In 1980, ICONA sent me to the XV International Seminar on National Parks and Equivalent Reserves, a prestigious training course for “parkers” organised by the US National Parks Service, Parcs Canada and the University of Michigan. We were a bunch of novice, not so novice, and senior managers from all over the world; 30 countries represented in total. During a totally thrilling month, we were taken from one park to another crossing Canada, Hawaii, and part of mainland United States. It was an incredibly well organised marathon. Park professionals and experts were waiting for us to teach some theory and thereafter challenge us with a study case in situ; each different, each enlightening. And with no rest, a plane or train was waiting to rush to the next park and lesson. Exhausting, but a memorable experience from all points of view. Important: we learned a lot about parks that summer of 1980.
XV International Seminar on National Parks and Equivalent Reserves
Seminar Alumni in Jasper National Park Canada, the 6th of August 1980
Front raw: Larry Cayayan (Filipinnes), Becky Mills (USA), Tesuro Kaji (Japan), Shirley W. Perera (Sri Lanka), Withya Songkakul (Thailand), Miguel Cifuentes (Ecuador), Abang Morshidi (Malasia), Colmore Christian (Dominican Republic), and Osvaldo Zechini (Italia).
Middle raw: Hannes de Beer (Republic of South Africa), Mario Rojas (Costa Rica), Alexander Louis Peal (Liberia), Reynaldo Arostegui (Nicaragua), George J. Geerling (Holland), Ferdinand Baal (Suriname); a teacher, and Ivan V. Gavva (URRS).
Back raw (standing): Antonio Machado (Spain), Eli Sadot (Israel), Don Gillespie (USA), Rosaline Beudels (Belgium), Manuel Ríos (Perú), Graham T. Child (Zimbabwe), Halcum H. Stanley (Canada), Fred Bamber (USA), Laurant Tremblay (Canada), Ross Tocher (USA), Mohamed Ali Mogal (Saudi Arabia), Ramadhan Kupaza (Tanzania); a teacher; Clement Mumba Mwanashiku (Zambia),Reinhold Erlbeck (Alemania), Tkean Konchellah (Tanzania), Said Al:Gahmdi (Saudi Arabia), Murray A. Aliot (Australia), Felix Nyahoza (Tanzania); a teacher; Eli Gustav Heden (Suecia), and the Director Tom Thomas (USA).
