Assist to Apply for a Protected Area in Papua New Guinea

Details

Mission and objectives

Morobe Development Foundation Inc. is a leading Community based Group base in Lae Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea who has the vision to help young people reach their full potential by utilizing their hidden talents in community development initiatives so they can realize their potentail and become a role model in the community. MDF was established to address a broader and more diverse range of objectives and work through the use of dance, music and drama, MDF’s primary aim is to ensure that women participate equally in decision making in any project undertaken, including projects related to Ending Violence against Women, and promoting Human Rights with a aim to support the Government and UN their Development Goals. MDF in collaboration with the United Nations Volunteering Program (UNVP) has also undertaken various scientific research studies related to the environment - forest cover loss, land use land cover change, the influence of various parameters on surface waters, and coastal shoreline turtle habitat loss. These projects included the participation of various experts and researchers from diverse fields across various countries across the globe - ranging from marine biology, biodiversity conservation, PNG community management, remote sensing, and land use policy among various others. MDF is managed by a management committee, which is made up of the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, Secretary, the Treasurer, the Project Coordinator, Community Development Officer, and a male and female member of the foundation, and ensures that women participate equally in decision making. We at MDF assert that we have the required skill sets, knowledge, established international network, and the necessary foundational work to undertake projects successfully.

Context

MDF mission and ambition is to support and develop the rural community as well as to address climate change and environmental degradation, and most importantly, preserve the existing and recognized protected area in Papua New Guinea. With that MDF is also pursuing the need to apply and create new protected area to preserve the flora and fauna which are yet to be discovered and the species which are under threat of extinction. To do so, MDF intends to submit required proposals to PNG Biodiversity to register new protected area. To that end, MDF is seeking the support of Online Volunteers who have experiences working in establishing Protected Area or related to protecting biodiversity, local lives and livelihoods, to collaborate with MDF in providing advice/recommendation for the proposal of establishing new protected area in PNG.

Task description

MDF requires the contribution of two proactive Online Volunteers who have experience in working in a Protected Area (preferably with past experience working with the UN). Specifically, the Online Volunteers will be asked to provide advice and recommendations on the proposal to establish new protected area in PNG by collaborating with MDF focal point, and assist MDF in addressing substantive questions and completing the required steps. Further information related to registering the new protected area can be found here: https://pngbiodiversity.org/establishing-a-protected-area/