A CELEBRATION OF THE HISTORY, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF RECHERCHE BAY
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Auditorium Hobart, Tasmania
26–28 February 2007

Recherche Bay Management Plan: How science can help
Mr Max Kitchell

Max Kitchell has spent more than 30 years working in the area of natural resource management across three jurisdictions. Most recently he was Chief Executive of the National Oceans Office, responsible for planning and management within Australia’s marine territory. Prior to that he had been head of the Natural Heritage Division of the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage, responsible for national biodiversity policy, wildlife regulation and the $1.5 billion Natural Heritage Trust. He has lead Australian delegations to four UN conventions on biodiversity, desertification, oceans and biosafety. During his time with the Tasmanian government Max was the Director of the Parks and Wildlife Service and General Manager of Resource Management and Conservation. Within Victoria he held a number of positions ranging from field operations as a Regional Manager with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, to policy adviser to two Ministers of Conservation and Forests, to the Director of the Arthur Rylah Institute of Environmental Research. Lately Max has been helping the Tasmanian Land Conservancy develop a management plan for its Recherche Bay property.

After much public controversy about whether or not timber harvesting should be permitted on the north-east peninsula of Recherche Bay, the property was acquired by the Tasmanian Land Conservancy in March 2006. The TLC has now embarked on the process of developing a management plan for the property and has recently released a draft of the plan for public comment. Max Kitchell’s presentation will outline the key features of the draft plan, highlighting how science has been used to formulate management objectives and prescriptions for action, what further science is needed to guide long-term management and how science practitioners can assist in the stewardship of the area.