Doctoral candidate, MESPOM alumna 2007-2009, Diane Matar successfully participated in the IUCN World Parks Congress

Doctoral student Diane Matar successfully participated in the IUCN World Parks Congress that took place at the Sydney Olympic Park on Nov. 12-21. In the framework of the congress' Stream 1: Reaching Conservation Goals, Diane shared with the audience the results of the first management effectiveness evaluation of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in North Africa (pic.1). The research was conducted in collaboration with IUCN North Africa program, and the presentation was attended by 50+ experts and practitioners in the field of protected areas management, including representatives from North Africa (pic.2). Her presentation was accompanied by a co-authored scientific poster exhibited in the Stream 1 room along with other posters representing PA management effectiveness initiatives in different parts of the world.

In addition, her new article presenting a case-study of PA management effectiveness evaluation in Lebanon appeared in the first E-Book on "Protected Areas Governance and Management" pre-launched in the "Protected Planet Pavilion" during the WPC (pic.3). The E-book will soon be published online, and freely accessible as a reference educational tool for the new generation of PA leaders.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3