Attention: News editors, Chiefs of staff, environment reporters

The Australian Alps national parks (Aanp), in conjunction with the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), is holding a 3 day workshop on Visitor Experiences and Monitoring from Monday 12th to Wednesday 14th May in the heart of the Australian Alps at Thredbo.

Up to sixty participants, including presenters from around Australia and overseas, and park managers from Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT, will come together to workshop ideas about how to make visitor experiences in the Alps more appropriate and sustainable.

The workshop is the third in an annual series of workshops held by the AAnp to bring together scientists and park and recreation managers. Australian Alps Program Manager, Rod Atkins said, “The workshop will bring together managers of alpine environments to provide an overview of visitor use and management with particular emphasis on implications for management of the Australian Alps national parks.

“Participants will have the chance to hear from leading scientists and researchers and discuss how they can use the information provided in their own work situation. We will be looking for strategies and adaptations combined with more sustainable practices that might help make for better experiences while reducing the impacts of visitors, particularly in light of other pressures like climate change”, Rod continued.

Peter Jacobs, Convenor of the Australian Alps Liaison Committee said the workshop is very timely as he is very optimistic the Alps region will soon receive recognition under an initiative of Tourism Australia called the National Landscapes Program, which will market the region overseas as a tourism destination, along with other iconic Australian sites.

“We are particularly concerned to ensure that any tourism in the Australian Alps national parks is sensitive and compatible with conserving the unique mountain environments and the natural and cultural values found in them.”

Presenters include: Ms Frances Gertsch, Head, Visitor Activities & Services, Parks Canada and Associate Professor Catherine Pickering, International Centre for Ecotourism, Griffith University.

Media Enquiries

Rod Atkins
Mobile 0429 618 308