The 2010 Bateman Lecture

The Master of Arts in Environmental Education and Communications Program of the School of Environment and Sustainability and the Bateman Centre for Environmental Education and Communication

The 2010 Bateman Lecture - STRIKING THE BALANCE: THE CHALLENGES FACING THOSE SEEKING TO PROTECT NATURE

Protecting nature is a vital task filled with conflict, ethical tension, politics, burnout and great rewards. To be a success it is essential that one work with a full range of partners, oftentimes with sectors or individuals that don’t share or respect your interests. How does one rise above these dilemmas to get the job done, yet at the same time retain one’s dignity and integrity? This lecture will explore the world of conservation, environmental non-profits, the role of science, the importance of language and the necessity of hope as society manoeuvres through this challenging and important time on earth.

The 2010 Bateman Lecture will be presented by Mr. Bob Peart.

Bob Peart has spent his life in the world of conservation. Bob was the Executive Director of the BC chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) from 2000-2003. Prior to working at CPAWS, Bob was a Special Project Negotiator with the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, focusing on Clayoquot Sound and the Chilcotin regions of British Columbia. In the early 90s Bob was Chief of Staff for Cabinet Ministers with the BC Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and was Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC in the late 80s. Bob also has a strong interest in the museum world and from 1985-1988 was Assistant Director at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria. Prior to that he spent 10 years in Ontario and Saskatchewan in various federal government positions with the Canadian Wildlife Service and Parks Canada.

For the past thirty-five years Bob has volunteered for numerous conservation groups at the regional, provincial, national and international level - in particular the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. Currently Bob is Chair of the Child and Nature Alliance, a Senior Associate with the Children and Nature Network and an Honorary Board member of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and the Grasslands Conservation Council of BC. Bob also serves on the board of The Kesho Trust, the Young Naturalist Association of BC, IUCN's Temperate Grasslands Conservation Initiative, the Elders Council for Parks in BC and the Fraser Basin Council.

In 2008 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to conservation and environmental education Bob Peart was awarded Canada's most prestigious conservation award, the J.B. Harkin Medal.

Bob is a registered professional biologist, has a Masters Degree in Education, and has completed formal training in Dispute Resolution at the Justice Institute in Vancouver. He has been an avid outdoors person ever since he was a kid --- he particularly enjoys hiking, backpacking, kayaking and bird watching.
_________________________________________________________________
The 2010 Bateman Lecture will be presented at Royal Roads University on the evening of August 10 from 7:00-9:00 PM. The lecture is open to members of the public and to faculty and students at Royal Roads University. The Bateman Lectures, which were inaugurated in 2005 by Robert Bateman, recognizes the special relationship between Robert Bateman, the Bateman family and Royal Roads University, a relationship embodied in the Bateman Centre for Environmental Education and the Arts. In 2010 Robert Bateman will be presented with the degree of Doctor of Laws, honora causa, at the Royal Roads University Spring Convocation.