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For a printable version of the program please click here
For a current congress program please click here.
For a current program with links to papers please click here.
Additional meetings On Monday 24th November, a separate meeting is to be held. This meeting is for Indigenous people involved in the management and conservation of “protected areas” which include National Parks, Indigenous Protected Areas, Conservation Areas, Heritage Protected Areas, Bush Heritage and high Biodiversity areas to share and benefit from information and knowledge in regard to what is working and what is not when Caring for Country.For more information please contact Chrissy Grant on
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Registration for this meeting is at no charge and can be done when registering online for APAC. It is possible to register for this day only by contacting Chrissy Grant.
On Thursday 27th November there will be a meeting on Developing Scientific Principles for Design of MPAs in Australian Waters. This meeting has been organised by Romola Stewart from University of Queensland and is open to all delegates to engage and consult with MPA practitioners on this topic. The meeting will commence at 5.15pm in the Mudjimba 3 room and last approximately one hour. For more information please contact Romola Stewart at
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Congress Keynote Speakers 
Allan Holmes
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Allan Holmes is the Chief Executive for the Department for Environment & Heritage in SA which he has held
since 2000 and was formerly held the position of Director of National Parks and Wildlife.
Allan has a Bachelor of Science from Melbourne University and a Master of Environmental Studies from Adelaide University.
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Chris Dickman
| Chris Dickman is Professor in Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, and Director of the Institute of Wildlife Research at the University of Sydney. He has also been elected a fellow of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales.
In his research, Professor Dickman investigates factors that influence the distribution and abundance of
terrestrial vertebrates. He is curious to know the causes of the intriguing patterns of vertebrate distributions
in the Australian fauna, and concerned that many species have declined or become extinct with the advent of European settlement. For the last 20 years he has studied the exceptionally rich communities of small mammals and lizards of arid Australia. This research contributes to theoretical debate about the importance of biotic and physical processes in shaping population and species dynamics, and to practical conservation gains.
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Penelope Figgis
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Penelope Figgis AO has been a senior member of the Australian environment movement for over 30 years. She is Vice Chair for Australia and New Zealand of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas. Her current positions include Board Member of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Chair of the Parklands Advisory Committee, Director, Parklands Foundation, member of the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council and Visiting Fellow at the Graduate School of the Environment, Macquarie University.
Penny has contributed to environmental policy in Australia through governance of NGOs, writing, policy development, advocacy and public speaking. She has written and spoken extensively on protected areas, World Heritage, conservation on private lands, and nature based tourism.
She was national lobbyist for the Australian Conservation Foundation in the 1980s and served seventeen years on the ACF Council and as Vice President. Other roles include the boards or committees of Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, the Australian Bush Heritage Fund, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, the Australian Tourist Commission, the Environment Protection Authority of New South Wales, the Great Barrier Reef Consultative Committee, Landcare Australia, and the Jenolan Caves Trust.
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Mark Stone
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Mark was appointed Chief Executive of Parks Victoria in 1998.
Parks Victoria is the park management agency responsible for 4 million hectares of the State’s environmental, recreational and tourism assets.
Mark is currently the Director of National Parks in Victoria; an Australia Day Ambassador;
Chairman of Variety the children’s charity; and a Board member of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Day Council.
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Michael Dunlop |
Mike has a background in physics, ecology and integrated analyses of resource futures. He also works on biodiversity & climate change policy; including an analysis of the implications of climate change for the National Reserve System, and helping State Governments and NGOs understand and address the implications of climate change. | 
Jeannie Robin
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Jeannie Robin is a Pitjantjatjara woman and project manager for Kuka Kanyini Walalkara - a natural resource management project that is managed by the Robin Family, whose traditional land is Walalkara, 50 kilometres south of Fregon in far north South Australia.
The Robin family’s history of commitment to world’s best practice conservation standards has resulted in Walalkara having one of the highest diversities of reptile species found anywhere in the world and populations of rare and endangered species, including mallee fowl and the great desert skink.
Kuka Kanyini (meaning looking after game animals) is funded by the Australian Government through the Alinytjara Wilurara NRM Board. Walalkara is also an Indigenous Protected Area.
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Leanne Liddle
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An Arrente woman born in Alice Springs, Leanne is both a lawyer and scientist.
Leanne has worked on the international circuit having worked for the UN in Geneva, New York and Paris.
Leanne currently works for the Department for Environment and Heritage as the Aboriginal Lands Program Co-ordinator.
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Nik Lopoukhine
| Nikita (Nik) Lopoukhine
Born in Paris France. Completed a BSc. Forestry Degree from Syracuse University in 1968 and a MSc. Diploma in Plant Ecology from the University of Saskatchewan in 1972. Employed by the Canadian Forestry Service and Environment Canada (the latter mostly in Halifax NS). Completed an assignment with Treasury Board, Program Branch prior to joining Parks Canada in 1981. Employed as science advisor in ecology for Parks Canada. In June 2000 appointed the first Executive Director, Ecological Integrity and then in May 2001 appointed Director General of the National Parks Directorate. Retired July 2005. Elected as Chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas at the November 2004 IUCN - World Conservation Congress and re-elected at the Barcelona World Conservation Congress. Served in the mid 90s as Chair of the Society for Ecological Restoration International currently on the Editorial Board of Restoration Ecology.
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Shirley McPherson
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Born in Perth and raised in the Murchison region of WA, Ms McPherson is a chartered accountant and a board member of First Australians in Business.
Ms McPherson has held senior positions in the private, government and university sectors and has a wealth of experience at the regional, national and international levels of government in program delivery and private business development. Ms McPherson has worked as a consultant to the mining industry in negotiating land-use agreements in the Pilbara and Goldfields areas of WA, was formerly the Chair of the Aboriginal Development Corporation, is a past director of the Indigenous Business Network, has worked as a mediator for the National Native Title Tribunal and is a past director of KPMG Management Consulting Services.
Ms McPherson is a member of the Australian delegation to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples. Other professional and key associations held include:
• Associate Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia
• Certified Practising Accountant – Australian Society of CPAs
• Member of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA, on behalf of the ILC; and
• Member of the Senate of Murdoch University.
Ms McPherson was appointed to the ILC as Chairperson in August 2001.
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David Sheppard | David Sheppard has worked for 30 years in the fields of conservation and natural resource management.
His professional experience ranges from on ground field management to executive level. He has undertaken missions to over 60 countries working on a range of aspects relating to protected areas, conservation and natural resource management. He has worked at national (Australia), regional (South Pacific) and international levels. His personality blends a strong performance orientation with a friendly, outgoing nature.
David’s currently directs IUCN’s Global Programme on Protected Areas, providing leadership and direction for IUCN’s work in this area and, in particular, for the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) - the world's largest network of protected areas professionals. He also leads IUCN’s role with the influential UNESCO World Heritage (WH) Convention and has presented more than 150 nomination documents to the WH Committee, as well as numerous monitoring reports on high profile, controversial WH sites. | 
Mayor Bob Abbot
| Bob Abbot was elected Mayor of the Sunshine Coast Council in March 2008 with a 70% majority. Bob has a strong commitment to achieving for the Sunshine Coast community on the following issues:
• Development of a Transport Strategy covering two elements – a transport link between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane and an intra-regional public transport system.
• Working with the many seniors groups to promote the needs of the more senior members of our community.
• A service oriented Council culture with development of first-rate teams right across Council’s workforce all delivering good governance.
• Environmental Excellence – working with and developing genuine partnerships with established community groups to provide continuing support in their efforts to protect and enhance our natural environment.
• The Sunshine Coast becoming a leader in sustainable action and making it Australia’s most sustainable region in matters like waste management, energy saving and alternative energy generation, water saving, local production and consumption of local produce.
• Sustainable Local Communities/Community Governance
• Leadership
Bob combines his knowledge and experience in local government (22 years with Noosa Council eleven of which were as Mayor) with a drive to develop the Sunshine Coast as Australia's most sustainable region. Bob has a ready wit, and prides himself on being a man of the people. | 
Larry Innes
| Larry is the Executive Director of the Canadian Boreal Initiative, where he leads collaborative conservation efforts involving First Nations, environmental, and industry partners across Canada’s Boreal region. The efforts of CBI and its partners have resulted in the designation over 100 million acres for conservation, largely by supporting First Nation-led conservation and land use planning initiatives. Larry has over a decade of experience in this regard, having advised and represented several First Nations asserting land rights, implementing land stewardship programs, and negotiating with federal and provincial governments, major mining, forestry and hydroelectric interests.
Larry holds a law degree from the University of Victoria, a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University, and obtained his bachelor’s degree in McMaster University’s innovative Arts & Science Programme. He is called to the bar in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, and practices with Olthuis, Kleer, Townshend, a Toronto law firm specializing in Aboriginal and environmental law. He lives in Goose Bay, Labrador with his wife, two children and a retired sled dog.
Larry’s visit to Australia is supported by The Nature Conservancy, Pew Environment Group and WWF Australia |
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Program & Speakers 
