ENVIRONMENT CONSULTANTS FIJI ENVIRONMENT CONSULTANTS FIJI (E.. - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Principal and Founder of Environmental Consultants Fiji Ltd

Dr. Dick Watling is Principal and Founder of Environmental Consultants Fiji Ltd., Fiji's most experienced specialist environmental consultancy practice. In this capacity his 30 years of consultancy experience encompasses a very broad range of environmental and conservation planning and management in Pacific Island Countries and South East Asia. He has worked for many of the significant multilateral agencies including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, FAO, UNEP, SPREP, SPC, UNOPS, UNDP, IUCN and the European Union. Dr. Watling read Zoology at Bristol University for his BSc and received his doctorate from the Dept. of Applied Ecology, Cambridge University, UK. His specialist expertise in tropical forest and terrestrial vertebrate studies has formed the basis of extensive work experience in South East Asia in conservation and protected area management. In addition, this experience includes environmental policy formulation, environmental management guidelines and impact assessment of development projects. A resident of Fiji since childhood, Dr Watling is an internationally acknowledged authority on Fiji's environment, its birds and terrestrial wildlife. He has published five books and over 25 scientific papers. In several Pacific Island Countries, Dr. Watling has been involved in wide-ranging capacity building for environmental management including policy formulation, environmental assessment guidelines, institutional strengthening and training programmes. In his roles as Principal of Environment Consultants Fiji, an independent consultant and formerly as Environment Group Manager with T&T Konsult Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, Dr. Watling has undertaken or managed a wide variety of studies for private, government, bilateral and multilateral clients. These include EIAs of mining, quarrying, logging, coastal resorts, marina, thermal power, industrial and road construction projects; natural resource surveys; environmental management and monitoring plans; environmental reviews and audits; due diligence reviews; environmental codes of conduct; emergency response plans, protected area management plans; ecotourism development studies; project formulation; project and proposal review and project management. Dr Watling is a lead assessor and trainer with SmartWood for forest management certification, with experience in Indonesia, Lao PDR, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. In 2006, Dick established the Fiji Nature Conservation Trust which through its working arm, NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, currently employs seven staff and has nine projects currently funded and being implemented with an annual operating budget of US$200-450,000. Dick served as Managing Director until January 2013 and currently is the Executive Trustee.