Background

The UNDP Eritrea Country Office is seeking a qualified international Landscape Restoration and Carbon Benefits Consultant/Expert for Project Preparation activities in collaboration with two other international experts and three national consultants through a consultative process and prepare the documentation of a new GEF project.

The goal of the consultancy is to develop the full-sized UNDP-GEF project document (with scope, strategy, and a well-defined result framework). The final outputs of the assignment will be:

• a UNDP Project Document prepared per the official template; and
• a GEF CEO Endorsement Request as per the official GEF template, which will be prepared in consultation with stakeholders and based on the project framework presented in the approved Project Identification Form (PIF) (annexed). Furthermore, all comments raised by GEF (GEFSEC, Council members and STAP) and countries will be addressed during the project development phase.

The proposed project will create the conditions necessary to mainstream sustainable land management, forestry and biodiversity conservation into land-use planning and agricultural production practices in the Nakfa Sub-Zoba. As indicated in the title of the project, the main approach for addressing land and ecosystem degradation and therefore promoting SLM and forestry and biodiversity conservation will be through the restoration of degraded ecosystems and landscapes so that they continue to provide the necessary ecosystem goods and services that guarantee that the livelihoods of arable and pastoral farmers remain viable. The project will promote enhanced social mobilization towards addressing land degradation and the upgrade of institutional and human resource capacity will improve implementation of on-the-ground measures – such as reforestation, enrichment planting, establishment of enclosures and agroforestry – to address environmental deterioration. There are few alternatives to ensuring food security in Eritrea, other than through intensifying agriculture and increasing agricultural productivity at household and farm level, but this has had significant negative consequences on Eritrea’s landscapes and ecosystems. The project will therefore demonstrate how agricultural development, landscape and ecosystem restoration/rehabilitation and sustainable forest management can be simultaneously achieved with tangible benefits for both the environment and local communities.

The proposed project is located in the Rora Habab Plateau, in the Nakfa sub-zoba. Rora Habab Plateau is situated approximately 250 km north-west of Asmara. The Plateau lies between 1,500m to 2,760m above sea level and extends about 40 km to the south, rising in many places up to 1,000m above the surrounding countryside. The juniper-olive woodlands and associated vegetation are important economic, ecological and cultural resources for local people.

The PPG will expand on the threats, long-term desired condition and baselines outlined in the PIF. This will include:

• Elaboration and expansion of the narrative on the threats to forests, rangelands, biodiversity and ecosystem services at national level in general and in the Rora Habab Plateau area (project area/site) in particular, quantifying the magnitude where relevant;
• Confirm the long-term desired condition, in view of these threats; and,
• Confirm the baseline programs, clearly outlining their objectives, duration and budgets, and explaining the link between these expenditures and the proposed project outcomes (and activities where these are clear).

Duties and Responsibilities

The Landscape Restoration and Carbon Benefits Expert will provide technical guidance to the PPG process on the landscape approach to SFM/SLM Planning with special emphasis on Forest Landscape Restoration via SFM and SLM. The expert lead the baseline assessments under component 2, in particular the review of international best practices on methods that have been effective in incentivising uptake of SLM/SFM under conditions similar to Eritrea.

More specifically, the consultant will complete the following tasks:

• Conduct spatial assessment of forest areas, land use, degraded areas, and emission factors;
• Assess and compile spatial information on current land uses, forested land, and degraded areas in the Rora Habab Plateau/Nakfa sub-zoba. Assessment will include: (i) spatial assessment on current forest coverage, (ii) drawing on work through REDD+ on Forest Reference Emission Levels, estimation of reference deforestation rate based on the business as usual scenario and potential reduction of deforestation; (iv) establishment of emission reduction potential from various forest safeguarding measures including High Conservation Value (HCV)/ High Carbon Stock (HCS) forest protection, reforestation, improvements on the plantation, and agroforestry. The national consultants will provide inputs to the assessment as appropriate;
• Analyses the baseline programs for forest management/conservation and soil and water conservation;
• Assess the dependency of the communities on the African Olive and Juniper forests and estimate rate of degradation;
• Evaluate current policies and procedures aimed at conservation of African Olive and Juniper forests;
• Identify / confirm the threats and causes of threats to African Olive and Juniper forests and rangeland ecosystems and develop proposals to address them;
• Assist in the development of the site based measurement points.
• Assist in the selection and description of measurements and extrapolation methodologoies for GHGs relevant to the project;
• Assist in calculation of the baseline and project emission scenarios, in particular: (i) the non-depletion of the carbon pool contained in the forests and rangelands as a result of the prevention of degradation of 15,000 ha of forest under Component 2; (ii) the sequestartion dividend from planting of 6,000 ha of native forest species [Detailed tCO2e estimates in line with IPCC Tier 2 level will be presented including separate estimations for protection of existing forest cover and reforestation and comparison with appropriate baseline scenarios;
• Suggest participatory management measures to conserve the African Olive and Juniper in the project site;
• Assess the range condition (assessment of present state of health of the range in relation to its potential
• Assess the range trend (direction of change of range condition);
• Together with the National Natural Resource Management Expert, suggest ways for development and implementation of integrated land use plans that promote the mainstreaming of SLM, SFM and biodiversity into land use and agricultural practices in the project area;
• Analyse the key project stakeholders, including NGOs/CSOs; assesses their capacity and identifies capacity building needs;
• Define project risks and risk mitigation strategies;
• Supervise the development of specifications and selection of sites for reforestation of areas.
• Facilitate selection, description and endorsement of rehabilitation and restoration systems which will be used as a basis for developing projects to introduce the principles of landscape and biodiversity conservation during project implementation (at least 15,000 ha of community-managed forest enclosures (temporary and permanent) to be established through planting and assisted natural regeneration);
• Conduct and estimation of the technology, equipment and labour requirements for implementation of the landscape restoration activities/interventions proposed.
• Calculate carbon benefits resulting from the establishment and improved management of the existing forest ecosystem/landscape;
• Conduct review of the carbon emissions baseline data cited in the PIF. Define the baseline and project scenario, with special look at non-permanence, leakage, any social and economic safeguards issues;
• Conduct analysis of available tools for carbon monitoring, verification and reporting, and suggest most appropriate ones to be used for carbon monitoring, verification and reporting within the project.
• GEF LD and SFM Tracking Tool and Project Indicator Development:  The expert will take the lead in compiling the CCM and SFM Tracking Tools and will also be in charge of developing the following project indicators: (i) a finer calculation of emission reduction potential and targets for the project; (ii) extent of degraded land and potential for improving land management; (iii) current rate of deforestation and probable reduced deforestation rate.

Competencies

• Proven track record of undertaking similar consultancies (to show ability to work with minimal supervision, in teams and to meet tight deadlines);
• Sound knowledge and understanding of landscape restoration, carbon benefits, and forest restoration and sustainable land management;
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, in order to communicate complex, technical information to both technical and policy and general audiences, including strong policy advice skills;
• Strong technical writing skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• At least an MSc degree in forestry;

Experience:

• Excellent knowledge and minimum 8 years of demonstrable experience in land scape restoration and forestry management and assessments;
• Experience in landscape restoration, and natural resources and environmental management research;
• Proven ability to verify, critically analyze data and information and to present finished work with a high degree of accuracy and technical quality in a relatively short time;
• Work experience in Eritrea or the Horn of Africa and/or African countries preferred;

Language:

• Full command of and fluency in English, with a high degree of proficiency in writing in this language is a requirement;