Wildlife tourism and conservation of biodiversity in parks

Download a flyer here: workshopflyer_printversion

Viewing a king parrot in Lamington National Park near O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, photo by Araucaria Ecotours

Viewing a king parrot in Lamington National Park near O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, photo by Araucaria Ecotours

This workshop is a parallel event of the World Parks Congress, and will be held the day before the  Congress begins

2.00 – 5.00pm, 11 November 2014, meet in the foyer on the ground floor of Office of Environment and Heritage at 59 Goulburn Street (a short walk from Central Station, Sydney)

How to get there

See http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/whoweare/travel.htm

If coming from Olympic Park (venue for World Parks Congress) visit http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/maps/getting-to-the-park).

This event is a half-day workshop organised jointly by Wildlife Tourism Australia Inc. and the Office of Environment and Heritage, New South Wales.

All welcome, no cost, but please RSVP by 31 October. Light refreshments will be available for afternoon tea. There will be an optional networking lunch and/or dinner (at own cost) in nearby restaurant/s – details TBA.

Topics will be briefly presented, and delegates will discuss the following questions in groups of up to 8 participants, then all will come together in a final plenary discussion to share ideas and information.

Topics to be discussed include:

  • how can we ensure the conservation of biodiversity as more people flock to our national parks, expecting new kinds of activities and facilities (e.g. accommodation within the parks)
  • how can we best use both old and new technologies for low-impact wildlife viewing that will delight the visitor and enhance understanding of wildlife behaviour and ecology?
  • under what circumstances should interaction with wildlife be allowed within or near parks?
  • what research is most urgently needed in the next five to ten years to ensure adequate conservation of biodiversity, and how can Wildlife Tourism Australia’s research network best contribute to this?
Shingleback skink, Currawinya National Park. Photo Araucaria Ecotours

Shingleback skink, Currawinya National Park. Photo Araucaria Ecotours

These topics will be especially relevant to the WPC theme of “Reaching Conservation Goals,” with some overlap with most other streams. It is anticipated that at least some of the delegates at this event will also be attending WPC, and these discussions will help crystallise some ideas on problems and potential solutions concerning wildlife and tourism in parks, to be further discussed during the Congress.

 

Relevant websites:

 

Contact:

  • Dr Ronda J Green, Chair, Wildlife Tourism Australia Inc. (also proprietor of Araucaria Ecotours and Adjunct Research Fellow at Environmental Futures, Griffith University. Email: chair@wildlifetourismaustralia.org.au Ph 07 55441283 or 0447 077725
  • Dr Isabelle Wolf, Research and Analysis Officer, Customer Experience Division, NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Office of Environment and Heritage; Adjunct Associate Lecturer, Centre of Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales Emailisabelle.wolf@environment.nsw.gov.au Ph 02 9585 6672

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