team is of vital importance for endangered animal and plant species.

“We enjoy doing public relations work. But only if everyone is taken care of and the flock is relaxed. Because our primary mission comes first,” says Uta Wree, asking for respect and the necessary distance from her and the fjord sheep.

Nature experiences Braderup Nature Center

For know-it-alls

Why sheep (and also goats!) are used as landscape managers on poor (heath) soils in Sylt's protected areas:

They specifically promote the growth of certain rare, often endangered plant species. This is because the sheep provide light by clearing the flora of bushes, herbs, grasses, and shrubs that would otherwise overgrow and ultimately die.
Sheep trim bushes and shrubs so that rare birds and insects will happily repopulate them.
They are the taxis for plant seeds and insects. Up to 2.000 different organisms can live in their wool and are transported further by grazing, eventually being shaken off again. Rare plant and insect species are thus dispersed.
Uta Wree's flock of fjord sheep do not defecate where they forage. This means that on the heathlands, which require nutrient-poor soil, they deplete the soil and rejuvenate the heath during their grazing season without adding any additional nutrients.
These animal landscape managers consume nine to twelve kilograms of green fodder per animal daily, chew it for hours in their resting and night enclosures, and then leave their droppings there. Finding suitable resting places is a crucial, and not always easy, item on Uta Wree's work agenda.
The fjord sheep also help to reduce the risk of tick infestation, shape the landscape, and create new experiences in the relationship between humans and animals. How exactly does all this work? Uta Wree and her colleague are happy to explain when they have a spare moment.

Close-up of a sheep with thick woolly fur in front of heathland — © Sonja Rommerskirch I Sylt Marketing

What am I?

migratory shepherdess

In a lighthearted game of "What am I?", contestants would probably have been stumped by this profession: shepherdess. Uta Wree is indeed a veterinarian "by trade." However, today she lives with well over 1.000 fjord sheep during the winter on a historic farm near SchleswigIn summer, her animals roam in two herds along the Schlei and on Sylt. She also markets them. the wool their robust animals, which live outdoors 365 days a year.

Uta Wree left her era as a veterinarian behind because the mother of one son wanted to return to what truly resonates with both animals and humans. To animal husbandry that goes beyond organic standards, that integrates naturally into the cycle of nature. A way of raising animals that benefits the landscape and provides them with a near-perfect life. However, bluetongue disease* has also affected her animals. "As a veterinarian, my sheep rarely need me. Because they are mostly perfectly healthy. They belong here, in this climate, in this landscape. They have been perfectly adapted to nature since the Bronze Age and are exceptionally well-nourished. Even the Vikings kept this breed, taking them on their raids – as provisions and a source of supplies."

Uta Wree's vision of a future-oriented project with a high sustainability index is to produce Sylt Tweed from the wool of her sheep. This fabric embodies all the wonderful qualities of natural wool and could be stylishly crafted. Such a collection would certainly be a hit – not just on the island.

Shepherdess stands in front of a flock of sheep on the coast — © Sonja Rommerskrich I Sylt Marketing

Shepherdess Uta Wree is primarily committed to the welfare of her animals – but also to her profession, which is threatened with extinction. The UN will give special global attention to shepherds and their grazing lands in 2026.

Already knew?

The UN has designated 2026 as the global Year of Pasturelands and Pastoral Peoples (IYRP) The position is advertised. Uta Wree has been working for years on an international level, focusing on networking within her rare, ecologically valuable, and endangered profession. She believes that greater sustainability, visibility, and significantly less stress for her animals would be beneficial. matter of the heartTo herd their cattle in the future not by transporter, but along the natural footpath from Schleswig, along the causeway to Sylt. Perhaps a great project for 2027, when the connection between the island and the mainland celebrates its 100th anniversary…

The Sylt contract is an important source of income for Uta Wree. Sheep grazing on the island is put out to tender every few years – across Europe. The services to be provided, the exact grazing days and daily grazing hours in the protected areas are contractually stipulated. The island's [organization name] is responsible for nature conservation measures, often also for their financing and implementation. Sylt Landscape Association (LZV)The LZV finances the migratory sheep project with 57 percent - the state covers the "rest". The result of the long-term grazing measures is unanimously rated as "excellent".

As a veterinarian, my sheep rarely need me otherwise, because they are mostly perfectly healthy.

Uta Wree

Two people are standing near a flock of sheep in a meadow. — © Apple TV I The Reluctant Traveler

On the sidelines of the filming for the international travel series "The Reluctant Traveler": Uta Wree, Fjordlandschaf Kai-Uwe and Emmy Award winner Eugène Levy.

Please note:

Regulate!

Walkers, with or without dogs, should always keep their distance from the flock to avoid unnecessarily stressing the sheep. This also applies if dogs are properly leashed!
Leash laws apply island-wide with a few exceptions, such as the fenced dog exercise areas in Westerland. On the area northwest of the airport (adjacent to the fenced dog exercise area), where dogs are allowed to run free, it is breeding season between mid-March and mid-July – and therefore dogs must be kept on a leash at all times! This protected Flora-Fauna-Habitat (FFH) area provides shelter for ground-nesting birds. Additionally, the same rule applies here: when migrating sheep are present, dogs must always be kept on a leash.
Danger! Dog feces can be life-threatening for sheep: Due to improper feeding with raw meat (BARF) and inadequate deworming, more and more dogs are infected with tapeworms and excrete the eggs in their feces. Grazing sheep then ingest the contaminated soil. The eggs of the dog tapeworm (Echinococcus granulosus) can severely damage the sheep's internal organs. Uta Wree reports cases of animals that died from this transmission, with liters of fluid in their lungs. Infection with the dog tapeworm is also potentially life-threatening for humans. Therefore, it is essential to deworm regularly, collect dog feces, and dispose of it properly.
Sylt's nutrient-poor soils provide a unique habitat for rare animal and plant species. Dog waste represents a significant nutrient input into the soil. Therefore, its disposal (preferably in disposable bags!) is even more essential in nature than on sidewalks and in front gardens. Incomprehensibly, but still common practice: filling the bags and then leaving them behind. The LZV (presumably a local association) has installed additional information signs, trash cans, and bag dispensers in the large "dog meadow."
Sylt is a paradise for people with four-legged friends. If everyone follows the rules, that is. Here's what dog owners need to know – including on designated dog beaches: More information about holidays with dogs

Information panel in the nature reserve in open countryside — © Imke Wein

The FFH area between Wenningstedt, Braderup, and Tinnum, known as the "dog meadow," is also a protected nature reserve. Nevertheless, as part of a long-term pilot project, dogs are allowed to run free on the paths and within close proximity of their owners. However, this is not permitted when grazing sheep are present or during the breeding season between mid-March and mid-July. Understanding the unique flora and fauna is crucial for this delicate balance – and for a better understanding of nature!

It all seems obvious, doesn't it? "Sometimes dog owners, especially local ones, are extremely unreasonable. Unpleasant arguments arise time and again – in some cases, we've even had to involve the public order office and the police," says Maike Lappoehn, the managing director of the nature conservation association, who is also the contact person for the needs and concerns of the nomadic shepherdess during the summer months. Lambs and adult sheep chased into the mudflats, attacked, or killed by dogs are a real, recurring problem on Sylt. She alone records 30 to 40 dog attacks on her 850 animals. Daniela Andersen from "Sheep of Sylt annually - including repeated attacks resulting in death.

Bluetongue disease is a problem for sheep and cattle throughout Europe. It is transmitted by a type of midge. Infected mammals suffer from fever, respiratory problems, and swelling—especially around the mouth—which leads to difficulty eating. Thirty percent of affected animals die. A vaccine is available. The virus is not transmissible from one infected animal to another. The disease is harmless to humans.

Modern Nomad

Immortalized by Holger Rüdel

Uta Wree and her way of life are inspiring: Author and documentary photographer Holger Rüdel accompanied the nomadic shepherdess and her few remaining colleagues on their journey through the natural landscapes of Schleswig-Holstein. The result is a book ("Nomads of our time“), which shows the life of the “Good Shepherds” in impressive black and white photographs without romanticizing it or distracting from the existential worries.

© Holger Rüdel holger-ruedel.de
© Holger Rüdel holger-ruedel.de
© Holger Rüdel holger-ruedel.de
© Holger Rüdel
© Holger Rüdel holger-ruedel.de
© Holger Rüdel holger-ruedel.de
© Holger Rüdel holger-ruedel.de

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Daniela Andersen

BETWEEN HARDWORK & CREATIVITY

When Daniela Andersen decided to become an industrial clerk after school, it certainly wasn't on her vision board that she would one day own an organic-certified farm with the largest flock of sheep on Sylt. 850 breeding animals, With Angus cattle and chickens to manage.* But the young woman, who grew up in Kiel and Lübeck, fell for Jan-Uwe from Keitum. "Actually, the Andersen family wanted to give up farming. But then we made new plans," says the cheerful woman, mother of two sons and busy multitasker.

The decision was based on the commitment of [the company/organization] to the label "Sheep Of Sylt," which demanded full energy and entrepreneurial creativity. third generationThe young farmers are now marketing their produce on their... Website and in a small farm shop, they offer products made of felt and wool, provide information about sheep sponsorships and the possibilities for school classes, incentive events or children's birthday trips, to gain exciting insights into modern agriculture. Organic Farming to get.

Person holding black lamb in a barn among sheep — © Imke Wein

Daniela Andersen and a little lamb: This year there is little offspring on her farm because the barn is not yet ready for occupancy.

In addition to everything else, Daniela has also been a certified farm educator for some time now. "As a full-time farmer, you have to diversify so that you can make a living as a family. We operate on a modular system – and it works in such a way that it's enough to live on," she assures us.

Several times a day, her husband and the farm's only employee drive to the Braderup meadows or the dike, where their 850 ewes graze in winter and now during the summer months. They tend to their animals, check for any abnormalities, and trim their hooves. The sheep are brought in once a year for shearing, and a team of shearers travels to the farm. "It's backbreaking work. We have four to five tons of wool. We currently only process a fraction of it for ourselves—mainly into felt products and fertilizer pellets. Wool is primarily washed in Portugal, Poland, and Belgium. Transport is hardly possible due to the regulations. My knitting and medicinal wool is processed by a company near Niebüll," explains Daniela. Just to gain a deeper understanding of this topic, a visit to the Höst farm in Keitum is worthwhile.

Two sheep in the warm evening light on a meadow — © Holger Widera | Sylt Marketing

Postcard motif: Sheep with Sylt light and landscape.

As a full-time business, you need to diversify so that you can live as a family.

The large flock has just moved from the Braderup meadows to the dike. There, they will spend the summer grazing the grass and making firm, steady footing ("golden hooves") to ensure the turf remains dense and the dike stable. This summer, however, almost only adult sheep are performing this task, and an important source of income for the Andersens—the sale of hundreds of lambs—is missing. This is because the Andersens deliberately did not breed their ewes with rams in the autumn of 2025. The reason: "Our new barn isn't finished yet due to construction difficulties. Therefore, we will only have 20 lambs this year—and that's only because one of our rams escaped," explains Daniela Andersen, who hopes that over 1000 sheep will be born in the new, warm barn next year.

* In addition to the Andersens and Diedrichsens in List, the Keitum Goose Farm Another flock of sheep, plus several mini-flocks and, during the summer months, the 630 fjord sheep belonging to Uta Wree.

The latest TV report about the Andersens:

Lambs lie close together in the straw in the barn. — © NDR DAS! Red Sofa

Sheep of Sylt Sheep sponsorships

The wolf

and the lambing season on Sylt

The boss of the sheep population of the Listlandes Over the past two and a half decades, he's experienced quite a lot: hunting dogs, unreasonable people, the bluetongue virus in 2024, and a golden jackal in early summer 2025. Together with his large family, he's weathered many storms and press inquiries, and to this day, he lets kindergarten and school children witness the miracle of birth at the "birthing station" across from his home during lambing season. The joke that he, the man with the surname Wolf (-Diedrichsen), is currently in charge of 180 ewes, 15 rams, and soon over 310 lambs, thankfully hasn't been used too often. That's why we're borrowing this fairytale image for the headline of this interview, which the "wolf in sheep's clothing" kindly granted us right in the middle of lambing season.

Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen

IN THE INTERVIEW

When you spend six weeks every year acting as a male midwife, ensuring that hundreds of lambs are born healthy and happy, your life, the lives of your family and your team are in a state of emergency. How is it that you can say almost to the day when wild lambing season begins and that it ends between May 5th and 10th?

Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: Normally, it's said that domestic sheep have a gestation period of 150 days, give or take two days. Since we learn something new every year through observation, we eventually noticed that our sheep lamb after only 144 days. And because we know exactly when to introduce the rams to the ewes and when to separate them again, the lambing season is very predictable for us.

Man reads newspaper on wooden bench in front of wooden wall — © Imke Wein

Reading in the sunshine in front of the "Lister birthing station" is pure luxury for Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen during lambing season, a moment to recharge. In the photo at the top right is his namesake: the four-legged wolf who would pose a great threat to the Lister sheep if he were to make it to the island.

Who will help you – including with the bottle-fed lambs that are rejected by their mothers?
Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: We work in three teams at night. And of course, we're always here during the day as well. Normally, the sheep need little assistance during lambing itself. But we can help if necessary. We immediately bring all the newborns and their mothers into the barn for the first few days to ensure proper bonding. Until last year, even my father, who was over 80, came all the way from Bavaria to help. We often have support from the village, too. Melanie Steur from the "Nature Experience Center" takes two weeks of vacation specifically for lambing season. My wife, Maren, cooks for us and takes over all my responsibilities in the rental business. Our sons, Cornelis and Boy-Ole, and his girlfriend, Aurelia, are part of our midwifery team.

Are your sheep, which roam freely throughout much of Listland and the Ellenbogen peninsula all year round, a specific breed?
Jürgen Wolf Diedrichsen: The differences between our animals and other domestic sheep are not huge, but sheep experts in the north say they can recognize the Listland sheep.

Can you tell all 180 of your ewes apart?
Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: There are always special sheep personalities that you naturally know. But – as unromantic as it may sound – I don't have an individual relationship with all of them.

Information panels on a wooden wall next to a fenced sheep pasture — © Imke Wein

Visitors to the Lister infant ward will have all their important questions answered immediately!

I also like it when kindergarten and school children come and are amazed to experience a birth for the first time.

Are your sheep actually smart?
Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: Sheep are sensitive and exceptionally clever. And they also like to do what suits them. They definitely have minds of their own. This often leads to very amusing moments.

Do the moon and tides have an effect on the birthing rhythm of female sheep – just as is said to be the case with women on the coast?
Jürgen Wolf Diedrichsen: After all these years of experience, I would say there is a connection. More animals are born when the tide is rising – I'm quite sure of that.

Short nights, long days, quick decisions – lambing season is definitely a physically and sometimes emotionally demanding time. How do you feel when you're approaching lambing season?
Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: I'm looking forward to it – it's such a wonderful task to help give other beings a pleasant start in life. I also enjoy it when kindergarten and school children come and are amazed to witness a birth for the first time.

You're more Frisian now than many other native Sylt residents. Only your Bavarian "r" gives you away. You married into one of the few original families from List, the Diedrichsens. Sheep farming has been a major source of income for the Diedrichsens for centuries. The family patriarch, Niels, passed away in December at the age of 94. Is there any sign of a successor emerging in your family?
Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: It looks very much like our son Boy-Ole, who is now 24, will take over the sheep farming. That is a great joy.

Speeding cars on the roads of Listland, the bluetongue virus* (see explanation above) two years ago, the golden jackal* last year, and free-roaming dogs – these were and are major dangers for your animals. What are you currently worried about?
Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: I fear it's only a matter of time before wolves, like the golden jackal, scout out the island as a potential territory. The eight kilometers of railway embankment are easily traversable for the animals. This poses a huge threat to our free-roaming sheep – we've already seen what happens with the golden jackal. Our animals are completely defenseless against this danger in Listland.

In List and the surrounding Listland area, dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. Since there are also "black sheep" among people, and several visitors to Ellenbogen and Listland disregard the rules, the Listland owners' association hired a ranger for the past two years. Is this an option again this year?
Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen: We have had very good experiences with this and will hire someone again for the summer.

*The Visit of the Golden Jackal 2025
Young male golden jackals travel countless kilometers in search of their own territory. On Sylt, a young animal likely arrived on foot in May, crossing the dike, and killed nearly 100 sheep and lambs in the island's interior and north. After some back and forth, the previously issued permit to shoot the animal was revoked in mid-June. The animal has not been sighted since.

LIVABLE SYLT

Network for Sustainable Island Development

Ewe stands with two lambs in a meadow — "Livable Sylt" is a relatively new movement on the island of Sylt, an island network committed to the sustainable and future-oriented development of the island, guided by the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Those wishing to become partners of "Livable Sylt" can apply. One of the already certified businesses is "Sylter Dünenwolle" – a manufactory that transforms the wool of Germany's northernmost sheep into exquisite blankets and pillows.

Liveable Sylt Sylt dune wool

Baaahhh against tiredness!

Imke Wein's column

Smiling woman wearing a hat stands in the dunes.

00:00

Do you know that feeling when you're so utterly exhausted from spring that you can't manage anything to lift your spirits – not even a walk by the water, let alone exercise or socializing or anything like that? The sofa is fine. Nothing else.

"Pull yourself together, counteract your inner couch potato with some exercise, it helps immediately and is guaranteed," preaches the inner coach. Without, however, getting to the root of the exhaustion.

In my favorite show, "Grey's Anatomy," the completely overworked young doctors, as a last resort, would always go to the maternity ward of their hospital and stare at newborns through the glass. Unfortunately, on Sylt, we haven't had a maternity ward for years (which is a shame for many reasons!). And even if we did: In good old Germany, rooming-in has been practiced since the 80s. Newborns stay with their mothers. Thank goodness. End of story! So, no chance of baby-watching. You have to look for alternatives. I found one in List at the Diedrichsen barn and simply indulged in a 15-minute lamb meditation in the open-air nursery. There was a bit of cuteness shock, but my spring fatigue is gone too. The great baa – interesting for the nose, good for the ears, sensational for the eyes, and for the soul, of course.