Biography
Professor David Bellamy is a botanist, ecologist, author, broadcaster and consultant. Professor David Bellamy is one of the most widely recognised and respected naturalists in the world. Former Chair, British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, and Co-founder Ford European Conservation Awards.

He is author of over 80 scientific papers and 44 books and the writer and presenter of some 400 television progammes on botany, ecology and environment. He has also received numerous awards and honours, including the Order of the British Empire, the Dutch Order of the Golden Ark, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award for Underwater Research, the Richard Dimbleby Award, the United Nations Environment Program UNEP Global 500 Award, the British Association of Communicators in Business - Environmental Communicator of the Year Award, the Guild of Travel Writers Award, and the Busk Medal of the Royal Geographic Society.

He is well known in Australia for his TV programmes such as “Botanic Man” and “Up a Gum Tree” as well as being the face of Goulburn Valley Fruit for many years. He became legendary when a global TV audience of around 40 million saw his arrest in Tasmania protesting against the Franklin River Dam.

Biography
Professor Dr. Ockie Bosch B.SC. M.SC., D.SC is Head of the School of Integrative Systems at UQ, The University of Queensland, Australia. His international and national experience include teaching and research experience in South Africa (Professor and Head Department of Life Sciences, University of South Africa and Dept. of Plant & Soil Sciences at the Potchefstroom University – dual chair)), New Zealand (Research Director, Landcare Research) and Australia. (CSIRO). He is currently Vice President of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (Systems Education and Communication portfolio), member of the Noosa Biosphere Sector Board for ER&D, Adjunct Professor at Flinders University, South Australia, UQ Representative on Australian University Council for Environmental Deans and Directors and served/serves as chair or member of various committees and boards. Professor Bosch has 41 years of practical experience in the areas of Qualitative Ecology, Systems Thinking and Dynamics. He currently leads a large international program on the establishment of Learning Laboratories for Managing Complex Issues and facilitates the interaction between LLabs around the world through the UQ-UNESCO/MAB Global LLab NET.

Professor Bosch is married to Annerine (nee Geringer) for 38 years and have three children and five grandchildren.

Systems Thinking and Learning Labs New Paradigm and Tools for Biosphere Sustainability
Issues and challenges related to social, cultural, economics and ecological sustainability in Biospheres are interconnected and complex, involving multiple stakeholders including policy makers, NGOs, scientists, businesses and the local community. These problems and challenges cannot be addressed and solved in isolation focusing on single issues at a time. Collaborative, systemic, and integrated approaches are essential to deliver desired and sustainable outcomes. Hence, it is crucially important for decision makers, managers, and local people working in various sustainability domains to be equipped with the necessary capacities and skills to manage their respective domain collaboratively and sustainably.

Fresh approaches to sustainability and capacity building, based on systems thinking and complexity management, are emerging that promise breakthrough outcomes. Led by a team at the School of Integrative Systems, the University of Queensland, the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve (CBBR) sustainability project in Viet Nam has become a demonstration case for these approaches. Adopted by UNESCO MAB (Man and Biosphere Program) as a pilot and model for potential extension to over 530 (in 107 countries) UNESCO designated Biospheres around the world, CBBR is the seed of a global network of “Learning Laboratories for Sustainable Development”.

The Learning Laboratory (LLab) is an innovative systems-based process in which a diverse group of participants engage in a cyclical process of thinking, planning, action and reflection for collective learning towards a common goal (Maani & Cavana, 2007). The LLab, thus, creates an environment where policy makers, managers, local people, and researchers collaborate and learn together to understand and address complex problems of common interests in a systemic way. The ultimate goal is to achieve coherent actions across different sectors towards sustainable outcomes.

In this presentation we introduce the Learning Lab concept and process and demonstrate the cases in Cat Ba (Viet Nam) and Tonle Sap (Cambodia) Biosphere Reserves.

Biography
Natarajan Ishwaran has 30 years of experience in teaching, research, wildlife/protected areas planning and management, multi-lateral environmental and biodiversity treaties, and co-ordination and management of international co-operation in environment and development. He published more than 25 publications in refereed journals is co-author of 2 edited volumes on ecology, biodiversity conservation and protected area management themes.

Natarajan has been working in UNESCO since 1986, on programs and activities linked to ecological sciences and biodiversity conservation in co-operation with intergovernmental forums, national and international NGOs, funds and foundations, and private sector institutions. He has great work experience and achievements in negotiating significant technical and financial benefits, particularly for less developed countries, for biodiversity conservation, protected area management, ecological sciences research and capacity building.

Sri Lankan. BSc (Zoology) and MSc (Ecology) from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; and Ph.D. (Wildlife Biology and Management) from Michigan State University, USA.

Official Opening

Biography
Professor Kambiz Maani is the holder of AgResearch Chair in Systems Thinking and Practice at the University of Queensland and Chair of International Committee for Systems Education.

Professor Maani’s academic and consulting career spans over 25 years in the USA, Asia, Australasia, and South America. He is an internationally acknowledged expert in systems thinking, organizational learning and leadership. Kambiz has lectured internationally and has held visiting positions at a number of universities including MIT, London Business School, Boston University, Cornel and Helsinki School of Economics. Professor Maani’s research focuses on complex systems, group decision making, managerial effectiveness, and collective learning in organisations. He is the recipient of several research and publication awards from international academic journals. His current projects include policy design and implementation with New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture (MAF) and Rural Futures and biosecurity with AgResearch.

Kambiz has published widely and has consulted to numerous organisations and governments worldwide. He is the first author of internationally acclaimed book: Systems thinking, Systems Dynamics - Managing Change and Complexity. The book, now in second edition, is used widely at universities, governments and corporations around the world.

Systems Thinking and Learning Labs New Paradigm and Tools for Biosphere Sustainability
Issues and challenges related to social, cultural, economics and ecological sustainability in Biospheres are interconnected and complex, involving multiple stakeholders including policy makers, NGOs, scientists, businesses and the local community. These problems and challenges cannot be addressed and solved in isolation focusing on single issues at a time. Collaborative, systemic, and integrated approaches are essential to deliver desired and sustainable outcomes. Hence, it is crucially important for decision makers, managers, and local people working in various sustainability domains to be equipped with the necessary capacities and skills to manage their respective domain collaboratively and sustainably.

Biography
Stephen Poole is an Environmental Scientist and Director of Ecological Planning and Assessment Pty. Ltd.

He has over 21 years experience across a wide range of related environment fields. This includes ecological/environmental planning and assessment , strategic conservation initiatives, environmental marketing, sustainable design, comparative biodiversity evaluation, ecotourism, bushland acquisition, wildlife management, and securing specialised funds for ecological initiatives. Stephen has been a best selling author, presented on education/TV programmes and is the originator of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve concept. Stephen was invited by UNESCO to present the biodiversity/natural history case for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve at a function in Paris in 2007

Noosa Biosphere Case Study & Methodology
A case study analysis of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve has been undertaken for use by UNESCO. The format is analogous with the Harvard Business School Case Study series. Noosa was the first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve to be nominated and listed in Queensland. The Case Study summarizes Australia’s relationship with UNESCO and the history of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB). The Case Study reviews the process leading to nomination of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve and the social, geographic, economic, community and environmental attributes of the Noosa area. The iconic nature of the Noosa destination is considered. Reference is made of the relevance of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Case Study to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). Stressors to the Noosa community since nomination are considered. The future potential of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve is discussed. Management and governance is considered and lessons learned are provided.