REC Caucasus is a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal person – an independent, not-for-profit organization with international character based in Tbilisi, Georgia. The mission of REC Caucasus is to assist the Caucasus states in solving environmental problems and support in building the civil society through promotion of public participation in the decision-making process, development of free exchange of information and encouragement of cooperation at national and regional level among NGOs, governments, businesses, local communities and all other stakeholders.
Overall objective of the project is to support integration of good Landscape and Sustainable Land Management (L-SLM) principles and practices into national policy and institutional framework to ensure adoption of economically viable practices by rural communities.
To carry out the inventory of windbreaks in Dedoplistkaro municipality the group of experts needs consultation of botanist-landscape specialist. The details of the tasks of the specialist is described in the attached TOR.
Other important details: Interested applicants should submit a current CV and cover letter explaining their motivation to the attention of Ms. Sophiko Akhobadze, Director of REC Caucasus to the following e-mail address: vacancy@rec-caucasus.org with copy to Project manager: kety.tsereteli@rec-caucasus.org or submit hard copy application package to the following address: 13, Badri Shoshitaishvli Street, David Arakishvili 1st Dead-end, 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia
Only shortlisted candidates will be interviewed. TOR for the position is attached.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
| Project Title: | Applying Landscape and Sustainable Land Management (SLM) for mitigating land degradation and contributing to poverty reduction in rural areas. |
| Executing Agency: | Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus) |
| Implementing Agency: | United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) |
| Organisational Unit: | Sustainable Management of Natural Resources |
| Post Title: | Botanist-landscape specialist |
| Contract type: | Service Agreement |
| Startind Date | November 15, 2017 |
| Duration | 15 November, 2017-30 March, 2018 |
| Duty Station | Tbilisi, Georgia |
BackgroundA. SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
The lack of efficient land management policies, a weak regulatory framework, limited access to appropriate information and technology, a weak institutional capacity and a lack of cooperation between various stakeholders along with high rate of natural disasters are causing significant problems in land management sector and for overall ecosystem integrity.
Therefore, from the management point of view, one of the major problems Georgia is facing today is an absence of comprehensive and integrated approach in land management sector. In addition, an irrelevant legal framework sometimes is the source of additional “conflicts” with the evolved national strategic and policy packages.
Although Georgia has shown clear drive to combat land degradation and improve land management system by moving forward with the establishment of a strong baseline, this includes accession and implementation of most pertinent international agreements, adoption of several related policies and laws (NEAP, NAPCD, etc.)
The above-mentioned factors underline the importance of the review of the country’s existing policy and regulatory framework related to the management of land resources, that will serve as upmost important components to overcome existing barriers to mainstream L-SLM activities. National plans and policies do not reflect holistic land management principles and practices.
There is a failure of national and rural decision-making frameworks to provide adequate legal parameters and tools to support SLM. Current policies result in disparate organizations responsible for various land management sectors making unilateral decisions that lead to uncoordinated approaches. Consequently, “on the ground” management decisions made by responsible communities and resource users do not benefit from the guidance of coordinated, national strategies.
Capacity and information pathways do not exist to provide rural community members with examples of alternative, sustainable methods of resource use. Remote communities and resource users now responsible for many land management issues do not have satisfactory access to the information and tools necessary for informed decision-making. As a result, community land use plans and other decision-making tools intended to address land degradation fail to reflect L-SLM principles and practices.
The overall objective of the project is to support integration of good Landscape and Sustainable Land management (SLM) principles and practices into national policy and institutional framework to ensure adoption of economically viable practices by rural communities.
Rationale
Lack of regulations in the legislation creates the problem to define the status of windbreaks by the law. At the steering committee meeting the State Property Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development proposed to create the group which will carry out the inventory of windbreaks in Dedoplistkaro municipality.
The windbreaks in the municipality is almost degraded. Due to rehabilitate them, the State Property Agency initiate to carry out inventory and analyse the information for their farther registration. This information will support to define the status of windbreaks and categorize them.
The team consisted by 2 members of state property agency equipped by GPS and relevant tools, 1 local representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, 1 local representative of the municipality and the botanist, landscape specialist. The last one is hired by the project to facilitate the teams work and consult as the specialist to identify the trees, species and other parameters in defining the windbreak plots.
B. SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
Description of Tasks:
This project aims to get an up to date overview of the situation to find the most decisive factors (incentives) to apply Sustainable Land Management in Georgia.
The consultant’s tasks are:
Ø to participate in the seminar on windbreaks with field trips/field surveys in Dedoplistkaro municipality;
Ø to carry out the field survey during the above seminar in Dedoplistkaro municipality on former and present windbreaks to identify windbreak land plots:
· length, width, area,
· direction (e.g. from south to east etc.;
· Species composition,
· degradation level (tree stand density, if available),
· existence of new natural regeneration,
· number of rows, distance between rows.;
Ø to give consultations to the participants of the seminar including experts from the State Property Agency on windbreaks;
Ø Assessment of state of vegetation coverage in selected communities and providing suitable information for vulnerability assessment;
Ø Elaboration recommendations for local land use plans (regarding the windbreak issues in Dedoplistskaro municipality).
Deliverables:
| Item | Deliverable | Date |
| 1
|
Report on assessment of vegetation coverage, particularly for selected windbreak land plots by assessing length, width, area, direction, Species composition, degradation level, existence of new natural regeneration, number of rows, distance between rows in Dedoplistskaro | 15 Dec, 2017
|
| 2
|
Report on assessment of vegetation coverage, particularly for selected windbreak land plots by assessing length, width, area, direction, Species composition, degradation level, existence of new natural regeneration, number of rows, distance between rows in Akhmeta | 28 Feb, 2018
|
| 3 | Report on assessment of vegetation coverage, particularly for selected windbreak land plots by assessing length, width, area, direction, Species composition, degradation level, existence of new natural regeneration, number of rows, distance between rows in Gardabani | 30 Mar, 2018 |
All outputs must be submitted in Georgian language.
C. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education:
The expert should have successfully completed advanced university degree in botanic, plant specialization, landscape specialization, forestry and other relevant natural sciences.
Experience:
At least 5 years of experience in biology, forestry, botanic or etc.,
Experience and skills
· Assignments related to the above issues;
· Good analytical and reporting skills.
Competencies:
· Proven ability to work in a complex environment with different national and international experts
· Excellent technical writing skills in Georgian
· Demonstrated ability to liaise and co-operate with various stakeholders
