Ecosystem Services Consultant

The vendor required to provide ecosystem service (es) enhancement projects across the property.
1. Project initiation and background review
•    Meet with the project team to understand landowner goals, forest management objectives, existing uses, and constraints.
•    Review forest management plan and short and long-term goals for the agency.
2. Market and policy landscape review
•    Assess current market trends, demand, and pricing for applicable ecosystem service credits (e.g., carbon, biodiversity, water).
•    Review policies and incentives at local, state, national, and international levels that could impact project viability.
•    Identify potential private sector investment opportunities that could spur conservation projects and maximize existing conservation objectives.
3. Opportunity screening and feasibility analysis
•    Identify the full range of ecosystem service project options suitable for the property.
•    Examples include:
o    Improved forest management (IFM) carbon project
o    Biodiversity credits (habitat banking, species offsets)
o    Water quality and quantity projects (mitigation banking, flood mitigation services)
o    Payments for ecosystem services (pes) schemes
o    Agency co-benefits sponsorship
•    For each option, assess:
o    Technical feasibility based on forest characteristics and site conditions
o    Revenue estimates and timelines
o    Implementation costs and timelines
o    Compatibility and tradeoffs with current and future land management goals
o    Co-benefits (social, biodiversity, climate resilience)
o    Potential risks (legal, reputational, operational)
4. Implementation pathways and partner mapping
•    Identify potential project developers, buyers, technical service providers, and funders for promising project options.
•    Initiate pathways for project development based on selected project types, including connecting to funders and buyers and final contracting.
•    Promote and support the chosen pathways by communicating how the potential projects connect to the mission of the agency.
•    Facilitate additional contracting for university as needed.