| Description |
Based on assessments of climate change impacts, including variability, the Syunik region of Armenia has been identified as a critically vulnerable region of the country, especially in terms of the risk posed by climate change to its unique mountain forest ecosystems. A comprehensive multi-criteria analysis has resulted in prioritization of the south-east mountain forest ecosystems as an area where adaptation actions need to be pursued. Armenia’s forest ecosystems have been identified as a global conservation priority inasmuch as they fall under the Caucasus-Anatolian-Hyrcanian Temperate Forests Ecoregion that has been listed by WWF as a Global 200 Ecoregion, and by Conservation International as a biodiversity hotspot. The high level of biodiversity is one of the most important features of the Syunik region in south-eastern Armenia.
The main expected outcomes of the project are:
- The enabling environment for integrating climate change risks into management of forest ecosystems is in place;
- Forest and protected area management in the Syunik region integrates pilot adaptation measures to enhance adaptive capacity of mountain forest ecosystems;
- Capacities for adaptive management, monitoring and evaluation, learning, and replication of project lessons are developed. Lessons from the project are expected to be replicated in other mountain forest ecosystems of central and northern Armenia.
| Duties and Responsibilities | - Support the project management team to successfully implement the project ensuring that the expected outputs are completed and comply with the specific project indicators and requirements;
- Assist the project team in organising the implementation of the different components of the project in line with requirements of the GEF and implementing agency;
- In co-operation with the project management team design Terms of References of the subcontracting organizations and core experts and identify the key gaps in additional research and studies that can be undertaken in the framework of the project; this may relate but not limited to:
- physiological responses of trees to climate change and climate induced changes in forest ecosystems and their services, including impacts of climate change on forest growth;
- impacts of altered regimes of extreme abiotic events (such as droughts, heat waves, wildfires etc) and causes to biotic events (pests, diseases etc);
- biodiversity conservation and protective functions of forests;
- socio-economic functions and livelihoods;
- forest and protected area sectors adaptive capacity, including options for innovative management and policy approaches;
- Assist and guide the project team in conducting analysis of the current forest management planning practices in the country, including monitoring, prevention, early warning, and responses for forest fires pest outbreaks from the climate change perspective;
- Assist in development of forest management modalities under the climate change projections for Armenia/Syunik region; to help introduce use of scenarios and modeling for forest management planning;
- Assist in designing the pilot projects to be implemented in the Syunik region in order to mitigate the effects of the three main climate change induced threats to forest ecosystems – pest outbreaks, forest fires and increased fragmentation;
- Assist in developing training packages for local foresters, community members and stakeholders;
- Support the project management team in monitoring and evaluation of the projects, revealing climate change adaptation benefits of the selected approaches;
- Monitor the progress of the project and participate in developing periodic implementation reports;
- Assist in preparing Project Implementation Report/Annual Project Report;
- Support the project manager in arranging co-operation with the current project partners, donor assisted projects as applicable, in establishing new, additional partnerships, supporting the project goals and objectives.
Expected Outputs: - Mission reports including recommendations/guidance on design and implementation of project activities, with particular focus on management and policy options for adaptation;
- Package of recommendations to mainstream climate change adaptation into the country's forest management planning such as control and prevention measures for maintaining forest health, specific approaches to be taken into consideration during reforestation and forest rehabilitation activities;
- Recommendations for setting up the early warning and response system for forest fires and pest outbreaks with consideration of longer term climate change impacts on effectiveness and efficiency of their current practices;
- Draft terms of references and, as applicable, tender documents for subcontracting organizations (to be prepared in co-operation with the project management team);
- The advisory assistance provided to the Task leader on milestones of the project, including Project Implementation Report.
| Competencies | - Experience and good knowledge of the forest sector in relations to CC and adaptation issues.
- Familiarity with the forest management system and problems in Eastern Europe and CIS.
- Experience with UNDP/GEF project implementation is highly desirable.
- Ability to reside in Armenia for the implementation of the project, as needed by the work load.Strong interpersonal skills.
| Required Skills and Experience | Education: - Advanced University Degree in forest/environmental management or other field relevant to the project. Biology/natural resource science and management related background is highly desirable.
Experience: - Minimum of 7 years of related international experience in project consultation/implementation.
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