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JOHN ROPER |
John Roper is a consultant with more than 30 years experience working on international development assistance programs in the forest sector in Latin America and Africa. His passion has been working for the conservation of the tropical forests while at the same time meeting the aspirations and needs of local people.
SKILLS
- Project planning, management, monitoring and evaluation;
- Sectoral policy and strategy analysis
- Natural resource management and community forestry
- Forestry communications
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia. Brazil, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Haiti, Cuba
- Africa: Liberia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Swaziland, Lesotho
- Asia: Turkey, India
CLIENTS
- Canadian International Development
Agency:
- Policy Branch
- Americas Branch
- Africa and Middle East Branch
- the former Professional Services Branch - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
- United Nations Development Programme
- World Food Programme
- Organization of American States
- International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
- Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF)
- Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada
- International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)
- International Model Forest Network Secretariat
- Commonwealth Forestry Association (CFA)
EXPERIENCE
1993 - present: self-employed forestry consultant and President, John Roper & Associates
- Under a multi-year contract as the Canadian Executing Agency to provide short-term expertise, training, and procurement services for the Institutional Strengthening of the Forest Service Project in Cuba; responsible for the delivery of the Canadian contribution to the project. (CIDA - Americas Branch, 2003 to present)
- Project planning specialist to prepare a business-strategic plan for the Regional Model Forest Network for Latin America and the Caribbean. (CIDA - Americas Branch, 2 months, 2004)
- A series of multi-year, standing offer arrangements to provide professional services in forestry communications; development of a sectoral knowledge base; researching and writing thematic issues papers; sectoral analysis and policy reviews. (CIDA Policy Branch, 1993 to present)
- Project planning specialist to analyze the prevailing development environment and to plan a watershed management project for the Artibonito valley on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, project activities includes sustainable forestry, sustainable agriculture, and community infrastructure. (CIDA - Americas Branch, 4 months, 2003)
- Proposal writer for the World Forestry Congress 2003 Secretariat; prepared a proposal to seek donor agency funding for the participation of developing country delegates at the World Forestry Congress 2003. (WFC 2003, 1 month, 2002)
- Under a multi-year contract as the Canadian Executing Agency to provide Canadian short-term expertise for the Sustainable Natural Resource Management Project (PAGS) in Honduras; responsible for the selection, contracting, and management of short-term consultants in forestry, agriculture, and the environment (CIDA - Americas Branch, 1998 - 2002)
- Preparation of a sectoral strategy for the Southern Cone region of South America including an analysis of opportunities, challenges, and ongoing initiatives in the region (CIDA Americas Branch, 1 month, 2001)
- Project planning specialist for the Trees for Tomorrow Project in Jamaica; duties included a review of the project's performance, policy and institutional frameworks, and implementation strategy; propose modifications to the project design, prepare planning documents, and evaluate proposals. (CIDA - Americas Branch, 7 months, 1994, 1996 and 2001)
- Forestry and evaluation specialist for the evaluation of the Mexican Model Forest Program; (International Model Forest Network Secretariat, 2 months, 2000)
- Mission team leader and development specialist for the Mid-Term Review of a community-based forestry project implemented by the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe; duties included an assessment of forest management practices, community participation, project and financial management, capacity building, and project sustainability; (CIDA - Africa and Middle East Branch, 2 months, 1999).
- Mission team leader and development specialist for the Mid-Term Review of an agroforestry research project implemented by the International Centre for Agroforestry Research; duties included an assessment of project management, capacity building, and the dissemination of research results to farmers; (CIDA - Africa and Middle East Branch, 3 months, 1999).
- Mission team leader of an evaluation of usufruct contracts in a community-based forestry project in Honduras (CIDA - PAGS Project, 2 months 1997)
- Forestry specialist responsible for a diagnostic of reforestation in Jamaica; assessment of reforestation priorities and potential for community/NGO involvement (CIDA - Americas Branch, 2 months, 1997)
- Social forestry specialist on an appraisal mission for a food aid project supporting joint forest management in India, (World Food Programme, 2 months, 1996)
- Social forestry specialist responsible for a study on enhancing the role on non governmental organizations and community-based groups in forestry development in Zambia, recommendations to the national forestry action program on improving people's (FAO, 1 month, 1996)
- Mission team leader of an evaluation and reformulation mission for a national capacity building project in Equatorial Guinea with recommendations for the reactivation of the national forestry action program, (UNDP, 2 months, 1995)
- Team leader of two planning missions for a participatory, indigenous forest management project in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique; the focus of the study was on community participation in forest management (CIDA - Africa and Middle East Branch, 4 months, 1995)
- Social forestry and watershed management specialist on a sectoral review mission to Honduras; (CIDA - Americas Branch, 1 month, 1994)
- Forest management specialist on a pre-feasibility study for the integrated development of the forests of the watershed of the Putumayo River, Peru. (Organization of American States, 2 months, 1993)
1989 - 1993: employed as a forestry specialist by CIDA Professional Services Branch
- Forestry specialist responsible for the technical component of development assistance projects in Latin America and Africa that included agroforestry research, support to regional forestry programming, biological control of conifer aphids, strengthening regional tree seed centres, buffer zone management, extractive reserves, and education & training (CIDA - Americas Branch, 4 years)
1987 - 1989: contracted as a cooperant CIDA Americas Branch (Honduras)
- Senior forestry adviser contracted to provide technical assistance to the General Manager of the Corporación Hondureña de Desarrollo Forestal in Honduras, monitor CIDA forestry projects, assist in the planning of new CIDA forestry projects, and manage a technical assistance fund to undertake specific studies which included the role of NGOs in the Honduran forestry sector, women in forestry sector development and the drafting of legislation to establish incentives for reforestation and forest protection (CIDA - Americas Branch, 2 years)
1985 - 1987: employed as a regional technical adviser in natural resource management by CARE-USA (Latin America and the Caribbean region)
- Regional technical adviser for an international non governmental organization, responsible for program design, technical backstopping, monitoring and evaluation of agroforestry, community forestry, and natural resource management projects undertaken in Latin America and the Caribbean; projects covered a wide range of activities including community reforestation, soil conservation, watershed management, small forest industries, project, water harvesting, and fuelwood lots (CARE-USA, 2 years)
1984 - 1985: self-employed forestry consultant (Canada)
- Series of short term consultancies related to the buffer zone management program in the forests on the north coast of Honduras; responsible for the preparation of a proposal for the creation of forest reserves, technical assistance in an agroforestry and nursery program (CIDA - Americas Branch, 6 months)
1978 - 1983: contracted as a cooperant CIDA Americas Branch (Honduras)
- Senior forestry adviser to the Woodlands Department of the Corporación Hondureña de Desarrollo Forestal in Honduras; responsible for a buffer zone management project to address tropical deforestation; components included forest management and protection, agroforestry extension, assistance to small-scale logging by pit-sawyers, and the preparation of a land use plan (CIDA - Americas Branch, 5.5 years)
1970 - 1978: employed as a forestry specialist by Forestal International Ltd., an international forestry consulting firm
- Forestry specialist on international projects that included: a forest inventory, mapping and wood utilization study on the Caribbean coast of Honduras (12 months, 1977-1978);
- revision of forest inventory data in Turkey and preparation of management plans for the Mediterranean pine forests (18 months, 1976-1977);
- wood utilization study and the compilation of inventory data in eastern Peru (18 months, 1974-1975);
- series of forest management activities including forest inventory, mapping and photo interpretation, road location, reforestation on the south coast of Liberia (3 years)
1970: employed as a forester with the British Columbia Forest Service
- Inventory forester doing photo interpretation and forest classification in the southern Interior of British Columbia (6 months)
LANGUAGES
- Fluent English, excellent Spanish
EDUCATION
- Bachelor of Forestry (B.S.F.), University of British Columbia, 1970;
- CIDA Award for Canadians in International Development to do graduate studies in silviculture and agroforestry at University of British Columbia, 1984
AWARDS
- 1999 International Forestry Achievement Award of the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF)
SUPPORTIVE EXPERIENCE
- forestry communications specialist responsible for the preparation of a forestry communications strategy for CIDA and the Canadian Institute of Forestry;
- computer literate in a variety of applications for word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, databases, and web publishing
PUBLICATIONS
- As part of the tasks performed under his Standing Offer Arrangement with CIDA's Policy Branch, Mr. Roper has authored a series of forestry issues and profiles which can be found at: http://www.rcfa-cfan.org
MEMBERSHIPS
- Canadian Institute of Forestry
September 2004