Terrestrial

Developing the business plan and prospectus for the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme’s (SPREP’s) Biodiversity and Conservation Programme to consolidate achievements to date, current and foreseeable priorities, identify emerging opportunities particularly through the Technical and Scientific Cooperation (TSC) designation, and outline resource mobilisation strategies to support implementation of different programme areas.

Leading the development of a range of publishable materials documenting how Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) has ‘contributed to the protection and sustainable use of coastal and marine biodiversity in line with the Regional Ocean Governance Strategy (ROGS) of the Nairobi Convention’. This includes an updated ‘Investment Overview’ of the Project, and a whitepaper on the legal, regulatory and fiscal environment needed to scale up privately protected areas (PPAs) like CHICOP.

Supporting the design, development and implementation of a Youth Ambassador programme in Zanzibar, engaging and training youths from coastal communities to engage in, lead and influence wider community participation in marine and coastal sustainable management activities. Concurrently supporting the design, development and implementation of a first-of-its-kind Women Rangers Internship programme in the Chumbe Island MPA, empowering and engaging women in communities to become MPA rangers, including full training and three-month internships for on-the-job work shadowing (with Chumbe becoming the first MPA in Tanzania to have women rangers).

Supporting the development of a full proposal (~€20 million) for the International Climate Initiative (IKI) on invasive species management in the Pacific, including full gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) analysis for the development of the associated Project Gender Action Plan (P-GAP). Field missions to all four countries/territory conducted and full support and coordination provided for project design, development, IKI compliance and production.

Researching and writing the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Analysis for the US$ 20 million USAID activity Partnerships for Green Investment (PAGI), with a focus on social issues, including benefit sharing mechanisms, in supply chains for commodities such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber.

Working within a team to develop a US$ 20,000,000 proposal to protect wildlife in Bangladesh, with emphases on wildlife trade and on human/wildlife conflict.

Leading the on-site assessment (key informant interviews and focus group discussions) for the summative evaluation of the Blue Forests initiative in Indonesia implemented by Blue Ventures (2017–2024) through Blue Planet Fund financing. Designing and coordinating the portfolio-level evaluation framed by OECD/DAC criteria, which delivered transparent accountability to the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the International Climate Finance (ICF) team and generated evidence on what worked, for whom and how with a view to informing future programme improvements.

Conceptualising a project for anticipated major USAID activity for wildlife conservation in East Africa. Assignment ended after initial on-the-ground reconnaissance due to U.S. government termination of USAID.

Undertaking a mid-term review of the CR4All project to establish the progress made towards the project’s indicators, as well the general adoption of the introduced technologies to adapt to climate change.
The MTR follows a mixed method approach with a survey and qualitative data gathering among beneficiaries, as well as interviews among other stakeholders, including local officials and the private sector.

Supporting national teams in the development of program concepts for the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, to be funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Following the successful completion of phase 1 (strategic framework development), phase 2 is expanding upon this for the development of a full five-year strategic plan. This plan will include a clear five-year vision and mission statement, a summary of organizational core values, a simplified theory of change, strategic goals and SMART objectives, targets and indicators, and a monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) plan to assess key performance indicators (KPIs) moving forward.

Supporting fund-raising and strategic plan implementation for the Protected Areas Collaboration (PAC); a joint venture of the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute. PAC aims to bring people together to learn and grow capabilities to better care for nature and protected areas in the Asia-Pacific.

Designing, coordinating and undertaking ecological surveys of marine and terrestrial habitats across the Maldives with the aim of designating protected areas and designing management plans. Using ecological and social surveys and secondary data to create impact mitigation strategies for local communities and coastal developments. Providing technical support for developing zoning plans and habitat and impact mapping. Liaising with government departments, private industry, and local communities. Creating comprehensive reports on the marine and terrestrial ecology of the Maldives.

Creating a business plan for eco-tourism operations located in a World Heritage area in Tasmania to pitch for initial startup funding.

Providing Biodiversity Advisory support through this five-year initiative for the United States Agency for International Development (Regional Development Mission for Asia). Designed and managed large biodiversity conservation programs, predominantly focused on: (1) combatting wildlife trafficking, and (2) supporting sustainable fisheries. Programme implemented in Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Timor Leste, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and China.

Advising the Conservation Ecology Centre in the development of a new social enterprise ‘Wildlife Wonders’ that will raise new conservation funds for the Otways region of southern Australia.

Guiding additional consultations and review of draft sustainable management plan with key stakeholders from communities, government agencies and associated NGO’s, to identify priority targets and activities to promote sustainable development and marine conservation in Cristo Rei protected area.

Establishing a baseline study for the CRIB project, for a Community Disaster Risk Reduction and Management project.

Supporting clients of the Green Infrastructure Center, Inc. (GIC) to identify strategies to protect and enhance natural assets and recommending land plans and policies to conserve the most critical resources. GIC was formed in 2006 to help local governments, communities, and regional planning organizations, land trusts and developers evaluate their green infrastructure assets and make plans to conserve them. Support includes provision of a suite of tools – economic analysis, mapping, land use planning and asset assessment – needed by communities to protect and restore their natural assets. Staff teams help localities inventory their assets and create strategies for their conservation or restoration, at the regional and local scale, in rural, suburban and urban environments.

Facilitating a multi-stakeholder review of a draft conservation priority assessment for Sumatra. Drafting a synopsis of the assessment, designing, developing and delivering a participatory workshop with international and local institutional representatives. Producing a prioritization report with recommendations for adaptations to the assessment.

Supporting the re-design and implementation of training for Wildlife Conservation Network Partners in core areas such as fundraising, budgeting, team management, team-building, and communication. Providing WCN trainers with refresh training in adult learning, designing effective meetings, and identifying learning objectives.

Providing training to all institutional staff in how to increase the impact of their previous education work by incorporating behavior change science and thinking into their strategies.  Identifying key target audiences, messaging, and removing barriers to support behavior change strategies to reduce bushmeat hunting and consumption in the region.  Prioritizing strategies and developing the monitoring and evaluation needed to determine if they are effective.

Supporting WWF Indonesia’s articulation of a 20-year vision and a 10-year strategy for conservation and sustainable development in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. Assignment involved consultations, facilitation, and the drafting of a synthesis report.

Developing an interpretative program for visitors to a newly established wildlife sanctuary at Charnley River-Artesian Range in the northern Kimberley, under the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), including research and development of interpretative materials about wildlife conservation, Australian savanna ecology and AWC’s conservation approach. Fundraising program preparation for AWC’s north-west region and training of interpretative staff.

Providing support to a Systematic Conservation Planning exercise with the World Wide Fund for Nature, Malaysia, by developing decision support tools and undertaking associated MARXAN analysis. Resulted in production of a conservation planning manual to be used by local government authorities, and assignment included follow-up data revision, analysis and capacity building.

Providing strategic planning guidance, program development and implementation support to Borneo Nature Foundation, working to protect some of the most important areas of tropical rainforest in Borneo. Technical support provided in research areas related to monitoring the distribution, population status, behaviour and ecology of the Sabangau Forest’s flagship ape species, and supporting biodiversity and forestry research initiatives in support of the Rungan River Orangutan Conservation Programme (RROCP).

Producing a toolkit chapter on the use of applications on carbon for the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) toolkit 2.0.

Training national forest inventory staff of the Lao PDR national forest and providing assistance with data analysis.

Developing an interpretation program about wildlife conservation challenges and approaches in Australia’s northern savanna ecosystems for dissemination to visiting scientists, donors and the general public at AWC wildlife sanctuaries. Training interpretation and wilderness camp staff in wildlife and savanna ecology, designing interpretative materials (print and digital media), fitting out the interpretative centre, fundraising event planning, preparation and coordination, eco-tour and guiding program development. Assignment in support of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC).

Conducting a mid-term evaluation of the Sustainable Landscapes Partnership )a US$20 million project) jointly funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and The Walton Family Foundation. The evaluation analyzed project achievements against initial targets and, in discussion with project principals, made recommendations to improve project outcomes.

Conducted a series of activities for collating GIS data, mapping landuse, and holding stakeholder consultations to identify potential forest classifications in support of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Forestry’s (MoECaF) commitment to realigning actual land uses with national landuse policies.

Preparation and provision of GIS data to facilitate program activities focusing on the designation of Taninthayi National Park, Lenya Wildlife Sanctuary, and the identification and designation of forest corridors connecting the two sites. Established a complete GIS database for Fauna and Flora International program.

Supported partner organization of World Wide Fund for Nature Sabah, Malaysia in facilitating expert workshop and performing data analysis using MARXAN Systematic Portfolio Assembly tool.

Developing “rapid” GIS-based methods for assessment of the distribution of least disturbed and highest biomass forests. Preparing government partners for implementation of efficient GIS processes to identify priority areas for forest management

Performing spatial analysis of Indonesia’s National Moratorium on logging licenses and developing methods for selecting areas to be included in plan based on carbon stocks. This project under the World Resources Institute (WRI) was implemented in support of, and in co-operation with, the Indonesia Ministry of Forestry and UKP4 (Office of the President of Indonesia). Results of the project were presented at COP 17, Durban, South Africa by a leading climate change scientist.

Performing analysis to spatially account for the impact “Special Agriculture Business Leases” (SABLs) are having on the nation’s forests. Assignment in support Greenpeace Papua New Guinea. Analysis considered different landuse practices and accounted for carbon stocks based on Above Ground Biomass data.

Reviewing sustainable forest management participatory processes in the context of empowerment, poverty reduction and conservation project goals. Combining field observations and a desk-based review to develop recommendations for donors, project and field staff. Assignment in support of Birdlife (Burung) Indonesia.

Facilitating expert workshop and performing data analysis using the MARXAN Systematic Portfolio Assembly tool for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Papua New Guinea.

Assignment over an extended period, ending in 2011. Involved managing three seasonal forest surveys (cool, hot, wet seasons) in three elephant zones in the centre, south, west sides of Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary using transects; two surveys in the forest reserve north of Salakpra to map the actual and potential routes for tigers and elephants to move between the wildlife sanctuary and national park beyond; one survey in the reserve adjoining eastern Salakpra to map its use by elephants. Outcomes of these surveys led to Dept. National Parks and Wildlife (DNP) introducing smart patrols to improve protection of Salakpra; forest reserves north and east of Salakpra area are becoming protected areas.

Developing an identification (ID) field guide content for Komodo National Park Information Guide, including: marine fish and mammal species, terrestrial mammals, avian and reptile species, key habitats and conservation concerns. In support of Putri Naga Komodo (PNK).