Marsh Council for the Promotion of Research in the Region of the North Sea Coast e.V.

The Marsh Council for the Promotion of Research in the Region of the North Sea Coast was established in 1950. Its membership is made up solely of corporate members from the coastal regions between the Dutch border and the river Elbe. It comprises scientific institutions; district-, city-, parish- and regional councils; history societies; corporations for the maintenance of sea defences as well as water boards. Currently, the Marsh Council has 75 members.

The funding of research happens in various ways. Field trips, conferences and similar events dealing with current issues affecting the coastal region are carried out on a regular basis. Topics covered range from sea level change and its consequences for dikes and coastal defences to problems of salinisation of ground- and surface water as well as historic settlement structures. Nature conservation as well as the development of the environment and settlement history of our coastal regions are other recurring topics of debate. The Marsh Council provides dedicated support for volunteers, who frequently record significant findings on the natural- and settlement history of our region.

The scientific advisory board of the Marsh Council publishes an annual newsletter, which reports on the activities of the various subject matters in the coastal area. The most recent volume is 62/2025. The newsletters for the last few years (61/2024, 60/2023, 59/2022, 58/2021, 57/2020, 56/2019, 55/2018, 54/2017, 53/2016, 52/2015, 51/2014, 50/2013, 49/2012, 48/2011 and 47/2010) as well as special edition 46/2009 can be downloaded as PDF-files on the german website.

The 12th edition of the directory of lectures can now be accessed online; it is edited by the Marsh Council and compiles the range of lectures (c. 100 topics) by numerous speakers from the coastal area, which are delivered at local societies, further education colleges etc.

The location for the annual general meeting (always in conjunction with a public lecture) changes frequently within the range of the covered coastal area.

Committee:

Chairman: Prof. Dr. Hauke Jöns, Managing Scientific Director, NIhK, Wilhelmshaven

Deputy chairman: Dr. Andreas Hüser, Director of Archaeology, District of Cuxhaven

Deputy chairman: Dr. Matthias Stenger, Director of the East Frisian Landscape, Aurich

Deputy chairman: Dr. Franziska Meifort, Landschaftsdirektorin der Oldenburgischen Landschaft, Oldenburg

Secretary: Dr. Martin Segschneider, Wilhelmshaven

Committee members

for the scientific institutes: PD Dr. habil. Sandra Bouwhuis, Managing Scientific Director, Institute for Ornithology, Wilhelmshaven

for the local societies: Dr. Nicola Borger-Keweloh, Bremerhaven

for the districts: District administrator Holger Heymann, district of Wittmund, Wittmund

for the towns and parishes: Jan Edo Albers, mayor of Jever

for other public bodies: Dr. Sonja König, Eastfrisian landscape, Aurich

for water management: Klaus Jensen, Wangerland, District of Friesland

Scientific Advisory Board:

History: Dr. Heiko Suhr, Landschaftsbibliothek der Ostfriesischen Landschaft, Aurich and Dr. Julia Kahleyß, Stadtarchiv Bremerhaven

Archaeology: Dr. Andreas Hüser, Museum Bederkeastle , District of Cuxhaven and Dr. Jana Esther Fries, Lower Saxony Heritage Service, Oldenburg

German Ethnology/Folkloristics: Dr. Michael Schimek, Museumsdorf Cloppenburg and Dr. Nina Hennig, Museumsfachstelle/Volkskunde der Ostfriesischen Landschaft

Geosciences: Dr. Achim Wehrmann, Senckenberg-am-Meer, Wilhelmshaven

Biosciences: PD Dr. habil Sandra Bouwhuis, Institute for Ornithology, Wilhelmshaven

Water management: Klaas-Heinrich Peters, Executive Director Town Planning, ret., Brake

Museums, Exhibitions: Prof. Dr. Antje Sander, Direktor, Castle Museum Jever