International UNV Wetland Biodiversity Conservation Specialist – Dongting Lake
Preamble
This post is a United Nations Volunteers Programme Assignment and based on the values of free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity, which are the foundations of volunteerism. Volunteering brings benefit to the individual volunteer. It makes important contributions, economically, as well as socially. It contributes to creating social cohesion and capital, through helping to build trust and reciprocity among citizens.
The United Nations Volunteers is the UN Organisation that supports sustainable human development globally through the promotion of volunteerism and mobilization of volunteers. It serves the causes of peace and development through enhancing opportunities for participation by all peoples. It is universal, inclusive and embraces volunteer actions in all its diversity.
Volunteerism is diverse and is embedded in all cultures and traditions. In this context, as a United Nations Volunteer you are encouraged and expected to relate to local volunteerism and to be identified with the concept. You are expected to regard your national colleagues as peers and together uphold trust as volunteer among yourselves and within the communities and the organization you are assigned to.
Background
Wetland Biodiversity Conservation And Sustainable Use In China Project (CPR/98/G32)
This UNDP project, funded by the Global Environment Facility and the Government of China requires a full time specialist to provide advice and training in the field of wetland biodiversity conservation and to support a range of activities that will incorporate considerations of wetland biodiversity conservation into local government decision making and action in the Dongting Lake area of Hunan Province.
The objective of the project is to establish wetland biodiversity conservation as a routine consideration in national, provincial and local government decision making and action.
At the Dongting Lake site landscape and lake-wide management practices and guidelines with respect to wetland biodiversity conservation will be established through working with local governments, and the whole range of agencies that affect wetlands. Project activities will include data collection, management and sharing, sectoral analyses of the policies and practices affecting wetlands, economic analyses, training and material support to relevant government agencies, including nature reserves, and increasing access of the general public to information on wetland biodiversity and decision making that affects wetlands. There will be a project coordinator (termed an Outcome Coordinator) and a National UNV Field Worker based at the Dongting Lake site. Further details of the project can be found in the Project Revision Document (April 2005) on the project website (http://www.wetland-gef-cpr98.org) or can be requested by email from Ms Doris Vogl <[email protected]>.
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE - Wetland Biodiversity Conservation Specialist - Dongting Lake
DUTY STATION- Yueyang Municipality, Heilongjiang, China
DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT - 24 months
QUALIFICATIONS
1. Advanced university degree in a field relevant to biodiversity conservation and environmental management
2. Specialist technical skills in one or more of the following fields:-
- Biodiversity research and monitoring programmes
- Lake ecology
- Hydrology and agriculture
- Fisheries
- Protected area management
- Environmental law in relation to wetlands and water
- Public information and involvement in decision making on the environment
3. Work experience (preferably over three years) of relevance to conservation and rural development projects
4. Specialized knowledge of Chinese environmental policy and its implementation an advantage
5. Keen interest in conservation of biodiversity
6. Specific experience in wetland management an advantage
7. Good knowledge of written and spoken English
8. Some knowledge of Chinese preferred
9. Previous experience of working in remote locations
10. Previous experience of working in China an advantage
11. The ability and the initiative to make contacts and build a network
12. Good coordination and organization skills
13. Ability to work well in a team
14. Must be prepared to undertake extensive field trips within the Dongting Lake area
15. Ability to set and keep to deadlines
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Wetland Biodiversity Conservation Specialist - Dongting Lake will provide technical support to the project’s coordinators at the site, help to establish a focal point for links with relevant government agencies, and liaise with local people to improve their access to information on wetlands and the effects of different forms of land use. In particular, he will:
1. Provide advice and on-the-job training in wetland management, including protected area management, and related skills through work-planning and day to day operations in relevant local government and nature reserve bureaux
2. Establish contacts and links with relevant organizations, networks and individuals outside the project and encourage project staff and partners to follow up where required
3. Support project staff and partners in the preparation of annual and quarterly project work plans
4. Assist with the coordination of project activities in general, and take a leading role in his areas of particular expertise.
5. Provide recommendations relating to project implementation
6. Maintain, with the other Dongting Lake based project staff, dialogue with local people on biodiversity conservation, wetland management, fisheries, flood control and irrigation, water pollution, natural resource conservation and rural development.
7. Provide, with the site based project staff a focal point for cross-fertilisation and linkage between staff of government agencies, including nature reserves.
8. Work closely throughout with the National UNV assigned to the Dongting Lake site
Note: Duties will be adjusted so that responsibilities for particular project components are assigned according the specialist skills of the volunteer (see under Qualifications above).
OUTPUTS TO BE PRODUCED
1. Quarterly progress reports including recommendations for improvements in project implementation
2. Periodic monitoring reports as and if requested by the project’s Technical Advisory Group
3. Other outputs to be determined during work planning
SUPERVISION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Under the immediate supervision of the project’s Dongting Lake Outcome Coordinator
