John Kendall

Area of Expertise:

• Agriculture, Livelihoods, Microfinance, Rural
• Environment, Climate, Energy, Water, Sanitation
• Human Rights, Law, Migration, Conflicts, Justice
• Private Sector, Social Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility
• Social, Education, Gender, Youth, Child

Professional Experience:

I have worked over 25 years facilitating community-centered environmental stewardship and sustainable natural resource management (and access to) for First Nation communities in Canada and rural communities in central Africa. I have helped develop leading-edge payment for ecosystem methodologies and safeguard mechanisms (to ensure social equity and permanence and environmental/climate benefit permanence ) I have worked as an independent consultant (John Kendall Forestry Consulting) and for Ecosystem Restoration Associates (ERA 2008 to 2012) I was instrumental in getting ERA established as a leader in the forest carbon project development sector. I was the key orginator in ERA's Mai Ndombe REDD+ project in the DRC Congo which just was successfully validated to the VCS and CCB standards (first market based sub national REDD+ project in central Africa). I also played a key role in fine tuning ERA's Community Ecosystem Restoration Program in western Canada. I have worked extensively with several First Nations in Canada helping them gain access to natural resources and a meaningful say in natural resource management and environmental stewardship within their traditional territories and treaty areas. I understand the cultural nuances and the governance challenges that such work entails in Africa and in Canada. My personal perspective is that sincere respect of all involved and a willingness to listen to the views of all stakeholders is the missing ingredient and I make sure that I dont make that mistake. I have a good working knowledge of the appropriate technologies and agroforestry systems that are required to facilitate the launch of viable community centered social enterprise. I am taking grad level courses through the FUNDEAC organisation in that type of social action. I have been also involved in many hands on community development projects. I also did emergency relief as a volunteer for the UNHCR in northern Burundi after the Rwandan genocide where I was tasked to find fuel-wood for nearly a million convention refugees and internally displaced people. I have solid experience planning managing and evaluating projects and programs in these sectors