For the last 30 years, Neil has worked in the field of natural resource management in Victoria and Japan and has experience in commercial forestry, business management, park management and endangered species conservation.

Neil played a lead role in establishing both Melbourne Parks and Waterways and Parks Victoria and has been responsible for introducing and implementing a strategic management approach to the parks industry in Australia. This has included the introduction of prudent business management practices, as well as innovative improvements in conservation management.

Neil's qualifications include a Bachelor of Forest Science and a Masters Degree in Business Administration, and he completed the Leadership Victoria Program in 1999. Neil is currently Chair of the Williamson Community Leadership Fellows Group, Board member the Gould League, a member of the WCPA, a CEDA Trustee, and former Board member of the Victorian Coastal Council.
Neil is the General Manager of Parks and Marine, at Parks Victoria.

Any spare time is spent enjoying life with his wife, Margaret, and his three children, Liam, Caitlin and Megan. Interests include gardening, bird watching, travelling, basketball, Kendo and farming.

Established in 1996 by combining Melbourne Parks and Waterways and Victoria's National Parks Service (Australia's first national park agency, set up in 1956), Parks Victoria is a statutory authority reporting to the state government's Minister for Environment. Its staff of around 1000 are responsible for managing a wide range of parks - national, state, wilderness, coastal, marine, historic, metropolitan and reservoir - which cover some 4.1 million hectares, or 17% of the state's land area, and for the recreational management of Port Phillip and Western Port Bays and Melbourne's Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers. It also manages 2785 conservation reserves.

Parks Victoria's expenditure in 2006 was $A156 million; the park system is estimated to contribute some $A960 million annually to the Victorian economy.

Vision: An outstanding park and waterway system, protected and enhanced, for people, forever.

Lance Vervoort is the General Manager, Parks with the Auckland Regional Council and his portfolio includes the guardianship of 25 regional parks, including the Auckland Botanic Gardens and Mt. Smart Stadium. Lance has been with the ARC since 1994, with his first six years as leader of the Biosecurity Unit in the Environmental Management Department, and he moved into his current role in 2000. Lance has previously held environmental and operational management positions in local government and within the commercial sector. Outside of work, Lance is heavily involved in a number of sports, is a keen fisherman and enjoys spending time on his lifestyle block with his family.

The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) owns and manages on behalf of all Aucklanders a network of 25 regional parks, including the Auckland Botanic Gardens and Mt Smart Stadium, covering over 40,000 hectares. These parks help to protect New Zealand's natural and cultural heritage. Over five million visits are made to the regional parks every year.

Nearly 1.2 million people (a third of New Zealand's population) live in the Auckland region, the fastest-growing region in the country. Of overseas migrants to New Zealand, almost 70% settle in Auckland. It is the largest Polynesian city in the world.

ARC Vision
The Auckland Region – A Great Place to Live.

Parks Vision
World class, well known, accessible parks that contribute to community well-being, provide a range of quality experiences and preserve the natural essence of the region

Russell Watkinson is the Director of Parks, Conservation and Lands in the ACT Department of Territory and Municipal services. Previously, Russell held the position of Director of Parks and Places. From 1998 to 2004, Russell was the Executive Director of the Wet Tropics Management Authority in Cairns.

Prior to joining the Wet Tropics Management Authority, Russell was Regional Manager (Coastal Program) for Far North Queensland with Queensland Department of Environment. From 1992 to 1996, Russell held the position of Deputy Director – Victorian Fisheries – Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Previous to that, Russell worked as a Senior Executive in Parks and Land Management with the Melbourne Board of Works and with Victorian National Parks at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Russell gained his MSc in Landscape Ecology, Design and Maintenance at London University and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an Associate of Leisure Australia and is also an active member of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand.

Parks, Conservation and Lands (PCL) is a business unit within the Environment and Recreation Network in the Department of Territory and Municipal Services of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government, responsible for planning and management of parks and reserves, and the public domain, including lakes, street trees, public open space and city places. It protects and conserves the natural resources of the ACT, promotes appropriate recreational, educational and scientific uses of our parks and reserves, and maintains the look of the city and its environs

Vision: Canberra's natural and built environment is effectively managed to conserve biodiversity and to support an enjoyable, healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

Grant Baker is General Manager, Corporate Services Group with the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC). His portfolio includes leadership in the department's finances, legal, project management, information services & sustainability.

Grant has been with the DOC since 1997, with his first 3 years as the General Manager of the Northern region of New Zealand and he moved into his current role in 2000. Grant has previously held general management positions in engineering organisations including a lengthy career in television and radio broadcasting. Outside of work, Grant is a keen sport person with active involvement in cricket and golf with a high interest in all other sports.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is New Zealand's leading central government agency responsible for the conservation of natural and historic heritage.
DOC manages 14 national parks totalling around three million hectares, 20 conservation parks, marine reserves covering over a million hectares, 500 historic places and some 3,500 reserves. More than five million hectares, or a third of New Zealand, is protected in parks and reserves.
DOC manages 16,000 structures including viewing platforms, about 3500 bridges and more than 10,000 km of tracks. There are about 1500 permanent staff and up to 500 temporary and seasonal staff.

Mission: To conserve New Zealand's natural and historic heritage for all to enjoy, now and in the future.

He ata whakaute, manaaki, me te tiaki ia Papatuanuku ki Aotearoa kia u tonu ai tona whakawaiutanga hei oranga ngakau mo te tini te mano inaianei, ake tonu ake.

Vision: New Zealand's natural and historic heritage is protected; people enjoy it and are involved with the Department in its conservation.

Kei te mahi ngatahi te Papa Atawhai me nga iwi whanui ki te whakaute, te manaaki me te tiaki i nga taonga koiora me nga taonga tuku iho o Aotearoa hei painga mo te katoa.

Steve Corbett was appointed as Director and Chief Executive of Centennial Parklands in July 2004.

Most recently, Steve was the CEO of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. He has 30 years industry experience in the management and operation of parks, botanic gardens, estates, landscapes and open space areas. He previously played a key role in the development of Mount Annan Botanic Garden in south-west Sydney, and managed the Sydney Gardens, Domain and Government House grounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens. He also served as Manager Estate Projects with the Olympic Coordination Authority at Sydney Olympic Park.

Situated between Sydney CBD and Bondi Beach, Centennial Parklands features three of Australia's most historic and picturesque parks: Centennial Park, Moore Park and Queens Park.  Formed in the late 19th century, Centennial Parklands played host to the proclamation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The Federation Pavilion now stands on this site to celebrate the birthplace of a nation. Extending over 360 hectares and attracting over 5 million visits each year, Centennial Parklands offers something for everyone.

New South Wales Premier Sir Henry Parkes dedicated Centennial Parklands in Sydney as a public open space in 1888, the centenary of European settlement in Australia. Centennial Parklands is now managed by the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, established by the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Act 1983. The total land area managed is 361 hectares.
In 2002-03 the Trust had 61.5 employees, not including temporary agency staff.

Vision: Centennial Parklands is living Sydney.

Mission: To manage Australia's premier integrated leisure environment as a place of beauty, peace, excitement, history and culture while achieving effective environmental, social and economic sustainability.

Margaret is Principal Officer Open Space Planning.  In this policy and strategy role she is responsible for:  

• Engaging the community in open space planning and issues;
• Finalising and strongly advocating for the delivery of the Brisbane Open Space Strategy; and
• Influencing key government, business and community leaders and decision makers regarding strategic open space planning and management.

Since commencing with BCC in 1994, Margaret has worked in sport and recreation planning and development, instituted structural change management, formulated new functional areas in community facility planning, and developed award-winning recreation activity and participation programs.

In 1859 Brisbane was declared a municipality - a city with its own local government. The city was named after Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, who was a noted astronomer and sixth Governor of New South Wales from 1821 to 1825. In 1925, the Queensland State Parliament passed the City of Brisbane Act to set up a single government in Brisbane. Before this, the Brisbane area had been divided into 20 local authorities and joint boards. The act reduced the number of aldermen for the Brisbane area from more than 200 down to 26.

Brisbane City Council is the largest local government in Australia. It delivers a wide range of quality services to the Brisbane community, working closely with other government and peak bodies, industries and associations to meet the needs of this region. The city's population was 980,000 in 2006 and is projected to grow to 1.1 million by 2026. Brisbane's extensive and expanding park network consists of over 2000 parks and conservation reserves covering in excess of 13,500 hectares.

Primary outcome - A city that reflects our sub-tropical lifestyle with attractive parks available to all and enjoyed by many.

Francis is the Manager Parks Services for the City of Melbourne.  In his role, he is responsible for the management and maintenance of the City's parks and tree assets.   Francis is a civil engineer by profession and also has an MBA from Monash University.   He has held senior local government roles in Victoria as well as other engineering roles in the UK and Malaysia.   Francis' main areas of interest lie in project management and contract management. 

Melbourne has enjoyed a reputation as a 'garden city' since last century when Victoria's first Governor, Charles La Trobe, set aside thousands of acres for 'public advantage and recreation'.   Today the parks and gardens of this beautiful capital city are among its greatest assets, attracting visitors from interstate and overseas.

Nowhere in the world will you find the density and quality of parklands that encircle the centre of Melbourne.   Vast and verdant, the manicured lawns and floral displays are scattered with elegant gazebos, cooling fountains and theatrical statues.

The location and size of Melbourne's green open space establishes the character of the City as one of spacious parks and gardens.   The parks, together with boulevards of elm and plane trees and Hoddle's grid, are key defining elements of the City. 

Greg Leaman is the Director of National Parks and Wildlife and Director of Natural and Cultural Heritage with the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage.

He has extensive knowledge and experience in parks and protected area management, gained over 30 years in executive, management and operational positions in South Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia, and Tasmania.
Appointed to his current position in 2001, Greg is responsible for the department’s public land management, coast and marine conservation, heritage conservation and animal welfare programs. This includes the development and management of the terrestrial and marine parks and reserves system and associated visitor services. He is also responsible for the department's Aboriginal reconciliation and partnerships program.

In his capacity as Director of National Parks and Wildlife, Greg chairs the General Reserves Trust and is a member of the National Parks and Wildlife Council and the Wilderness Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and the Australian and New Zealand Heads of Park Agencies group.

The Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) serves the South Australian community through the Government of South Australia. The Department manages the State's public land - land held in the conservation reserve system and as Crown lands. It has a primary role in environment policy, biodiversity conservation, heritage conservation, environmental sustainability and animal welfare, and is a custodian of information and knowledge about the State's environment.

DEH is part of the Environment and Conservation Portfolio. Other agencies within the Portfolio are the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, the Environment Protection Authority and the Office of Zero Waste SA.

Vision: Conserving and restoring our environment for all generations.

Kevin is the Manager Park Lands and Sustainability Policy with Adelaide
City Council, a role that blends two very important portfolios, open
space management and urban sustainability policy development.
His experience extends over 30 years in both SA and NSW, predominately
in Local Government in the management of the environment, leisure
facilities, open space and major sporting events.

He has represented the industry, professional associations and his
employers on various boards and committees in this time and continues to
do so. As well as being a Board Member with Parks Forum he is National
 Deputy President   of Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) and a Board Member for the SA/NT Region of PLA.

The Adelaide Park Lands are a distinguishing feature which sets Adelaide apart from many other cities in the world. The Park Lands form a 700 hectare green belt which surrounds the City of Adelaide and provides for a range of activities including environmental, recreational, educational and cultural. Laid out by Colonel Light in 1837 as an essential aspect of Adelaide's design, the Park Lands have maintained their fundamental shape and represent a 19th Century planning ideal which showed tremendous foresight for the need of open space in the modern urban environment.

Vision: The Adelaide Park Lands, along with the Squares, form a unique open space system which creates a distinctive image for the City and supports the economic and social life of Adelaide and South Australia. The environmental and recreational landscapes of the Park Lands are highly valued by the citizens of South Australia and visitors to our State. They will therefore be protected, nurtured and enhanced for the enjoyment of the whole community and for future generations.

Graham is Executive Director of Parks in the Northern Territory’s Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts.   He is responsible for the management and development of the parks estate across the Northern Territory and for expanding off-park conservation activities particularly through partnerships with Indigenous Protected Areas.

The Northern Territory Parks Service has a staff of 170 people based at 31locations who manage 87 parks and reserves across the Northern Territory, which is approximately 3.8% (4.7M ha) of the Territory’s land mass.  The parks and reserves include small urban parks, historic reserves, vast remote parks and one marine park.  32 of the parks and reserves are either jointly-managed or have agreements in place to establish joint management in the next few years.

The parks and reserves of the Territory are the basis on which approximately 90% of the tourism activities in the Territory and therefore are major contributors to the second largest industry in the Territory and cornerstones of regional economies.  In many areas they are able to make significant contributions to Indigenous employment and business development.

Jim Sharp has a strong interest in the establishment, promotion and sustainable use of protected areas.

He was born and educated in Western Australia and has worked in State recreation and conservation agencies since graduating from the University of WA in 1971.

Jim worked in social research at the Ministry of Sport and Recreation before joining the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) in 1985 as a Scientific Advisor to the Director of National Parks. From 1989 to 1994 he managed the development of park policy, tourism and recreation access, Aboriginal policy, volunteers, external funding, leases and licences, and research in visitation.

He was appointed as CALM’s Director of National Parks in August 1996 after acting in the position for two years. He was then formally appointed as Deputy Director General Parks and Conservation in early 2008 following the merger of CALM and the Department of Environment to form the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Jim is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas Working Group on Tourism in Protected Areas.

He is also a Board Member of the Friends of the Bibbulmun Track which is a source of considerable satisfaction. The Board is a model for the development of unique cross regional partnerships focused on the natural environment.

Western Australia’s Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) was formed on 1 July 2006 with the merger of the former departments of Conservation and Land Management, and Environment.
The Department has responsibility for protecting and conserving the State’s environment on behalf of the people of WA. This includes managing the State’s national parks, marine parks, conservation parks, State forests and timber reserves, nature reserves, marine nature reserves and marine management areas. This estate covers a total area of more than 27 million hectares and the terrestrial reserves make up about 10 per cent of the land area of WA.

Its key responsibilities include broad roles in managing, regulating and assessing many aspects of the use of the State’s natural resources. The Department contributes to the development of environmental protection policies, managing the environmental impact assessment process and carrying out regulatory functions to achieve improved environmental outcomes. It is also responsible for management of contaminated sites and coordination of pollution incident responses.

As well, the Department is responsible for fire preparedness and pest animal and weed control on 89 million hectares of unallocated Crown land and unmanaged reserves.

DEC had a budget of more than $200 million in 2007-2008, a staff of approximately 2000 and nearly 10,000 registered volunteers.

Vision: A healthy, diverse and well-managed Western Australian environment.

Digby is a public park and recreation careerist, having held positions with national, state, regional, and municipal agencies in New Zealand, the USA and Iceland. He holds Doctoral, Directors, and Masters degrees in Public Parks and Recreation Administration from Indiana University and a Masters degree in Public Policy from Massey University.

Digby is currently Group Manager, Manukau Parks, and was formerly Manager, Parks Operations with the Auckland Regional Parks Service, and the Executive Officer of the New Zealand Conservation Authority. He is the Chair of the New Zealand Recreation Association Accreditation Board and Vice President of a marina management board, and enjoys boating and other outdoor recreation pursuits.

The Southernmost of the four cities in the Auckland region, Manukau is distinctive for its young multicultural population of European, Maori, Pacific Island, and Asian peoples. The City straddles New Zealand's east and west coasts, comprising 350 km of coastline within a 55,200 ha area. Rapid growth has created New Zealand's third largest city, at 340,000 population, and the green space actively maintained by Manukau Parks has nearly doubled to 2600 ha since 2000.

Manukau Parks manages the City's green space including 900 parks, waterways, civic areas and streetscapes valued at $1 billion NZ. This includes 100 km of coastal and riparian parkland, 445 ha of sports fields, 54,000 street trees and 9.6 ha of gardens. The 2008/9 annual operational budget is $31 million NZ with a further $22 million for capital development and $4 million for land purchase. Works and maintenance are contracted out, the 29 staff providing park planning, development and maintenance contract management, and a uniformed park ranger service.

Vision: Making Connections, the parks strategy, and a component of the city-wide plan Tomorrow's Manukau, provides vision for the department, and is based around a theme of:

• Making physical connections or links between parks across the city
• Making cultural connections in the City and linking different communities
• Communities making connections with the natural environment

Michael Wright holds the position of Director, Protected Areas Policy and Programs Branch in the Parks & Wildlife Group (PWG) of the Department of Environment & Climate Change (DECC) (New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service). In this role he is responsible for development, implementation and review of policies, planning frameworks and programs to lead and support protected area establishment and wildlife management.

Michael has some 13 years continuous experience with NPWS having previously been the manager of the agency's policy division and subsequently its Director, Policy & Science and Director, Reserve & Wildlife Conservation Branch.

Prior to this time, Michael was working in the NSW Cabinet Office on a range of public policy matters dealing with natural resource management, land use planning and environment protection. This followed stints with industry associations and Commonwealth agencies.

Michael holds graduate qualifications in both English literature and economics and enjoys most outdoor pursuits and travel whenever possible.

The Department of Environment & Climate Change   (DECC) was established in 2003 by combining Environmental Protection Authority, Royal Botanical Gardens Trust and Resource NSW, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS established in 1967) reports to the state government's Minister for the Environment.

DECC manages natural and cultural heritage and delivers programs to assist in conservation and environmental protection. Within DEC, the NPWS manages more than 8% of NSW (approx 6.5m ha) in over 650 parks and reserves with a budget of more than $200m pa and more than 1400 staff. This includes the world heritage listed Blue Mountains, Mungo and Central Eastern Rainforests of Australia parks and reserves. In addition NPWS works collaboratively with the NSW Dept of Primary Industries to manage, through the Marine Park Authority, six multiple (6) use Marine Parks covering some 30% of the NSW coast.

Vision: A healthy environment cared for and enjoyed by the whole community and sustained for future generations

David Young is the General Manager, Operations & Sustainability for the Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

Since 1982 David has held various senior park management positions with State and Local Government agencies in both Victoria and New South Wales. David completed 12 years in Victorian local government undertaking various roles including management of parks, recreation, conservation, local laws, emergencies, fire prevention, sports venues and municipal enterprises; before completing his local government tour with a 5 year term as Director Parks & Landscapes with NSW Ku-ring-gai Council.

In 1999 David joined the NSW Olympic Coordination Authority as Director Estate Management and led the planning and implementation of ‘site management' for and during the 2000 Olympic Games at Sydney Olympic Park. David is now General Manager, Operations & Sustainability and responsible for leading the Authority's day to day place management including public events, site operations, visitor programs, asset management, parklands development, environment, ecosystems, security, regulatory enforcement, urban planning, building control, design and traffic.

Sydney Olympic Park Authority is a statutory authority set up under its own legislation to conserve, maintain and develop Sydney Olympic Park. The Authority is governed by a Board of Directors and reports to the NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation and Tourism.

At a cost of $1.9 B Sydney Olympic Park was created as the legacy of the 2000 Olympic Games, provided by the NSW Government for the people of NSW and Australia.

The park was transformed from industrial wastelands, through the largest site renewal program ever undertaken in Australia involving over 10 years of site remediation, land-forming, revegetation, and construction prior to 2000. Since 2000 there has been progressive landscape growth, facilities development, and remnant features conservation. The park contains some of the world's best sporting venues; is home to a number of threatened flora and fauna species, and provides a diverse range of leisure and educational opportunities along with distinctive and memorable visitor experiences.

Sydney Olympic Park extends over 640 ha; including 425 ha of naturalistic parklands, and 215 ha comprising of event venues and an emerging township. Visitation levels reached 8 million in 2007 and is well underway to becoming a new township. Sydney Olympic Park will become a unique ‘town in a park' as commercial and residential developments progress in the town centre; and will eventually be home to over 20,000 residents and over 15,000 workers on-site.
The future Sydney Olympic Park will have three core roles: to be a premier major events precinct; have world class parklands and be a modern township.

The Authority has taken a place leadership position to build and maintain, to international standards, a unique integrated township through a comprehensive place management function and a diverse array of place making units addressing development opportunities associated with marketing, commercial, community, business and property.

Vision: A great place to live, learn, work and play – a place for all people set in a world class built and natural environment.