Marcel Taal
Marcel Taal has an outstanding track record and experience in coastal and estuarine policy and management in the Netherlands. For more than twenty years he concentrated on the challenge to link system knowledge and estuarine and coastal management. At present, he is working in the section Resilience and Planning of the Unit Marine and Coastal Systems of Deltares.
He is the program manager to execute (and develop in coordination with the Dutch government) the national knowledge programs for the Dutch coast and the Scheldt estuary. He is dedicated to development of knowledge that really adds to the decision-making and connects to the questions posed by policymakers and stakeholders.
Prior to Deltares, he worked six years for the Dutch government. In this period he was leading the coastline management program, the innovation program for the Dutch coast, and was also the author of the National Water Management Plan for 2005-2008. In the Scheldt estuary, he has been active since 1998-2000, when he was involved in drafting the long-term vision for the estuary.
Working experience
| 2008 – Present | Deltares | Specialist Adviser, Deputy Department Head. Manager of all projects and relations of the Scheldt estuary. Overall coordination of the contract with the Rijkswaterstaat for all Deltares. Advice on estuary management / sediment management. |
| 2005 – 2007 | National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management, Rijkswaterstaat | Specialist adviser. Leading the coastline management program and the innovation program for the Dutch coast. |
| 2001 – 2005 | Road and Hydraulic Institute, Rijkswaterstaat | Senior adviser. Planning of maintenance Dutch Water infrastructure, Author of the National Water Management Plan (BPRW 2005-2008). |
| 1996 – 2001 | Resource Analysis (Consultancy) | Adviser, senior adviser. Long Term Vision for the Scheldt estuary, Policy Analysis, Decision Support Systems, various missions to South-East Africa and Bangladesh. |
| 1989 – 1992 and 1994 – 1996 | Stichting Duinbehoud (EUCC), NGO | Adviser. Research, project management, lobby, PR related to the conservation of the Dutch Coast. |
| 1992 – 1994 | Technical University Delft, faculty of civil engineering | Researcher. Hydrodynamics, Water quality and environmental indicators for mangrove forests. |
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Project: LTV O&M Client: Rijkswaterstaat, Netherlands; Maritime Access Division, Belgium Main project features: Integrated Research Scheldt Estuary Positions held: Programme manager Activities performed: Management, quality control, morphological advise, communication
The Netherlands, 2008 - Present
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Name of assignment or project: EU-Interreg TIDE Client: Rijkswaterstaat, Netherlands; Main project features: Comparison estuarine management Positions held: Project leader Activities performed: Management, quality control, morphological advise, communication
The Netherlands, Flanders, Germany, England, 2010 - Present
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Name of assignment or project: Alternatives Nature development Western Scheldt Client: Ministry EL&I, Netherlands Main project features: Advise on possibilities for nature restoration, other than depoldering of agricultural land Positions held: specialist adviser Activities performed: morphological advise
The Netherlands, 2011
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Name of assignment or project: Coastline management Client: Rijkswaterstaat, Netherlands Main project features: planning and knowledge of coastal nourishments Positions held: Project leader Activities performed: Management, quality control, communication
The Netherlands, 2005 - 2007
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Name of assignment or project: Innovation Programme WINN Client: Rijkswaterstaat, Netherlands Main project features: facilitating innovative developments Positions held: Theme leader ‘Coast’ Activities performed: Management, communication
The Netherlands, 2005 - 2007
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Name of assignment or project: National Water Management Plan (BPRW 2005 – 2008) Client: Rijkswaterstaat, Netherlands Main project features: Development of the BPRW 2005-2008 Positions held: Project leader Activities performed: management, writing the BPRW
The Netherlands, 2003 - 2005
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Name of assignment or project: Long Term Vision Scheldt Estuary Client: Rijkswaterstaat, Netherlands; Main project features: development of the bilateral long term vision Positions held: senior adviser Activities performed: project management of the ‘agenda’, chairman of the morphology cluster
The Netherlands, 1998 - 2000