WTA-conference-program-2024

Provisional Program for “Wild Tails”

Keep checking – details may change!

Tuesday 5th to Thursday 7th November

Field trips TBA


Tuesday 5 November 2024

9.00am  Welcome, opening Ronda Green (Araucaria Ecotours, Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia). Others TBA

9.15am  Design of participative environmental interpretation in White Sands New Mexico, USA Manuel Ramon Gonzalez Herrera (Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico) online

9.30am  Researching for a children’s story about wildlife Sarah Pye (University of Sunshine Coast) and Maree Kerr (Bat Conservation Society, vice-chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)

9.45am  From nature connection to healing: Creating the wellbeing experience through wildlife storytelling Aise Kim (University of South Australia, secretary Wildlife Tourism Australia) online.

10.00am Using all senses during tours Sonia Underdahl (tour guide)

10.15am The value and variety of story-telling (exact title TBA) Noel Scott (University of Sunshine Coast, WTA committee)

10.30amInterpreting Cape York Wildlife  Greg Clancy (Councillor, Clarence Valley, retired ecologist)

10.45am  Enhancing Geotourism through Engagement with Wildlife Angus M. Robinson (Leisure Solutions)

11.00amMorning Tea

11.25am Importance of training for tourism guiding (keynote) Jennifer Waithman (Interpretation Australia) 

12.05pm  Invert Interp – promoting our smallest natural wonders Colleen Foelz

12.20pm Building narratives (interactive discussion) Sarah Pye (University of Sunshine Coast)  

1.00pm  Lunch and poster session (see list of posters below)

1.50pm  Interpretive games and activities and how they relate to learning theory (exact title TBA) Dale Treadwell (Ecosure)

2.05pm Visitor Information Centres and wildlife tourism  Maree Kerr (Bat Conservation Society, vice-chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)

2.20pm  Storytelling in presentations Sian Mulhall (Moonlit Sanctuary)

2.35pm Wildlife education for the public: online and conventional media, guided walks and other (interactive discussion)  Scott O’Keefe and Ronda Green

Marine Discovery Centre

3.10pm Afternoon tea

3.40pm  Tour of Marine Discovery Centre  

4.25pm Mind the gap: Animals, guiding, storytelling  and you (keynote) Jonathon Spring online

5.10pm Sentient shark tourism. Tony Isaacson  

5.40 Close

6.00pm TBA – informal get-together

Posters (mostly available to peruse throughout the conference)

  • Reaching different audiences: example from signage in a Wildlife Ecology Centre Ronda Green (Araucaria Ecotours, Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)

Wednesday 6 November 2024

Bangalow Palm

7.20am Catch bus for field excursion

8.00am Interpretive forest walk at Bangalow with experienced Aboriginal tour guide Delta Kay

9.00am  Interpretive visit to fruitbat colony, Bangalow

9.30am  Visit to Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (Explore Sanctuary with its collection of native mammals, birds, frogs and reptiles in a lovely forest setting. Staff will explain their interpretation philosophy. which includes emphasis on seeing each wildlife species as part of a functioning ecosystem. Also hear about the work of the adjacent wildlife hospital.

12.00noon Lunch Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (Includes options involving the indigenous macadamia nuts )

1.00pm  Return to Hastings Point via Arakwal NP, one of the few Australian sites on IUCN’s Green List

2.15pm Explaining the blue economy to wildlife guides and tourists in Sri Lanka.  Madura Thivanka Pathirana (Edith Cowan University, Sri Lanka)

2.30pm Discussions from four days of Wildlife guiding workshops, Kinabatangan, Sabah (Borneo) Ronda Green (Araucaria Ecotours, Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia)  

2.45pm  Teaching “Wildlife Tourism” in Japan: Reflections from a new practicum Thomas Jones (Asia-Pacific University, Japan)

3.00pm  Developing effective interpretation design for communicating animal welfare messages to tourists in free-ranging settings in Japan: A preliminary investigation Rie Usui, (Asia-Pacific University, Japan), Remi Suga2 andMeng Qu

3.15pm  Afternoon tea

3.45pm Interpretative signs at Iruka jima dolphinarium in Tsukumi City Higashi Miku Sheli Kawazoe, Isogai Kurisu (Asia-Pacific University, Japan) online

4.00pm An exploratory study of snake cafes in Japan: From the perspective of animal welfare. Dai Ikeya (Bangor University, UK) online

4.15pm  Proposed Japanese chapter of WTA and other possible expansions, Rie Usui (Asia-Pacific University, Japan), Thomas Jones (Asia-Pacific University, Japan) Ronda Green (Araucaria Ecotours, Chair Wildlife Tourism Australia),

4.40pm  WTA AGM

6.00pm  Conference dinner Asian buffet

Thursday 6 November 2024

8.45am  Is interpretation effective? Effects of personal interpretation on park visitors’ satisfaction, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in Alberta, Canada Glen Hvenegaard, Elizabeth Halpenny and CJ Blye (University of Alberta, Canada. online

9.00am  Links between wildlife farming and wildlife tourism: Towards a reduction of greenwashing and an increase in sustainable wildlife tourism Jessica Bell Rizollo (Oregon State University, USA) online

9.15am  Citizen science in accessible tourism Vikki Schaffer (University of the Sunshine Coast)

9.30am  Best Practices for Designing Interpretive Experiences: Presenting to varied and mixed audiences. Bill Reynolds and Mike Mayer, (Experiential Interpretive Design) online

10.10am  Shark Dive and Hologram Zoo: Two Case Studies of Virtual Animal Encounters as Possible Models for Sustainable Wildlife Tourism Rebecca Scollen (University of Southern Queensland)

10.55am  Positive ecotour experiences: Enhancing conservation outcomes by encouraging pro- environmental behaviour. Leah Burns (Griffith University, committee member Wildlife Tourism Australia)

11.10am  Kangaroos Alive – Building the Kangaroo Walks & Talks Program Mick McIntyre and Craig Thompson, Kangaroos Alive

12,00 noon Interpreting roadkill (interactive discussion)  Elleke Leurs, University of Tasmania

12.40pm  A flying-fox roost as the destination Matthew Mo Maree Kerr, Sera Steves, Nicholas Colman

12.55pm Lunch

1.55pm  “Learning to give a flying fox about bats”: Exploring ways to affect positive behaviour change towards a maligned species Tyron de Kauwe (Sunshine Coast Council, Environmental Operations)

2.10pm Koala Guardians: Empowering tourists to protect an Australian icon. Katrin Hohwieler  (University of the Sunshine Coast), Romane Cristescu (University of the Sunshine Coast), Liz Foote (Griffith University), Cathryn Dexter, (Redland City Council), Elizabeth Brunton (University of the Sunshine Coast) and Kye McDonald,

2.25pm  TBA

2.40pm Afternoon tea

3.00pm  The value of interpretation and guide training: examples from South Africa (keynote) Annemi Zaaiman (Ecotraining, South Africa) online

3.45pm  TBA (wildlife trafficking) Simin Maleknia (Tetratherix Medical Devices, treasurer Wildlife Tourism Australia)

3.50pm  How science can identify and trace illegal timber from wildlife habitats, and discussion on raising public awareness Victor Deklerck (World Forest ID, Belgium) online

4.25pm  Plenary discussion: Where to from here?

5.00pm Close of conference

Friday 8th – Sunday 10th November

Friday Field trip with bird ecologist Greg Clancy. Details TBA

Overnight field trip from the conference venue visiting coasts and forest and ending at the Gold Coast airport or Brisbane. Details TBA

Others TBA

You can also do your own exploring.

Byron Bay is a short drive away, where you can see Cape Byron (the most easterly part of Australia), beautiful beaches, a variety of restaurants, and the nearby Arawkal National Park : “Arakwal was the first protected area in the world to be IUCN Green Listed. Achieving Green List certification means the protected area has good governance, sound design and planning and effective management. Together these factors support successful conservation outcomes.” Cape Cape Byron State Conservation Area is also part of IUCN’s Green List .

There are many other great places in the district to explore.

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