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International Workshop on Marine Ecotourism 4-6 October 2001

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Biographies of the META- team

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UWE Bristol (Lead Partner) (UK)

David Macaulay Bruce

MA (St Andrews) in history and political economy and MPhil (Edinburgh) in urban design and regional planning (Thesis - "Pedestrian Priority Shopping Streets") is a Chartered Town Planner, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Transport and of the Tourism Society. Formerly a corporate planner and marketing manager with National Bus Company, he is a Principal Lecturer and Researcher in Tourism at Bristol Business School, University of the West of England. In 1993 he led the transnational European Commission funded research Project on sustainable tourism and continues to be project's director for the Europe-wide association of walled towns, the Walled Towns Friendship Circle. Publications include: 'Tourism in Walled Towns' (Journal of Tourism Management 1994), 'The walled town of Alcúdia as a focus of alternative tourism in Mallorca' (with Antonio Serra Cantalopps in 'Sustainable Tourism in Islands and Small States: Volume 2' Cassell 1996), 'Towards a sustainability index for tourism transport' (in Interdisciplinary Strands 1997), 'Tourism, History and local pride' (in 'Heritage, Culture and Community' ATLAS 1998) and 'Measuring Sustainability in Tourism: lessons from the Chepstow study for European Walled Towns (with Jackson M.J. in 'Tourism and the Environment: Sustainability and Environmental Policies' LSA 1999).

Dr. Brian Garrod
MSc in Agricultural Economics from the University of East Anglia, Norwich (1988), and PhD from the University of Portsmouth (1993), title "An Economic Evaluation of Fisheries Policy in the United Kingdom". He is a Member of the Tourism Society. He currently holds the post of Associate Head of the School of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Social Science, UWE. He has been retained as a consultant for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Tourism Organization (OMT/WTO/BTO), the UK Overseas Development Administration (ODA), the Western Isles Islands Council, and the Highland and Islands Development Board. He has also held a scholarly travel grant from the British Council/Swedish Council of Rectors. His academic research has been published in a variety of journals, including Marine Policy, Project Appraisal, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Futures, Greener Business International, Tourism Management, Managing Heritage, International Journal of Sustainable Development, Environmental Politics, and Annals of Tourism Research. He is presently guest editor for a special edition of the International Journal of Sustainable Development on the subject of ecotourism.

Julie Wilson
BSc(Hons) in Environmental Science and in the final stages of a PhD (An Holistic Approach to Tourist Place Imagery and Spatial Behaviour) in the School of Geography and Environmental Management, UWE Bristol, where she has been a Visiting Lecturer since 1997. As META- Project Manger, Julie Wilson is a Research Associate with Bristol Group for Tourism Research, UWE Bristol. She currently holds an ARKELL 2000 Fellowship with the National Trust to research sustainability in visitor management for the New Forest (UK) and de Hoge Veluwe National Park (Netherlands).

Maria Casado-Diaz

Degree in Sociology from the University of Alicante (1994) and Tesina de Licenciatura (1998), a pre-doctoral qualification, entitled "Sociodemographic impacts of residential tourism: a case study of Torrevieja, Costa Blanca". She is currently working as a Research Associate for the Bristol Group for Tourism Research at the University of the West of England, Bristol. She has a two-year doctoral fellowship (Turismo de Espana-1999) to complete her PhD on International Retirement Migration in Spain. The fellowship is funded by the State Department for Tourism of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Spain, and the Economic and Social Committee (European Social Fund) of the European Community. She is a member of a Research Network on Older People Abroad in Europe (OPAIR) funded by the European Science Foundation, and is affiliated to the Institute of International Economics, at the University of Alicante.

Marion Jackson

(for the 'Economic Strand' of the Research)
MA (Oxon) and MPhil (Birmingham) on methodologies of economic impact studies in tourism. She has been at UWE, Bristol, since 1980 and has until recently acted as Associate Dean in the Faculty of Economics and Social Science. Previously Marion held a research post at Bristol University. She is now a Principal Lecturer in Economics, with a specialism in the economics of leisure and tourism, and a focus on regional and local economic development. She has a long-established research interest in the economic impacts of tourism and leisure, and has acted as a consultant to a number of local and national, public-sector and private-sector organisations. Marion has worked with David Bruce on a number of research papers, and has also published a number of other papers on the subject of regional economic modelling.

Rosemary Burton

(for the Baseline Phase of the Research)
BSc. in Geography and MPhil in Town Planning (University College, London). Formerly a recreation researcher and planner with Greater London Council, she is currently Senior Lecturer and Researcher in leisure and tourism in the School of Geography and Environmental Management, University of the West of England and Convenor of Bristol Group for Tourism Research. She researched the recreational carrying capacity of the countryside for the Countryside Commission and was an evaluator for the Quality of Life Experiments in Leisure Programme for the UK Department of the Environment. She is author of the ABTA-recognised text 'Travel Geography' (Longman) and has a second book in preparation, in collaboration with Dr A. Birtles and Dr P. Valentine (James Cook University, Australia). Since 1992, her research in Australia and South Africa has focused on ecotour operators and the sustainable management of ecotourism. She has published a variety of book chapters and journals, including Geographical Review, Planning Practice and Research and the Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

Dr. Alastair Birtles

James Cook University, Australia (Contracted to UWE, Bristol for the Baseline Phase of Research)

Dr Birtles, a British citizen, is a world expert in field of marine ecotourism. His PhD was in Marine Biology, which he has taught for many years at University level; his research is in the field of tourist/marine wild life interactions and its management (See D. Davis, A. Birtles et al., 1997, Tourism Management Vol.18, No.5) and ongoing research into Minke Whale/Tourist interactions. He has extensive practical experience in conservation planning and tourism management, having spent a period with Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service and more recently participated in several coastal marine area management plans. He teaches tourism at James Cook University in North Queensland. He has wide knowledge of the marine biology of the Atlantic ocean and contacts and has had an ongoing and productive academic relationship with Rosemary Burton, (see above) over the last seven years, including presenting a paper at an International Conference at JCU. Rosemary Burton and Dr Birtles are currently contracted to co-author a book on Tourism and the Natural Environment with Longman. A joint paper on sustainable tourism is also in preparation for submission to the Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

Dr. Simon Berrow

(Project Consultant from January 2001)
Dr Simon Berrow is the newly appointed Project Manager with the Shannon Dolphin and wildlife Foundation which was established in March 2000 to devise and implement a plan for the development of sustainable dolphin-watching in the Shannon estuary. After completing a degree in Applied Biology at Liverpoool Polytechnic he moved to Ireland to undertake a PhD in Zoology at University College, Cork. The PhD was based at Lough Hyne Marine Reserve in west Cork looking at the impact of avian predators on the inter-tidal area. During his PhD he started working on cetaceans and established the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group in 1990 which co-ordinates a stranding and sighting scheme throughout the island of Ireland. As well as cetaceans Simon has also carried out national surveys on basking sharks and a variety of seabirds. In 1995 he left Ireland to work on albatrosses, seals and penguins at South Georgia for the British Antarctic Survey. After completing 2.5 years in the South Atlantic, Simon returned to Ireland to take up his present position. He has over 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals and writes regularly for wildlife magazines. He has recently been appointed to the Heritage Council of Ireland, which devises policy and encourages respect and research on all aspects of Ireland's natural and built heritage.


MBA Escuela Las Palmas, Gran Canaria (ES)

Jose Cardenes
Jose Cardenes is the Academic Director at the MBA Escuela Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain. He has a Masters in Economics and Business Management, I.E.S.E. from the University of Navarra (1989) and a degree in Economics and Business Studies from the University of La Laguna - Tenerife (1987)

Mario E. Benítez Quevedo
Mario E. Benitez Quevedo has a background in business administration and has studied in Cuba and the USA. He is currently lecturer in tourism at Las Palmas University, Gran Canaria. He was previously Director of Marketing for Islandwide Express in Puerto Rico, and Deputy Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. He has been consultant to various clients, including Hyatt Rio Mar Resort, Hilton Hotels, Ramola Hotel, Palmas del Mar Co. (a Sea Prices Resort), and Iberia Air Lines of Spain.


Marine Institute, Dublin (IE)

Anne Wilkinson
MSc(Agr.) Environmental Resource Management from University College Dublin. Currently holds the post of Programme Manager for the Water-based Tourism and Leisure sector of the Marine Institute. The Institute is a non-commercial semi-state body established by Statute with responsibility to undertake, co-ordinate, promote and assist in marine research and development. Strategic initiatives undertaken as part of this programme include market research; scoping studies; product development and innovation activities; development of training modules and resource management programmes. She has wide experience in European Environmental Education and was formerly Projects Manager for Foundation of Education in Europe (FEEE) programme in Ireland, which included the European Blue Flag Campaign and Green Schools. She has also the experience of introducing Environmental Management and Auditing System to SME and is experienced in conducting Quality Control surveys and National Litter monitoring and evaluation projects.

Zena Hoctor
Zena Hoctor has a degree in Zoology and Microbiology, a diploma in Pollution Assessment and Control and is currently studying for a Masters in Rural Development. She has worked in the area of community based tourism since the mid 1980s and has been involved in the development of several heritage tourism projects in various parts of Ireland in conjunction with LEADER and other rural and local development agencies. Zena has also been involved in the designing and delivery of tourism training courses for local communities in various locations.

Nessa O'Connor
Nessa O'Connor has a BSc (Environmental Science) and MSc (Environmental Resource Management), with thesis "Towards a Cross Border Coastal Management Plan for Carlingford Lough". During her time at college, she incorporated several African ecological research expeditions into her studies. She previously worked for An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland, as Environmental Education Officer, responsible for Green-Schools in Ireland (Eco-Schools in UK). She joined the Marine Institute in September 2000, as a Research Assistant in the Water-based Tourism and Leisure Section.

Torbay Council (UK)

Alison McNamara
Alison McNamara spent 10 years working in local government, before moving to the Audit Commission, where she first worked as a researcher for national reports on local government services and was promoted to manager in local governmen studies. She also worked for the directorate in setting up the national best value inspectorate (devising inspection protocols and methodologies and setting up the internal quality system). She joined Torbay Council in 2000 and is currently working on performance management and policy.

Paul Lucas
Paul Lucas is a Chartered Surveyor and is currently employed as Director of Environment Services at Torbay Council, UK. During his career he has specialised in regeneration, redevelopment and project management having worked in Torbay since 1980 on many of the development projects which have been undertaken in the intervening period. He previously worked for Portsmouth City Council and Restormel Borough Council. The Environment Directorate at Torbay embraces six divisions including the Development and Conservation Planning, Environmental Health & Consumer Protection, Amenity & Environment Services, Highways & Engineering Services, Property Services and Contracting (the Council's DSO). He has a particular interest in Environmental Stewardship being responsible forco-ordination of the Authority's actions under this theme.

Emily Hugues-Dit-Ciles (Coastal Zone Researcher)
BSc (Hons) in Ocean Science with Fisheries, from the University of Plymouth (Dissertation - LarvaeSettlement of Marine Invertebrates in Submarine Caves) and MSc in Coastal Zone Management, from theUniversity of Bournemouth (Thesis - Developing a Sustainable Community Based Aquaculture Plan forthe lagoon of Cuyutlan through a public awareness and Involvement Process, Mexico"). She was awarded the Outstanding Graduate in Coastal Zone Management Prize. Her work has been published in Coastal Management Journal. She has worked in Mexico for SEMARNAP as a Coastal Zone Manager Consultant for the Elaboration and implementation of a Fisheries Ordination Plan of the Cuyutlan Coastal Lagoon. She also undertook research work with Cambridge Coastal Research Unit for the Southern Seychelles Atoll research Programme 1998, to study the impact of Global Warming on reef communities and study the physical environment and ecological habitats of the near shore marine environment of remote island in the Seychelles. Other work consisted in life project related to coastal zone management and oceanographic survey including sediment budget analysis and beach renourishment project, coastal erosion, wetland area conservation and restoration, investigation via programming of global warming on ocean current and sea level rise and seabed surveying.

 
Nigel A Smallbones

Post Graduate Diploma in Heritage Interpretation, University of London  (Dissertation - The Interpretation of the Marine Environment of Torbay). He has 24 years experience working in Conservation, two years in Private Sector and twenty-two years in Local Government. Schemes under management awards: - 2nd Land Reclamation and Conservation Awards 1983 and - The John Major Awards 1992; Seabird Interpretation for outstanding contribution to conservation in Devon. Trustee to the Seahorse Trust. Now specialising in Marine Interpretation and developing sustainablemarine awareness projects. Seashore Centre, Goodrington; Passionate About Plankton Project.


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