KLAUS TOEPFER FELLOWSHIP FOR FUTURE LEADERS IN NATURE CONSERVATION FROM THE COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE, THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA F

ELLOWS 20 15 - 2017

IMPRESSUM:

PUBLISHER German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation

DESIGN André Müller

EFFECTIVE November 2015

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT Andrea Strauss & Sebastian Welte

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The 15-month course consists of four ten-day training modules at the Federal Agency’s International Academy for Nature Conservation, Isle of Vilm (including excursions to leading nature conservation institutions in Germany), a transfer project with relevance to the work of the participants at their home institution, as well as tests, e-learning and additional assignments between the modules. Training language is English.

The modules combine joint learning on key conservation topics with management and leadership training:

Module 1, lnforming Conservation, introduces types and distribution of biodiversity, trends, causes and root causes of biodiversity loss and conservation rationales. lt furthermore discusses concepts of evaluating and monitoring biodiversity; information management and communication for biodiversity conservation. lt also introduces strategic and project planning methodologies through the CMP Open Standards and MIRADI.

Module 2, Conservation Economics and Financing, deals with ecological economics, TEEB, resource mobilization and sustainable financing of conservation measures; fundraising, proposal writing and technical writing.

Module 3, Conservation Management in a Spatial Context, focuses on protected areas, national systems of protected areas, ecological networks and integrated land use planning. Trainings in engaging stakeholders and building collaborative partnerships, and on leadership complement the course.

Module 4, Conservation Governance and Policy, discusses decision making processes and structures relevant to conservation at the local, national and international level, as well as user-based approaches to resource conservation. In addition, negotiation and lobbying & advocacy skills for nature conservation are trained.

TRANSFER PROJECTS AND MENTORS

As part of the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme, participants develop a transfer project with relevance to the work of their home institution. Throughout the programme, fellows continuously work on their transfer projects, applying the training received during the training modules. The transfer project, once implemented, is expected to improve the effectiveness of their organisation or a specific project. lt should address a technical or management challenge that the home institution is facing and suggest solutions or innovative ways how to overcome this.

Participants receive assistance and technical input by trainers, mentors and the KTF team throughout the entire elaboration process. Highly experienced conservation professionals from the programme region and beyond provide guidance and subject-specific advice as mentors for the transfer project development.

TRAINERS AND EXCURSIONS

The trainers of the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme are renowned professionals from leading nature conservation institutions in Europe and beyond. According to the thematic focus of the training modules, they provide technical input and train the Fellows in specific management competencies. The application of case studies from nature conservation practice as well as the use of participatory and interactive training techniques, are crucial elements for the delivery of the course modules. Through excursions and site visits to key nature conservation institutions and sites in Germany, the fellows receive hands-on information on conservation practice in Germany and get the opportunity to discuss potential ways of cooperation and build networks.

PATRON

“I hope that what we see in the little island of Vilm is a kind of symbol, a signal of change; that we remain aware of the great diversity of creation and the great possibilities of nature both for their own sake and for the wellbeing of nine billion people"

Dr. Klaus Toepfer, the Former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP, has agreed to serve as patron for the Fellowship.

Dr. Toepfer is considered a renowned environmental politician in Germany and a versatile environmental expert worldwide. After holding several political offices, from 1987 to 1994 he served as Environment Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany. In this position, he was one of the founding fathers of the Rio Summit of 1992, and started intensive bilateral cooperation between Germany and the newly emerging countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Following his political career in Germany, Dr. Toepfer was appointed Executive Director of the Environmental Programme of the United Nations (UNEP) for the time of 1998 to 2006.

As Environment Minister, Dr. Toepfer played an important part in establishing and opening the International Academy for Nature Conservation lsle of Vilm where the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is being implemented. As patron of the programme, he is a motivating example of persistent environmental commitment and passionate dedication to address both national and global nature conservation challenges for the future nature conservation leaders.

FUNDING AND PARTNERS

The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is financed by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety with means of the Advisory Assistance Programme for Environmental Protection in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The Advisory Assistance Programme was launched in 2000 as an instrument for knowledge transfer to support the countries in the target region to introduce ambitious environmental standards.

For the fellows, participation in the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is free of charge. The twenty participants per course receive free accommodation and full board at the training venue and during excursions, as well as a contribution towards their travel expenses.

As cooperation partners of the fellowship programme, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) and the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) support the conceptual design of the training modules, e.g., by providing technical input on current conservation topics and latest training methodologies, or by granting access to their extensive network of stakeholders in the nature conservation field.

TRAINING VENUE

Trainings are conducted at the International Academy for Nature Conservation on the lsle of Vilm of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Germany. Located in the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve, the 94 ha island is not only of exceptional natural beauty, but also an ideal venue for concentrated course work. Since its inauguration in 1990, the International Academy for Nature Conservation has provided a forum for the discussion of national and international nature conservation issues. Equipped with modern workshop and accommodation facilities, the academy has been a centre for dialogue between representatives of many different fields, including science and public administration, politicians and the private sector, associations and foundations.

SZILARD BÜCS AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

born 1980 in Romania

UNIVERSITY DEGREE PhD in Biology

FIELD Conservation Ecology

CURRENT POSITION Romanian Bat Protection Association

Bat Specialist

Szilárd Bücs is a bat specialist at the Romanian Bat Protection Association, the sole NGO in Romania entirely dedicated to the research and protection of bats. His tasks include the monitoring of bat populations, the elaboration of management recommendations for bat protection, and communication with the public to eliminate misconceptions about bats and to raise awareness for their protection. Szilárd is also responsible to maintain a hotline, established to mediate conflicts between this species and humans. Szilárd Bücs would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to gain the necessary skills to establish a code of practice for bat research and conservation in Romania by unifying the efforts of NGOs, protected areas, cavers and officials. In 2014, Szilárd Bücs and his team have been awarded with the Future Conservationist Award by the Conservation Leadership Programme for a project on protecting the horseshoe bat species of Southern Romania through research, management and public relations.

DMITRY CHUPRIKOV AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1986 in Russia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Diploma in Business Administration

FIELD Environmental Education

CURRENT POSITION NGO Great Baikal Trail, Programme Coordinator

Dmitry Chuprikov is a project coordinator for the NGO Great Baikal Trail. This NGO aims towards the development of eco-tourism and the establishment of a socially-responsible society through the organization of various volunteer and educational projects in the area around Lake Baikal. Dmitry fulfills a variety of duties at his organization. The most important are managing volunteer projects, recruiting and training volunteers, running environmental education programmes and promoting eco-tourism as a socio-economic alternative to industrial development around the lake. During the last eight years Dmitry has successfully completed a number of projects in trail-building, nature conservation and environmental education. He believes that the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is a great opportunity to extend his knowledge on organizational management and on financing nature conservation projects. He is looking forward to getting acquainted with new ideas and sharing his experiences in the group of fellows.

BAIBA GALNIECE AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

born 1984 in Latvia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in

Environmental Sciences

FIELD Public Administration

CURRENT POSITION Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia,

Senior Expert

Baiba Galniece is a senior expert at the Kurzeme Regional Administration. This is a structural unit of the Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia, a governmental organization that ensures the implementation of a comprehensive nature protection policy.

Her main duties include the implementation of nature conservation policies according to national and EU legislation, monitoring of national and EU protected habitats and species as well as participating in public relation activities.

For Baiba Galniece, the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme presents an opportunity to become familiar with international practice in the field of protected areas development and management, to improve her theoretical and practical knowledge in biodiversity data collection and analysis as well as in conservation management in a spatial context, and to refine her management and leadership skills.

During her studies, she has obtained international experience not only in voluntary work but scientifically, both from desk studies and field work.

SIRANUSH GALSTYAN AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1975 in Armenia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Policy

FIELD Nature Conservation

CURRENT POSITION WWF Armenia, Project Coordinator

Siranush Galstyan is a project coordinator at WWF Armenia. She is responsible for the coordination of conservation related projects and initiatives mainly connected with protected areas and forests. Those projects range from the level of policy, institutional and legislative frameworks to field work in target areas.

In this context, Siranush would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme for professional advancement and further development of her skills in conservation, management and leadership.

Over the last years, she has successfully coordinated several projects which included management effectiveness assessments, legal and institutional gap analyses, capacity building and publications.

Siranush Galstyan also was a team member in developing the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Armenia. .

ARSEN GASPARYAN AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

born 1983 in Armenia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Biology

and Biochemistry

FIELD Environmental Education

CURRENT POSITION Young Biologists Association NGO,

President

Arsen Gasparyan is the president of the NGO Young Biologists Association, which was founded in 2009 and today constitutes a network of more than 250 young biologists and students in Armenia. One of the main goals of the NGO is nature conservation and environmental education.

Currently, Arsen also is a PhD student at the Botanical Garden and Museum at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, where he is studying the diversity of epiphytic lichens of Armenian forests. After his return to Armenia, Arsen Gasparyan is going to continue his career as a conservation manager.

The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme will enhance his capacity and knowledge in planning and managing of protected areas and conservation policies. Arsen has made a significant contribution to the foundation and development of the Young Biologists Association NGO. Over the last six years, he also participated in biodiversity conservation research and environmental education campaigns. Furthermore, Arsen. Gasparyan has coordinated a big environmental clean-up campaign - Let's do it! Armenia - a joint action of more than 50 NGOs and 2,000 volunteers.

IRINA GIGINYAK AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1983 in Belarus

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Diploma in Biology

FIELD Project Management

CURRENT POSITION Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Project Coordinator

Irina Giginyak is working as a project coordinator at the Department of International Cooperation in the Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Her various tasks include the management of international projects, the participation in the development and execution of projects, supervising, preparing of reports and communication with partners such as GEF and UNDP.

In this context, Irina would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to gain profound knowledge on all aspects of nature conservation and to develop her personal professional skills. She is the winner of the President Fellowships for Talented Young Scientists of Belarus in 2008.

.

AYDIN INCHIEV AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

born 1975 in Azerbaijan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Bachelor of Science in Finance

and Credit

FIELD Sustainable Management of

Natural Resources

CURRENT POSITION GIZ Azerbaijan, Biodiversity

Expert

Aydin Inchiyev is working as a senior expert for the GIZ Programme Sustainable Management of Biodiversity in South Caucasus.

His main duties include the management of the programme component Support of the Revision of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Furthermore, he provides professional advice to project partners, cooperates with relevant stakeholders, and deals with innovation and knowledge management for a broad target group.

Aydin Inchiyev is also involved in the communication with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources on all strategic decisions of the overall GIZ programme in Azerbaijan.

In this context, he would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to strengthen his management and leadership skills, to enhance his knowledge in the field of biodiversity conservation, management of protected areas and ecosystem services, and to extend his professional network in the region.

ALEXANDR ISCENCO AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1985 in Moldovia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Environmental Economics

FIELD Green Entrepreneurship and Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

CURRENT POSITION Moldovan Environmental Governance Academy Strategy and Research Coordinator

Alexandr Iscenco is an environmentalist, researcher, social and green entrepreneur and writer from Moldova. Together with his team, he has founded the Moldovan Environmental Governance Academy (MEGA) that delivers MEGA Game – an innovative online gamified system for nurturing an eco-friendly behavior and creating a sustainable world in a collaborative and fun way. In his free time, Alexandr writes poems and novels.

He aims to benefit from the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme in advancing his knowledge, skills, and experience in the field of biodiversity conservation, as this will be the focus area of an upcoming project implemented by MEGA on the basis of MEGA Game.

Alexandr is a recipient of a number of awards both for the MEGA idea and his own personal achievements, including the Green Talents Award in 2013 and the National Youth Award in 2014.

KASANDRA-ZORICA IVANIC

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Born 1986 in Croatia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Ecology

and Nature Conservation

FIELD Protected Area Management

CURRENT POSITION WWF Adria, Project,

Officer

Kasandra-Zorica Ivanić is working as a conservation expert in the project Protected Areas for Nature and People of WWF Adria. Within this project - which brings together key stakeholders of protected areas in eight countries to improve relations with local communities - her main duties include the cooperation with state institutions, the scientific community, and civil society organisations.

Kasandra took part in assessing the benefits of 58 protected areas for their local communities, facilitating workshops with relevant stakeholders, analysing more than 25 000 data sets and interviewing protected area managers and representatives of state institutions in eight countries of the Western Balkans.

Kasandra Ivanić is also involved in collecting and sharing information on socio-economic benefits of protected areas in order to set the basis for proper lobbying and advocacy for nature conservation. The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme will help Kasandra to become an expert involved in the dialogue between decision-makers, protected area managers, local communities and NGOs.

LIRA JOLDUBAEVA AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1973 in Kyrgyzstan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE PhD in Biology

FIELD Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

CURRENT POSITION GIZ Regional Programme for Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Central Asia, Project Coordinator

Lira Joldubaeva is working as a project coordinator in the Regional Programme for Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Central Asia of the GIZ. She is involved in the coordination of activities on wildlife, forest and pasture management. She also works on issues related to the integration of ecosystem services into development planning in Kyrgyzstan, supporting partners in legal and political reforms, networking and related to initiatives on national and regional level, information sharing mechanisms and capacity building.

In this context, the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is the best opportunity for her to deepen her knowledge on modern nature conservation approaches, governance and conservation economics as well as to improve her skills for facilitating complex discussions.

Lira Joldubaeva has been awarded a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship by the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD in 2011. In the last years, she has been actively engaged in the development of the Central-Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and had the honor to present CAMI during the 11th CMS Conference of the Parties in Ecuador.

AREG KARAPETYAN

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1986 in Armenia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Forestry

FIELD Sustainable Management of Natural

Resources

CURRENT POSITION Foundation for the Preservation of

Wildlife and Cultural Assets, Project Manager

Areg Karapetyan is working at the Foundation for Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC). Currently he is managing a project in the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge, the first private protected area in South Caucasus.

Areg is responsible for the overall supervision of the project which focusses on the restoration of deforested, degraded areas. FPWC proposes to enlarge the territory of the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge and also to involve more partners in conservation activities through specific advocacy actions.

The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme can provide Areg with an opportunity to develop sustainable mechanisms for the improvement of the protected area system in his native country. Areg Karapetyan is also a chairman of the NGO Change, Grow, Become, which promotes a responsible attitude to the use of natural resources, public engagement and extracurricular education.

TEREZA KUŠNÍROVÁ

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1988 in Czech Republic

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Ecosystem Biology

FIELD Natura 2000

CURRENT POSITION Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic, Civil Servant

Tereza Kušnírová is working as Natura 2000 specialist at the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic. Her main occupation is the implementation of the Habitats Directive, primarily the designation of Sites of Community Importance. She also engages in the revision of management plans and financial mechanisms.

By participating in the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme, Tereza expects to develop her communication and leadership skills to put her ideas into practice. She is particularly interested in how to raise the popularity of protected areas, in the communication with stakeholders and in innovative approaches for financing management measures.

During her studies, Tereza worked for a local environmental NGO and organized seminars for public bodies. Her previous position at the Ministry involved the administration of the Small Grant Schemes that focused on the preservation of endangered species.

VESNA MAKSIMOVIC

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1985 in Serbia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Applied Ecology

FIELD Protected Area Management

CURRENT POSITION WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme

Project Assistant

Vesna Maksimović is working as project assistant in the WWF Danube-Carpathian Office in Serbia. Her work tasks include stakeholder analyses for protected area managers and work with the Protected Area Benefit Assessment Tool PA-BAT.

In the future, her work will focus on sustainable natural resource management in Serbia. With the help of the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme Vesna wants to perform an assessment of the ecosystem services provided by the Tara National Park. This should enable diversification of funding sources for protected area managers, to support biodiversity conservation and to provide benefits to local communities. In this context, she plans to enhance her leadership and communication skills, and to learn about best management practices in nature protection and in financing of conservation measures.

Vesna Maksimović has been awarded with a scholarship from the European Commission’s Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency for her Erasmus Mundus Master studies. Moreover, she is active in enhancing the tourism potential of the Tara National Park area, through her voluntary engagement for a local NGO.

MARINELA MITRO AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1988, Albania

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Biology

FIELD Protected Area Management

CURRENT POSITION Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania, Project Coordinator

Marinela Mitro is working as a project coordinator at the Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania - one of the most important NGOs in Albania engaged in protected area conservation and sustainable development.

Her main duties include enforcing the role of civil society organizations in marine protected areas by involving interest groups and facilitating collaboration. Furthermore, Marinela is involved in conflict resolution, management planning processes and the development of management plans for protected areas. The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme will help her to gain a wider perspective on her work, especially regarding respective EU legislation and experiences. Marinela Mitro will use the programme to improve her theoretical and practical knowledge on biological monitoring, conservation management, and decision-making processes.

Leading the process of developing the Marine Protected Area Tourism Management Plan, Marinela Mitro will be able to prove her skills as a future conservation leader.

KRISTINA RODINA

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1986, Russia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Environmental

Sciences and Policy

FIELD Wildlife Trade

CURRENT POSITION Central and Eastern Europe Office of the

Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network TRAFFIC,

Programme Officer

Kristina Rodina is a programme officer at the Central and Eastern Europe Office of the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network TRAFFIC, based at WWF Hungary. Her main tasks include the development of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and Timber Programmes in Europe, through fundraising, developing project concepts and funding proposals, and liaising with potential donors and partners. She is also involved in research on a wide range of wildlife trade topics and the collection and analysis of data on wildlife trade and conservation.

Furthermore, Kristina assists in developing and implementing research projects and in reporting wildlife trade in Europe. In this context, she would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to improve her technical and management capacities in the field of wildlife conservation and strengthen her project management skills.

VIKTORIA SHEVCHUK

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1984, Ukraine

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Art in Administrative Management

FIELD Campaigns and fundraising

CURRENT POSITION Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds, Project Manager

Victoria is working as a project and communication manager in the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds. Her main duties include the implementation of environmental projects, the coordination of public awareness campaigns, fundraising and providing effective communication structures for stakeholders in the project regions.

For her, the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is an opportunity to enhance her knowledge in conservation management, especially in fundraising and proposal development for site-based conservation projects.

In the course of her work, Victoria Shevchuk has gained practical knowledge in the restoration of wetlands and steppes in southern Ukraine. Victoria has coordinated several activities, such as I Love My Seashore - coastal clean-up campaigns in the protected areas of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions in Ukraine

ISTVAN SZENTIRMAI AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

born 1976, Hungary

UNIVERSITY DEGREE PhD in Behavioral Ecology

FIELD Protected Area Management

CURRENT POSITION Őrség National Park Directorate,

Head of Nature Conservation Department

István Szentirmai is the Head of the Nature Conservation Department of the Őrség National Park Directorate, Hungary. His main duties include the coordination of research and monitoring, management planning, habitat and species conservation programmes, habitat reconstruction, and the elaboration of agri-environmental schemes.

Within the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme István intends to improve his skills in protected area management, especially on ecosystem services, and communication with local stakeholders.

István has been working in the field of nature conservation for almost ten years. During this time he successfully carried out several international projects and played a key role in the elaboration of evidence-based conservation in his National Park.

He has six years of work experience in leading the Nature Conservation Department of Őrség National Park Directorate.

SOFIA TVARADZE AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1980, Georgia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Bachelor of Science in Metrology

FIELD Protected Area Management

CURRENT POSITION GFA Consulting Group representation in Georgia, Project Assistant

Sofia Tvaradze is working as a project assistant for the KfW funded Support Programme for Protected Areas in The Caucasus – Georgia. The project aims to foster natural resources and protected areas management, while improving the socio-economic situation of the adjacent communities.

Sofia main duties include assistance in strategy development for the protected area component and providing administrative backstopping for all activity areas of the programme. She is also engaged in implementing measures for improving socio-economic conditions for rural communities living in the development zones of protected areas.

Sofia Tvaradze plans to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme as a tool to strengthen her technical knowledge in nature conservation and to get a better understanding of its concepts, as well as to improve her leadership skills. She believes she will enhance her knowledge in protected area conservation management in general which will allow her to better contribute to planned activities within her current project.

Sofia has been awarded with the Medal of Honor by the President of Georgia for being the first female Georgian to scale the Himalayan peaks.

UMED VAHOBOV AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

born 1985, Tajikistan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Diploma in Environmental

Engineering

FIELD Sustainable Management of Natural

Resources

CURRENT POSITION GIZ Regional Programme for Sustainable Use

of Natural Resources in Central Asia, Advisor

Umed Vahobov is working as an advisor in the GIZ Regional Programme for Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Central Asia. His main responsibilities include the management of project activities related to integrated natural resources management and ecosystem conservation and restoration.

Furthermore, he is responsible for the facilitation of stakeholder dialogue and knowledge exchange as well as for the development of legal and political documents with a special focus on sustainable pasture management in Tajikistan.

Umed has an educational background in environmental engineering, while in his current position he is mainly dealing with nature conservation issues and the sustainable use of natural resources. Hence, he would like to increase his knowledge, skills and abilities in the field of nature conservation through the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme.

Umed Vahobov was one of the national authors for the Second Tajikistan Environmental Performance Review during his employment in government agencies. He is also involved in the Tajik Pasture Management Network.

ANTONI ZIEBA AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1988, Poland

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Forestry

FIELD Monitoring and Research

CURRENT POSITION Tatra National Park, Nature Conservation Specialist.

Antoni Zięba is currently working as a specialist on nature conservation in the Tatra National Park in Poland. He is responsible for monitoring and research, which serve as a basis for defining methods and guidelines on nature conservation and recognition of the biodiversity of Tatra National Park, for acquiring and updating data concerning conditions of ecosystems, for issuing permissions for research in the park and preparing a plan of nature conservation of the Tatra National Park which will be the guideline for the management of the Park for the next 20 years.

In this context, he would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to learn about modern methods of nature conservation, data collection, creating databases as well as to improve his management and social skills which are important in building collaborative partnership with different stakeholders of the Tatra National Park.

As a student, Antoni Zięba has been awarded several times on the Scientifc Sessions of Scientific Association of Forestry Students in Kraków. Currently he is a PhD student at the University of Agriculture in Krakow. Besides, he is a Tatra Mountain guide and an International Mountain Leader (UIMLA).

Federal Agency for Nature Conservation International Academy for Nature Conservation Website: www.bfn.de/klaus-toepfer-fellowship.html Contact: ktf@bfn.de