Presented by: Juan D. Quintero (USA) & Aradhna Mathur (USA)

Course Tuition:  $475USD for IAIA Members / $575 for Non-IAIA Members  (No bursaries available for Online Training Courses.)

Course Level:  Intermediate                
Language of Delivery: Engish                        
Prerequisites:  None    
Homework Between Sessions:  Participants will be divided into groups, depending on the number of participants, and introduced to a course assignment which will be based on a detailed case study. Groups will make short presentations of their assignment during the last session of the course.
 

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COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Infrastructure development has direct, indirect and cumulative impacts with impacts extending beyond the immediate surroundings where construction and use occur. Many impacts on biodiversity are long-term, eventually leading to a reduction in available natural habitat, restriction in the movement of fauna, and decline in population sizes of species. The impacts tend to be complex in affecting not only wildlife population dynamics but also ecosystems, on which both humans and wildlife depend.

The focus of the course is to strengthen the application of the mitigation hierarchy at all levels of the project cycle and strengthen linkages between biodiversity protection and good engineering in design, construction, and operation across all sectors (roads, hydros, wind, and solar). This course, relying on good practice case studies and exercises, will demonstrate practical solutions to protect biodiversity. It will also highlight the opportunities for enhancing biodiversity values in infrastructure projects and the use of indigenous and local knowledge for the identification of mitigation measures.

The course will discuss:

• The multi-level approach to infrastructure development
• Upstream tools
• Ecological assessment tools
• Good engineering practices at the project level
• Construction management in sensitive areas
• Good practices in offsets planning

Participants will also receive a comprehensive set of manuals and guidelines related to the course content.

Testimonials from participants in previous similar IAIA training courses:
 

• “Very dynamic”
• “Excellent presentation and real life examples”
• “Good examples. Excellent teaching!”
• “Very good course. I could learn theoretical and how to put in practice.”

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TRAINER BIOS:              Juan D. Quintero is a Civil and Environmental Engineer, with over 40 years of experience in risk assessment, mitigation and compensation of environmental and social impacts associated with development projects, especially transport and hydroelectric projects built around the world. He received the IAIA Lifetime Achievement Award in May 2016 for "significant contribution to impact assessment leading to mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in infrastructure projects around the world." Recent publications include "Good Dams - Bad Dams" and "Biodiversity Offsets and Infrastructure." Juan is a Certified Assessor for the application of the International Hydropower Association (IHA) Sustainable Protocol for Hydropower development.
Aradhna Mathur is an environmental specialist with over 16 years of experience working on the nexus of conservation and development promoting the concept of Biodiversity Friendly Infrastructure. She has experience in policy analysis, evaluating environmental compliance of developmental projects, and reviewing the application of measures to minimize environmental risks.  Her work includes: Developing and promoting the concept of 'Smart Green Infrastructure' to ensure infrastructure development is biodiversity friendly Preparation of manuals and guidance for protecting natural habitats in infrastructure projects across different sectors Reviewing numerous projects for compliance with the environmental policies and standards. Publications include: A Guide to Good Practices for Environmentally Friendly Roads  and Green Infrastructure in Tiger Range Countries: A Multi-Level Approach