Consultant For Landslides Risk Assessment

  Lebanon Reforestation Initiative Terms of Reference Consultant for landslides risk assessment   I. INTRODUCTION Project Background Information The Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI) is a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the United States Forest Service (USFS) that provides technical assistance and institutional support for sustainable native tree reforestation and wildfire management in support of community stability and social cohesion. With administrative offices in Beirut, LRI technical experts manage a multi-year work program of activities throughout Lebanon in collaboration with grassroots organizations and local communities. One of the components of this project works on increasing local community resilience to climate change on sites at high risk of erosion and land sliding, following a participatory approach. Consultant for landslides risk assessment Considering the increased risk of soil erosion and landslides in Lebanon due to afforestation, changes  in precipitation intensity, land use patterns, geomorphological aspects and its impact on local communities’ assets and well-being under current and future climatic conditions, LRI is launching new activities to strengthen local communities resilience to such hazards by conducting studies on the current and future risks of landslides and soil erosion and designing and implementing adequate adaptation measures in sites identified at high risk.    II. PURPOSE OF THE JOB LRI seeks a consultant for 10 days specialized in physical geography / geomorphology to work together with a soil erosion consultant and the LRI mapping and climate change components manager to assess the current risk of landslides in 2 locations specified by the project. The Consultant is expected to perform the following duties: Assessing the physical conditions of  2 sites in 2 different communities (geology, topography, morphology, etc.) Defining the main constraints in both sites (landslides, structural features, karstic features, etc.) Analyzing the different features contributing to landslide or mass movement in both sites Building a model that assesses and classifies the erosion and landslides risks using Geographic information Systems (GIS) in collaboration with a soil erosion consultant Validating the model findings based on field work Writing a technical report for soil erosion and landslides covering both sites in collaboration with the soil erosion consultant. III. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES TIMEFRAME In close coordination with the LRI’s mapping and climate change components manager and the soil erosion consultant, the expert is expected to conduct and deliver the tasks mentioned above during the period from March to May 2016. IV. REQUIREMENTS The Consultant for landslides risk assessment should possess the following competencies, and experience: Ph.D. or equivalent degree in physical geography, or related field; Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments for landslide risks e.g..studies, articles, projects. V. Contact Information For further information or to submit curriculum vitae, preferably by Thursday, December 10, 2015, please contact:  Lebanon Reforestation Initiative      info@lri-lb.org