Mere Judith Vere is a Technical Officer and joined IAS in 2016. They have a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management. Their research interests lies in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and how communities are using it as a mitigation or as a resilient in this era where the effects of climate change has been evident and affecting us Small Island Developing Countries (SIDs). Their interests lie in Gender roles too, where they would like to see the importance of women with regards to conservation and management of the environment.

Work and Project Experience

• PacWaste Plus Project:
  • Assisting the project manager in the initial stages of the project with certain desktop reviews and research on waste management courses and programs being offered in the different SPREP countries
• Ridge to Reef Project:
  • Liasing with the Provincial office and the communities (Village Headman) on the visitation of the team to conduct socio-economic survey in the Rewa – Waidina catchment.
  • Part of the team that conducted the socio-economic survey in the Rewa – Waidina catchment
  • Part of the team that conducted the data entry for the socio-economic survey.
  • Lead role in the preparing the logistics and budget for the Marine Workshop held in May 2019.
  • Lead role in conducting the sediment analysis of the Kai Survey which was conducted in Ba.
  • Assisted in data entry of the Kai Survey data sheet.
  • Assisted with the logistics and budget of the Freshwater Survey in Labasa
  • Assisted the freshwater team for the survey in Labasa.
  • Part of the team that conducted the socio-economic survey in the Tuva Catchment.
  • Part of the Team that conducted socio-economic survey in the Vunivia, Tunuloa and Natewa catchment in Vanualevu.
• IWC (International Water Centre) PROJECT:
  • Liasing with community on the visitation of the team to conduct the Water Testing Survey
  • Facilitated and conducted focus group discussion in Rukuruku village with regards to water issues.
  • Conducted water testing in Rukuruku and analyzing the results before handing the results back to the community.
  • Transcribing the recordings of the interviews conducted in Rukuruku.
• RESCCUE PROJECT: Restoration of Ecosystem and Adaptation to Climate Change
  •  Assisted in the Freshwater activity in the province of Ra.
  • Assisted in nursery construction within the districts of Tavuki (Galoa), Ono (Buliya), Nakasaleka (Nakaunakoro), Yale (Naioti), Naceva (Vunisei), and Sanima (Mataso) in the province of Kadavu.
  • Assisted in conducting the Kadavu Integrated Coastal Management Plan Multi-Stakeholder Consultation which also includes typing the allocated task of Stakeholder Analysis which is to be included in the report.
  • Assisted in conducting Freshwater Management Planning Workshop in the province of Ra namely the districts of Naiyalayala (Nananu Village) and Nasau (Nasukamai Village) and also assisted team leader in typing up the technical report (Fijian Version) in Freshwater Management Planning.
  • Taking a lead role in putting together detail report writing in: Water Conservation, Waste and Waste-Water and Livestock Management Action Plan for the communities of Levuka, Nabukelevu; Nasegai, Ravitaki; Dravuni, Ono; and Galoa, tavuki in the Province of Kadavu.
  • Assists in delivering and planting vertiver, native, exotic, fruit trees to the Nasau district in the province of Ra.
  • Part of the team that worked in collaboration with the Forestry team in setting up nurseries where native trees are being kept before transplanting it into the wild in: Nakaunakoro, Nakasaleka; Bulia, Ono; and Naioti, Yale in the province of Kadavu.
  • Taking a lead role in putting together detail report writing on business training where IAS collaborated with NCSMED to deliver the training in the province of Kadavu.
  • Part of the team that conducted the Vulnerability Risk Assessment in the province of Ra.
• SESA Project: Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment
  • Coordinated the Gender Participant Learning Assessment in the Province of Kadavu namely the districts of Yawe (Nalotu Village) and Nabukelevu (Daviqele Village)
  • Assisted with the Gender Participant Learning Assessment in the Province Macuata namely in the district of Dreketi (Nabavatu Village and Nabiti Village)
  • Coordinated the Gender Participant Learning Assessment in the Province Nadroga/Navosa namely in the District of Emalu (Draubuta Village and Noikoro Village)
  • Assisted with the Gender Participant Learning Assessment in the Province of Ra namely the district of Nakauvadra (Vunisea Village)
• NJV Project: Namosi Joint Venture
  • In April- June 2016, I was part of the team that conducted Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in the highlands of Namosi, villages along the Waidina River in Naitasiri and all the coastal villages of Namosi.
  • In December – January, 2014, I assisted in the data entry for the socio-economic component of the Namosi EIA
  • In September – October, 2013, I was a part of the IAS team that conducted traffic survey for the Namosi Baseline studies.
• WaSH Research Project
  •  (November 2015) joined the WaSH team finish phase 4-5 of the project in Wailea and Muanivatu.
• Leadership and Management training
  • (October-November, 2013), Assisted in the Leadership and Management training as a member of the IAS team, on the island of Ogea, in the Lau Group with the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs Board: Talked about the importance of marine protected areas and management to villagers for Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) programme and also wrote the workshop report.