As part of the Dutch Wadden Sea Conservation Area, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding biodiversity and its large, relatively pristine intertidal ecosystem.

[2] In the north of the Netherlands, the Lauwers river forms part of the east-west border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen.

The national park consists of most of the Lauwersmeer and is situated in the Frisian municipalities of Dongeradeel and Kollumerland c.a.

Among the birds living in the area are the Eurasian Spoonbill, the Montagu's Harrier, the Bearded Reedling, and the Bluethroat.

For the winter, hundred thousands of birds migrate to the area, like the Eurasian Wigeon, the Tundra Swan, and the Barnacle Goose.