The Tour du Valat is a private foundation recognised as being in the public interest, created in 1954 by Luc Hoffmann and working on the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands. Its activities are developed out with the constant aim of reconciling people and nature. Convinced that the preservation of wetlands will only be possible if human activities and the protection of natural heritage go together, the Tour du Valat has for many years been developing research and integrated management programmes that encourage exchanges between wetland users and scientists, mobilise a community of stakeholders and promote the benefits of wetlands to decision-makers and socio-economic players. The Tour du Valat employs around 90 people, as well as around twenty volunteers, trainees and PhD students. It is also home to a number of other organisations (associations, OFB department).
The Tour du Valat is looking for two interns to support the Mediterranean Wetlands Observatory
Context
Mediterranean wetlands are among the richest ecosystems in the region, but also the most severely impacted by global changes and these anthropogenic pressures will continue to increase in the coming decades. In this context, the Mediterranean Wetlands Observatory (MWO) was established in 2008, as a long-term and wide scale monitoring tool, with two main objectives: (1) to convey synthetic and comprehensive scientific knowledge to decision-makers in Mediterranean countries on the conservation status of wetlands and the progress made to preserve them; and (2) to promote more ambitious policies in favour of wetlands. The MWO was established under the Ramsar Convention, within the framework of the MedWet Regional Initiative for Mediterranean Wetlands and is managed by Tour du Valat.
Among the tools used to implement this monitoring, the MWO relies on a set of indicators that are regularly computed and updated in collaboration with its different scientific and technical partners. These monitoring indicators are used to feed the MWO’s products, including the reports “The Mediterranean Wetlands Outlooks” (see here for the 1st edition in 2012 and here for the 2nd in 2018). These reports play a central role in the MWO’s communication and advocacy strategy. They provide an overview of the scientific information resulting from the calculation of the monitoring indicators, usually presented as figures and key messages for decision-makers and society in general (media, NGOs, researchers, and the general public).
In order to maximise its impact on its target audiences, the MWO is currently working on tailoring its main findings to the national levels of each of the 27 MedWet countries. This process requires a good understanding of the political, socio-economic, and environmental contexts in these countries, to ensure that the recommendations and key messages derived from the monitoring indicators are adapted to the real issues and needs in terms of managing, preserving and restoring wetland ecosystems.
Under the supervision of the MWO coordinator, the aim of the internships will therefore be to help with the conceptualisation and development of Country Profiles. They will integrate, in a synthetic and harmonised format, most of the information and data relevant to the contextualisation of the political, socio-economic and environmental situations related to wetlands conservation.
These Country Profiles will be used, for instance, to better map key stakeholders within each MedWet country, as well as defining the main levers for action required to ensure that the role and needs of wetland ecosystems are taken into account when it comes to defining governance and management policies for land, water and other natural resources.
Missions
- With the support of the MWO team, define a template for the Country Profiles.
- Contribute to the selection of the countries to be studied (5-10 depending on the template).
- Participate in the stakeholders mapping for each of the selected countries.
- Collect all relevant information and data needed to develop the Country Profiles.
- Develop the Country Profiles.
- Link the developed Country Profiles with the MWO’s dissemination and transfer strategy.
- Participate to the dissemination and valorisation of the MWO’s products.
ProfilE AND SKILLS
Required :
- Master 2 or Engineering student in political science, international relations, geography or environmental science.
- Strong interest for Mediterranean development and environment issues.
- Fluent in English and/or French (read, spoken and written).
- Excellent writing skills in at least one of these two languages.
- Basic knowledge in data management tools (e.g. Excel).
- Teamworking skills, particularly with external partners.
- Autonomy, initiative and good analytical and synthesis skills.
Desirable :
- One or more Mediterranean languages (other than French and English).
- Ability to work within an international environment.
- Basic knowledge in GIS tools (ArcGIS or Q-GIS).
- Ability and willingness to use professional social media (e.g. LinkedIn) for communication and dissemination.
SUPERVISION
The intern will be placed within the “Science-Society Interfaces” team and under the supervision of the MWO coordinator, Mr. Anis Guelmami.
Location: Tour du Valat – Le Sambuc, 13200 Arles, France
Duration: 5-6 months between September 2024 and July 2025
Remuneration: 4.35€ / hour (670€ / month)
Accommodation available on site: Shared rooms (2 beds) at 66.70€ / month.
HOW TO APPLY
Send applications to Mr. Anis Guelmami [email protected] (Reference to be indicated “TdV-Internship-MWO-2024”) before November 15th, 2024, including:
• A cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview. Both internship positions will be closed as soon as suitable candidates are selected.