Andrew Nixon

Which field trip are you leading?

Integrating People and Parks: Australia’s bush capital and the Australian Alps Cooperative Management Program

How did you come to be involved with Protected Areas?

Rich and rewarding experiences recreating in natural landscapes gave me an appreciation. Walking, climbing, skiing – being there and tasting an outdoor life and all it has to offer drew me to a role in its protection.

Why are you passionate about Protected Areas?

They are the places that we all have a link to. For 99% of human existence these were the places that we lived and gave us sustenance. The forest, the woods, the mountain valleys, the desert and ocean shores are all places we can call home. By caring for them we honour the earth and who we are.

Why should delegates choose your field trip?

This trip will be fun. But equally and more so it will be of high professional value for those interested in:

• The creation of a city that harmonises with its natural environment. A city whose residents can continually feel connected to nature. A century old just last year, the planners’ intent and how it developed is a story to be shared.
• How cooperative management between governments and their protected area agencies can work for mutually beneficial outcomes. In the driest continent on earth, here is a relatively small part of the country which is in itself a vast place, cared for cooperatively across multiple jurisdictions.

Why did you want to be a Field Trip Leader for the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014?

I am the Program Manager for the Australian Alps Cooperative Management Program. My colleagues and I are proud of the Program and its 27 years of cooperative cross border management of the Alps. I enjoy that part of my work which provides for interaction with other protected area professionals.

Attendance at the 2004 Durban WPC was enlightening. And over the past two and a half decades I have networked widely with the world ranger community. Why wouldn’t I want to meet up with you folk!

What do you hope the IUCN World Parks Congress achieves?

Passion. A reminder that we the stewards of these special parts of the planet have a job to do. Let the Congress rekindle our enthusiasm and affirm that, in working together, we can both protect these places and provide for our communities.

What’s been your most memorable experience within a Protected Area?

So many, but mostly some moments when spiritually a connection occurred with a special place. Now that’s a ‘Wow!’ experience.