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

FELLOWS 2017 - 2019

IMPRESSUM:

PUBLISHER German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation

DESIGN André Müller, Sebastian Misgajski

EFFECTIVE September 2018

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT Andrea Strauss

KLAUS TOEPFER FELLOWSHIP

The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is an extra-occupational training programme for emerging nature conservation leaders from Central and Eastern Europe, the

Caucasus and Central Asia. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety and implemented by its

Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, in collaboration with IUCN, the CBD Secretariat, the Secretariat of the CMS, UNEP - WCMC and additional international

partners.

The programme takes an integrated approach to the development of the personal capacity of early-career conservation professionals, by combining technical learning,

management training and network development support. It focuses on individuals with outstanding leadership potential while promoting the participants’ commitment

and contribution to their home institutions.

The programme aims at enabling its fellows to work effectively in leading positions in the biodiversity conservation sector of their home countries, and to be actively

involved in international conservation processes and networks. After graduation, fellows become part of a growing network of leaders in the field of nature conservation.

TARGET GROUP

The programme aims at emerging conservation leaders that have the support of their home organizations to attend the course, and a clear commitment to a career in

their country of origin:

• Early-career conservation professionals (Government, NGOs or Academia), from Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia1, who have at least

three years of professional experience and are preferably not older than 35 years.

1 Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The 18-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 conservation 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 facilitation as well as 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 subject­specific 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), the Secretariat oft he Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) 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.

HAMED ABOLGHASEMI

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1991 in Iran

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in

Natural Resources Engineering: Environmental Sciences & Biodiversity

FIELD Community based conservation

of threatened species

CURRENT POSITION Rafsanjan Nature Custodians (RNC),

CEO and Conservation Manager

Hamed Abolghasemi is CEO and conservation manager at Rafsanjan Nature Custodians (RNC), the pioneer NGO in protecting the first communal conservancy in Iran. His main job is to develop and implement a strategic conservation plan for RNC and its protected area, but also conflict management between local communities, game wardens and RNC’s management team.

From the KTF programme he is seeking to improve his leadership and management capacities for reducing human wildlife conflict and applying the conservation plan for sustainable use and benefit sharing in the area to make ecosystem services more tangible for locals.

Konul Ahmadova is currently working as freshwater policy officer at the WWF Azerbaijan office. WWF Azerbaijan as part of WWF Caucasus office works on the basis of a Regional Strategic Plan and aims at conserving four priority biome and 26 priority species in order to achieve healthy populations of native species, to preserve habitats, landscapes and natural processes while local people, participate in the management and use of natural resources equally.

In this context, she believes that the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme will give her an opportunity to deepen her understanding of the principles of environmental policy-making, to be familiar with different economic instruments and to learn methods to assess the demand for environmental goods.

KONUL AHMADOVA AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1983 in Azerbaijan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Geography

FIELD Land use management

CURRENT POSITION WWF Azerbaijan, Freshwater Policy Officer

Kumar Aliev is currently working as a Research Coordinator for the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). His main duties include supporting the development of a research strategy for ICRAF’s Central Asia Office, carrying out research projects, supervising students, organizing conferences, project coordination and administration. He believes that the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is a great opportunity to extend his knowledge, develop the personal capacity and learn more about nature protection from natural hazards. Next to the work at the World Agroforestry Center, Kumar Aliev works on his PhD thesis about the protective effects of forests against avalanches. This topic is of high relevance to Kyrgyzstan and it highlights the need to protect forests from further degradation.

KUMAR ALIEV

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1982 in Kyrgyzstan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Forestry

FIELD Agroforestry

CURRENT POSITION Central Asia Office of the

World Agroforestry Centre, Research Coordinator

LUKA BASREKAGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1987 in Croatia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Ecology and Nature Conservation

FIELD Management of protected areas

CURRENT POSITION Green Ring Public Institution of Zagreb County, Expert Associate

Luka Basrek joined Green Ring Public Institution of Zagreb County, the institution responsible for the management of 27 protected areas and 25 areas which are included in Natura 2000, in January 2017. His various tasks include the development of management plans for Natura 2000 sites, biodiversity monitoring, project development, environmental education and other responsibilities which aim at better nature management. Before 2017, he worked at the Croatian Agency for Environment and Nature where he was responsible for the coordination of a Farmland Bird Monitoring project. He would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to increase his capacities regarding designing, planning and applying for nature conservation projects but also to learn as much as possible about resource mobilization and sustainable financing of conservation measures and to improve his negotiation, lobbying and advocacy skills.

ALLA BERBERYAN AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

born 1983 in Armenia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in

Environment and Sustainable Development

FIELD Integrated management of biodiversity

CURRENT POSITION GIZ Armenia, Adviser

Alla Berberyan is currently working as an Adviser in the GIZ Integrated Management of Biodiversity in the South Caucasus Programme (IBiS) in Armenia. Her main duties include the preparation and coordination of human capacity development measures for the integrated management of biodiversity and ecosystem services. She is involved in advising governmental and other partner institutions in identifying needs, developing joint concepts, strategies, and action plans within this process.

In this context, the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship programme would give her an opportunity to learn about the best international practices on biodiversity conservation and to enhance her knowledge and experiences in the field of nature conservation management. Before starting her work at GIZ Armenia, Alla worked as an Environmental Education Programme Manager at Armenia Tree Project Charitable Foundation and later as a Project Coordinator at WWF-Armenia.

Jelena Burazerović is currently working as research assistant at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Belgrade. She is engaged in research and conservation of bats, monitoring of mammal fauna in protected areas and biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes.

As a Klaus Toepfer Fellow she would like to improve her biodiversity monitoring skills and learn more about conservation management of protected areas and beyond, including strategic conservation planning, information management and communication.

Jelena Burazerović has been awarded as an undergraduate student with a scholarship from the National Foundation for Development of Scientific and Artistic Youth and from the European Commission Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency for her Erasmus Mundus Master studies in applied ecology. She has also been actively involved in the NGO sector for over 10 years and is skilled in project management. .

JELENA BURAZEROVIĆAGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1981 in Serbia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Applied Ecology

FIELD Conservation ecology, habitat management

CURRENT POSITION Faculty of Biology at the University of Belgrade, Research Assistant

Natia Javakhishvili is currently working as Head of the Education Project Services at the Georgian Environmental Education and Information Center. Her main duties are to develop strategic approaches for the effective integration and implementation of environmental education projects on formal and non-formal education levels. Moreover, Natia is leading conservation projects for the Imperial Eagle in Georgia and Azerbaijan, where she develops and implements conservation activities for protecting species, restoring habitats and creating artificial breeding sites.

In this context, she would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to improve her technical skills in planning conservation and management capacities for promoting better protection of species, and generally nature conservation.

NATIA JAVAKHISHVILI

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1993 in Georgia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Ecology

FIELD Ornithology, ecological modelling

CURRENT POSITION Environmental Information and Education

Center of Georgia, Head of Education Project Service

AGNĖ JASINAVIČIŪTĖAGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1988 in Lithuania

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Social Geography

FIELD Management of protected areas

CURRENT POSITION State Service for Protected Areas under the Ministry of Environment, Deputy Head of Protection and Management Division

Agnė Jasinavičiūtė is currently working as Deputy Head of the Protection and Management

Division at the State Service for Protected Areas under the Ministry of Environment of

Lithuania, the main body directly responsible for the quality of the activities of the protected

areas administrative authorities. Her main duties include the coordination of landscape

monitoring in protected areas, assessment of the status of the values, preparation of strategic

planning documents and implementation for landscape and biodiversity conservation and

management.

In this context, she would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to increase

her technical and management capacities for improving the quality of landscape perception

and policy tools in Lithuanian protected areas and encourage positive changes in the public

opinion.

Agnė Jasinavičiūtė has been awarded by the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences in Biology,

Medicine and Geosciences for her scientific work “Problems of Recreational Regional Parks

in Lithuania.”

AIZADA KIIAZOVA

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1987 in Kyrgyz Republic

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Diploma in Economy / Management

FIELD Economy and business administration

CURRENT POSITION Department of Ecological Strategy and

Policy of the State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry,

Leading Specialist

Aizada Kiiazova is working as a leading specialist at the Department of Ecological Strategy and Policy of the State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry. She contributes to the development, implementation and monitoring of environmental strategies, policies and programmes that promote sustainable development. She is also actively involved in the country’s policy activities on climate change issues, such as analyzing and reviewing the decisions of the UNFCCC, project proposals and other linked issues, and she supports the development of national policies on climate change adaptation.

In this context, she would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to improve her technical and management capacities in nature conservation, in sustainable use of natural resources, and to implement innovative approaches that ensure sustainability of ecosystems.

Olga Mikhaleva is currently working as an environmental education programme coordinator at the Baikal Biosphere Reserve. Her main duties include nature educational projects organization and logistics: planning, making agreements with participants and educators from different fields, identifying participants, leading children projects and trail building projects, taking over educational sessions during these projects and for kids from the local Tankhoy school and other educational establishments.

Olga is also a PhD student at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Science, conducting research on the dynamics of alpine geosystems influenced by global climate change.

OLGA MIKHALEVA AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1987 in Russia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Environmental Studies and Biology

FIELD Conservation ecology

CURRENT POSITION Environmental Education Programme

Coordinator at the Baikal State Nature

Biosphere Reserve

Muqaddas Milikbekova is currently working as a project assistent for Fauna & Flora

International in Tajikistan. Muqaddas is responsible for coordinating livelihood activities,

preparing grant agreements with project partners and keeping records of project activities

and reporting. She is also assisting in organizing seminars for forest service units. Muqaddas

is specifically working in a project to promote community and local stakeholders engagement

in fruit and nut forest conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in project sites.

The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship programme will provide her with structured learning on a

number of important conservation areas, which will enable her to work effectively in a leading

position and to increase the contribution she makes to her organisation in terms of

conservation skills.

MUQADDAS MILIKBEKOVA

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born in 1987 in Tajikistan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Art in Social Work

FIELD Rural development and sustainable livelihoods

CURRENT POSITION Fauna & Flora International,

Project Assistant

PAULA POČANIĆ VOVK AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1987 in Croatia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Zoology

FIELD Communication in nature conservation

CURRENT POSITION Association BIOM, Associate for Education and Volunteering

Paula Počanić Vovk is currently working as Associate for education and volunteering in the Association BIOM, the BirdLife representative in Croatia. Her various duties include communication with stakeholders, members and general public, managing volunteer programmes, running education programmes, project assistance and fundraising.

She sees the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme as an opportunity to improve her communication and soft skills but also to develop her knowledge and expertise in conservation topics, which will enable her to promote nature conservation more efficiently among the general public. She hopes that being a part of the KTF community will provide her with fresh perspectives on the direction of nature conservation through sharing experience with her colleagues and building partnerships. .

OLESYA PETROVYCH

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1976 in Ukraine

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Biology

FIELD Ecology

CURRENT POSITION Ministry of Ecology and Natural

Resources of Ukraine, Chief Specialist

Olesya Petrovych is Chief Specialist in the Department of Econet and Protected Areas of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine. She coordinates educational and research activities in protected areas. She also works on implementation of the Ramsar Convention in Ukraine and is the National Focal Point of the CEPA programme of the Ramsar Convention.

She is going to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to improve her technical and management capacities for organizing research and conservation activities for the effective implementation of international environmental agreements.

Olesya Petrovych has contributed to the establishment of many protected areas and Ramsar wetlands in Ukraine, and has organized several scientific seminars and a training programme for protected areas staff.

Robert Pache is working in the field of biodiversity conservation, within the NFA – Romsilva – Protected Areas Department that is managing 22 National and Natural Park Administrations and over 100 Natura 2000 sites. His main tasks are the methodological coordination of these protected areas, being focused on conservation planning and working with protected areas staff in order to establish well-grounded management measures for ensuring nature conservation and sustainability. Robert is also involved in monitoring the implementation of management plans, both technically and financially.

During the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme, Robert wants to learn how to better address and solve the real challenges faced by nature conservation, involving decision makers and stakeholders in finding solutions for a sustainable flow of funding for biodiversity conservation.

ROBERT PACHE AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1984 in Romania

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Diploma in Forestry

FIELD Forestry and biodiversity conservation

CURRENT POSITION National Forest Administration

(NFA) Romsilva, Protected Areas

Specialist

Andrii Plyha is currently working as junior project officer in the WWF Danube-Carpathian

Programme, the biggest international environmental organization in Ukraine. He is engaged

with building up a network of volunteers in environmental protection and nature conservation,

especially to support protected areas, illegal logging` prosecution and conservation of old

growth forest.

From the view of his duties and specialty, he would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship

Programme to learn more about political, economic and other tools which are necessary for

making decisions in the field of nature conservation and to improve his own environmental

knowledge as well.

Andrii Plyha was head of the young conservationists organisation «Green Future» and one of

the founders of a forest conservation group in the Kiev region.

ANDRII PLYHA

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1990 in Kazakhstan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Vertebrate

Zoology & Ecology

FIELD Nature conservation

CURRENT POSITION WWF Danube-Carpathian

Programme in Ukraine, Junior Project Officer

JAKHONGIR TALIPOVAGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1987 in Uzbekistan

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Environmental Studies

FIELD Nature conservation

CURRENT POSITION State Committee for Ecology and Environment Protection

Jakhongir Talipov works as an environmental specialist at the State Committee for Ecology and Environment Protection, Republic of Uzbekistan. His main duties are to conduct environmental and social impact assessments for various development projects. Furthermore, he is also responsible for providing professional advice to project partners, agencies, public parties and other relevant stakeholders, and deals with developing action plans to mitigate potential negative environmental impacts.

Over the past years, he has worked in international organizations like ADB, UNDP and Michael Succow Foundation, and been involved in several projects which included institutional gap analyses, capacity building, environmental monitoring and sustainable environmental management of projects in Central Asia.

At the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme he is seeking the opportunity to extend his theoretical and practical knowledge on modern nature conservation approaches, governance and conservation economics, and as well as to improve his communication and leadership skills.

Mariam Tatarashvili is currently working at the Agency of Protected Areas under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, as Senior Specialist of the Planning and Development Division. Her direct responsibilities are to develop eco-educational and interpretational projects for protected areas, to coordinate between regional administrations, to arrange meetings with local communities near protected areas, and to give trainings on Georgia’s protected areas and its biodiversity. She is also developing and implementing field activities and studies for the youth and the local population near buffer zones.

In this context, she would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to get a better understanding of the main concepts of nature conservation, to develop her communication and leadership skills, and to become an expert in the dialogue between protected area managers, local communities and other interested stakeholders. She wants to share her knowledge, which she will gain during the fellowship, with the staff of the agency.

MARIAM TATARASHVILI

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1989 in Georgia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Business Administration in Nature

Management

FIELD Natural resources management; protected areas

management

CURRENT POSITION Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources

Protection of Georgia, Agency of Protected Areas, Senior Specialist

SELIN DEVRANOGLU TAVSELAGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1984 in Turkey

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Environmental Management

FIELD Conservation of forests

CURRENT POSITION WWF-Turkey, Conservation Supervisor

Selin Devranoglu Tavsel is currently working as a conservation supervisor at WWF-Turkey,

where she has been positioned for the last 6 years.

Her main duties include leading the implementation of the Adaptation of Mediterranean

Forests to Climate Change Project with government and NGO partners in Turkey, co-

managing the Caucasus Ecological Corridor Project and leading the forest programme at

WWF-Turkey.

She believes the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme will help to improve her technical and

management capacities for establishing a programme of Open Standards for Conservation at

WWF-Turkey to ensure solid project and programme outcomes and integration of cutting

edge conservation tools and methods into all existing projects and programmes at her home

institution.

Selin has been awarded full scholarships to Connecticut College and Yale School of Forestry

as well as the Barbara Shattuck Kohn ’72 Environmental Studies Award at Connecticut

College. She is now leading the restructuring initiative at WWF-Turkey to improve designing,

implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes.

SAMDANJIGMED TULGANYAM

AGE & COUNTRY OF ORIGIN born 1983 in Mongolia

UNIVERSITY DEGREE Master of Science in Animal and

Range Science & Geography

FIELD Animal and range science

CURRENT POSITION Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Subsidiary of Rio Tinto),

Superintendent Biodiversity

Sam Tulganyam is currently working as superintendent biodiversity at Oyu Tolgoi mine, one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world. His main duties include the implementation of the biodiversity management, the offset management and biodiversity monitoring and evaluation plans of the company, complying with national regulation as well as international standards.

In this context, he would like to use the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme to improve his technical and management capacities for the development of a national biodiversity offset policy which efficiently streamlines resources to critical biodiversity features.

Sam Tulganyam has been awarded a Fulbright fellowship to obtain his Master’s degree in the U.S. for his passion for conservation.

Federal Agency for Nature ConservationInternational Academy for Nature Conservation Website: www.bfn.de/klaus-toepfer-fellowship.htmlContact: ktf@bfn.de