At the end of every school year, Club P.A.N. hosts a Parents’ Day, where all village members are invited to watch their children perform and discuss their sessions. This ensures that not only children, but also parents and villagers are also exposed to conservation education in a fun atmosphere. This also creates pride in the village for their younger generation and the children in turn feel proud of what they have learned and are more eager to share their knowledge.

When the region was set to be designated as a Reserve Zone, a Fishermen’s Association united 16 fisheries groups that had been using marine resources in the area for decades. To reduce conflicts between local people and the protected area authority, it was made clear that pre-existing rights, such as the fishermen’s, would be respected. In the technical document presented to the government for the declaration of the Reserved Zone, it was clearly stated that groups organized through the fishermen’s association historically used the area’s marine resources. During the Reserve Zone categorization process, the government defines the final category and extent of the protected area based on conservation objectives and imposes natural resource use restrictions. In principle, this is when local participation, dialogue and scientific data have to be considered to decide the future management scheme of the protected area. Several meetings were held with each of the fishermen groups and their association to explain the different protected area categories provided by the legal system. Thanks to the participatory process, San Fernando was declared as a National Reserve and the local fishermen felt involved and heard in the process.

After developing several communications products geared to different audiences, we released the valuation findings at the International Year of the Reef Symposium in Belize City in November 2008. We also distributed findings in a six-page summary pamphlet for decision makers; several local partners also incorporated the results into videos shown to the Prime Minister and other officials at the gala event that evening. At the request of the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT), we also produced a one-page document aimed at policymakers and have distributed it through PACT and other local partners. We also made Excel-based tools to facilitate replication of our valuation methods and data collection. These tools and users’ manuals, along with the full technical report and summary, are all freely available for download at our website. The Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, along with WWF, WCS, Oceana, and many other local NGOs, have used the economic valuation findings in their efforts to negotiate for tighter fishing regulations, new mangrove legislation, a ban on offshore oil drilling, and other conservation and sustainable management goals.

The national authority begins the process to create a protected area management committee by inviting interested local stakeholders. Members are registered, and a council and a President are elected by the General Assembly. The management committee itself becomes a space for dialogue and allows issues to be discussed before tensions turn into conflicts. It also facilitates support from local stakeholders to the protected area management authority to carry out specific activities. The Fishermen’s Association and collectives are also members of the management committee and are active in the general assembly. A representative from the Fishermen’s Association was elected as President of the Management Committee, legitimizing the association as one of the most powerful and relevant actors in the protected area. This made communications between fishermen and government authorities more fluid and management decisions are made based on formal processes.

As the Wet Tropics Management Authority works with more than 20 Aboriginal communities in the Wet Tropics region, it was important we use a transparent and fair process to select a group to undertake a P3DM. An expression of interest was developed and distributed outlining parameters of the project, its potential benefits and what would be required of the community. Written applications were assessed, and applicants interviewed against a series of questions. Selection was based on a combination of the written applications and interviews.

The triggering factor that started the updating process of the Reserve’s master plan, were the inhabitants’ concerns about floods affecting them. In response to this, CECON is leading a process of gathering, updating and analysing information to propose management actions and strategies to be included in the updated master plan. Additionally, final discussions with stakeholders and elaboration of the final version of the updated master plan to be presented and approved by CONAP are ongoing.

Through a series of workshops and research, each Landscape uncovers their “unique point of difference” - what it is that makes their Landscape stand out from the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, the experiences that make them world class. This piece of work, known as Destination Positioning, forms a template for the delivery of their unique visitor experiences and informs a strategic framework for planning, regional tourism development, and marketing. The National Landscapes approach demonstrates the critical role an appropriate consultation and planning framework (through the Destination Positioning and Experience Development Strategy) can play in cultivating the necessary partnerships and ensuring a truly collaborative approach, is applied to regional tourism planning.

Each Landscape must develop an Experience Development Strategy (EDS). This is a tool for focused destination management planning, driven by each Landscape’s Destination Positioning. It provides a framework where regional partners collaborate to consider new tourism projects, infrastructure needs, conservation impacts and marketing to improve the stock of world class experiences and their delivery to the target market. Each EDS includes an implementation plan identifying priority projects; sustainability initiatives; business opportunities; visitor management, infrastructure proposals and more. Wherever possible EDS’ link or integrate with other regional planning processes. Implementing these strategies to develop new or improved visitor experiences creates new opportunities for international standard product to be marketed domestically and internationally.

The collection of 16 Landscapes represents world-class nature and culture in Australia. Signature Product criteria have been developed to identify the best iconic experiences within each Landscape, those featuring outstanding natural and cultural values which showcase conservation outcomes and commitment to quality. Signature products are promoted through Tourism Australia’s digital, social and public relations channels to inspire consumers (in particular the “experience seeker” target market), to visit Australia, and include the National Landscapes in their itineraries. New signature products, being delivered within the Landscapes, are already demonstrating how great visitor experiences can provide opportunities for learning about Australia’s natural and cultural values while adding to our understanding of those values. They are providing an opportunity for visitors to play an active role in conserving those values for the future and demonstrating that they can also be commercially attractive.

Plot rendering is based on a strong partnership between a municipality, the association of farmers in the county (or pastoral Group) and the Pyrenees National Park. The town, which owns the land, extends and provides the plot. The Pastoral Group is responsible for the plot. It supplies the plot with dead carcasses naturally in its operations, and cleans it regularly. The Pyrenees National Park follows the population of vultures, initiated the project, and technically and financially supports the development of the plot.