Biologist

Description

Result of Service The Biologist reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/She shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under these Terms of Reference. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the UN\-Habitat’s operational and technical teams. Work Location São Paulo (SP), Brazil Expected duration Eight (8\) months Duties and Responsibilities Background The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN\-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN\-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN\-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis in developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN\-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. The city of São Paulo is the largest city in the Americas and one of the largest metropolises in the world. The municipality has a population of 12 million, of which approximately 3\.6 million live in precarious areas or informal settlements, experiencing socioeconomic and climate vulnerability, and with little or no access to green spaces. The Municipality of São Paulo approached UN\-Habitat to help address the uneven distribution of public green spaces and social inequality in the city's urban space. Thus, in September 2022, a Contribution Agreement was signed to improve access, inclusion, and sustainability of public green spaces in the city to improve climate adaptation and resilience in the long term. The project, named Viva o Verde SP, concluded in September 2025\. A second phase of Viva o Verde SP was established to implement the main recommendations raised in the first phase and promote inclusive park governance, management and design. The two phases of Viva o Verde SP aim to support the Secretariat of Green and Environment (SVMA) of São Paulo Municipality in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda regarding green public spaces. As part of the second phase, a key expected output is the development of management and financing plans for the ten (10\) parks, which were assessed in the first phase of Viva o Verde SP. The objective is to provide these facilities with a strategic tool for their long\-term sustainability. To properly develop the environment\-related content for the ten (10\) park management plans, a Biologist is required. Report to UN\-Habitat Manager The Biologist reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Biologist will support the implementation of the project, and its activities, with the following responsibilities: a) Plan the activities of the consultancy. b) Review and analyze existing documents related to ten (10\) parks in São Paulo. c) Participate in all meetings and in ten (10\) workshops with civil society and specialists organized by the Viva o Verde SP team to support the development of action plans for the park management plans. d) Conduct field work in ten (10\) parks in São Paulo. e) Evaluate available secondary data on the ten (10\) parks, identify missing required data, and assess the feasibility of primary data collection. f) Collect and analyze primary and secondary data. g) Develop environment\-related content including texts, diagrams, graphics and images. The consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Biologist will assist the implementation of the project, according to the stated responsibilities and the delivery of the following products: Product 1 – Workplan and diagnostic indicators framework Description: Product 1 must contain: (i) a detailed workplan containing purposes, goals and a preliminary description and schedule of activities; (ii) schedule and methodology for fieldwork in the ten (10\) parks; (iii) proposition of diagnostic indicators for the parks; (iv) methodology for data collection, including variables. The indicators must contemplate the following themes: a) Relief and slopes of the park and surroundings. b) Soil characterization of the park and surroundings. c) Hydrographic basin, water bodies, and their integration with the surroundings. d) Vegetation of the park and surroundings. e) Fauna of the park and surroundings. f) Ecosystemic services provided by the parks (support, regulation, provision, cultural). g) Potential for connectivity with other green areas and fragments. h) Solid waste collection and treatment. i) Rainwater harvesting and filtration systems. j) Any other relevant information related to urban environmental dynamics. Expected delivery date: 30 days after signing the contract. Product 2 – Pilot assessment of the environmental aspects of two (2\) parks Description: Product 2 must contain: two (2\) reports, corresponding to two (2\) selected parks, each containing: (i) environmental legal framework affecting the parks; (ii) park zoning maps and norms; (iii) existing environmental education initiatives; (iv) fieldwork notes; and (v) an assessment of the themes indicated on Product 1\. The name of the two (2\) selected pilot parks will be provided by the Viva o Verde SP team at the initial stage of the consultancy. Identified fauna and flora species must be classified as threatened, rare, endemic, migratory, exotic, invasive, hunted, synanthropic, economically valuable and/or flag species. The reports must assess the environmental conservation conditions and possibilities of regeneration of degraded areas. This includes assessing the impact of human uses and activities on the parks’ environment and their areas of influence. The report for each park must use indicators and contents from the specific park assessments developed in the project’s first phase. Assessment indicators will be used for monitoring and evaluation in Product 4 of this consultancy. In case one or more themes cannot be fully assessed because of unavailable data or the unfeasibility of primary data collection, the consultant must justify it in the reports, listing the collection of such data as an action in Product 4 of this consultancy. Expected delivery date: 60 days after signing the contract. Product 3 – Assessment of the environmental aspects of eight (8\) parks Description: Product 3 must contain: eight (8\) reports, one for each remaining park, with the same structure and content as Product 2 of this consultancy. Each report must contain: (i) environmental legal framework affecting the park; (ii) park zoning maps and norms; (iii) existing environmental education initiatives; (iv) fieldwork notes; and (v) an assessment of all themes listed in Product 2\. Identified fauna and flora species must be classified as threatened, rare, endemic, migratory, exotic, invasive, hunted, synanthropic, economically valuable and/or flag species. The reports must assess the environmental conservation conditions and possibilities of regeneration of degraded areas. This includes assessing the impact of human uses and activities on the parks’ environment and their areas of influence. The report for each park must use indicators and contents from the specific park assessments developed in the project’s first phase. Assessment indicators will be used for monitoring and evaluation in Product 4 of this consultancy. In case one or more themes cannot be fully assessed because of unavailable data or the unfeasibility of primary data collection, the consultant must justify it in the reports, listing the collection of such data as an action in Product 4 of this consultancy. Any change in the structure or content of the reports of Product 3 must be agreed in advance with the Viva o Verde SP team after reviewing Product 2\. The consultant must submit one separate report for each park, with one week between one park and another to allow sufficient time for reviews. Expected delivery date: 180 days after signing the contract. Product 4 – Environmental action plans Description: Product 4 must contain: Ten (10\) environmental action plans, one for each park, containing, for each theme, the findings from Products 2 and 3, spatial scope, expected results, indicators, targets, activities and timeframe (short, medium or long term). The environmental action plans must respond to the findings and analyses from the assessments of the ten (10\) parks submitted in Product 2 and Product 3 so that proposed actions are evidence\-based and that implementation progress can be monitored. The consultant must adjust preliminary action plans according to participants’ inputs in workshops with park management councils. The submission of the environmental action plans of the ten (10\) parks will be divi