High-altitude woodland of queñoa (Polilepis tarapacana) trees forms a belt around Nevado Sajama at an altitude of about 4,000 meters in Sajama National Park in the Bolivian Altiplano (see Bolivia Tropical Forestry and Biodiversity Analysis, 2008)
Many clients designing strategies, programs, and projects in complex ecological and social situations have use my services to assess or analyze needs, opportunities, and challenges in an objective way. This information feeds into the design process, refining thinking about development hypotheses, results frameworks, performance indicators, and other aspects of effective program design. In essence, these are a type of rapid, applied, interdisciplinary research. Clear communication of the findings in language that is understandable to the end users of the information is essential, and often requires bridging the communication gap between scientists and non-scientists, scientists and policy-makers.
I have extensive experience with a standard kind of assessment used by USAID, Biodiversity and Tropical Forestry Assessments, which are required by the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act.
• Bolivia Tropical Forestry and Biodiversity Assessment Report, 2008
• Mozambique Environmental Threats and Opportunities Report, 2002
• Namibia Environmental Threats and Opportunities Update Report, 2002
• Serbia and Montenegro Biodiversity Analysis, 2002
• Ukraine Biodiversity Analysis Report 1, 2011
• Namibia ETOA 1997
I led a 2005 review of USAID’s experience with these kinds of analyses and identified lessons learned and best practices for carrying them out:
• Tropical Forestry and Biodiversity (FAA 118-119) Analyes Guidance Report, 2005
I have also conducted other kinds of strategic assessments that help organizations learn from successes and failures, and adapt and evolve future programs.
• Conserving the Miombo Ecoregion – WWF Reconnaissance Summary Report, 2001
• Education, Commmunication, and Outreach Success Stories Report, 2003
