Appendix 1: Terms of Reference

"Forestry Department Website Project"

Terms of Reference

Geographic Information Expert

For Support of the Forestry Department Information System on Forests

Under the overall guidance of the FRA Programme Coordinator and direct supervision of the FRA Project Director and the FRA Geographic Information Systems Expert, the Geographic Information Expert will be responsible for (a) producing the country and other relevant map images for the Forestry Department website to be presented at COFO 1999, (b) investigate options for continued development of dynamic maps for the Forestry Department website, (c) provide linkage between the above website development effort and the FRA2000 work.

Tasks:

• Jointly with the Graphic Designer, define the map layout (output features: thematic elements, graphic elements, colours, image resolution, image size, etc.);
• Review map data available at FAO (e.g. in FORESSIS, at FAO GIS-CENTER, AGL, );
• With the assistance of FRA staff, acquire and review map data available from other sources (Internet, CD-ROM, ...);
• Produce, using GIS and image processing software, the country map images (one locator map and one forest cover map for each of approximately 180 countries) to be used at the website, and integrate these in the FORIS database;
• Investigate and suggest how future map functionality can be implemented at the Forestry Department website, with special reference to FRA2000 reporting;
• Liaise with and work together with the other project team members on a daily basis;
• Participate in the website development Working Group meetings.

Duration: 3 months (January - March 1999)

Language: English

Duty Station: Rome.