Zoltan Kun appointed as Focal Point for the Wilderness Specialist Group in Pan-Europe

20 May 2010

PAN Parks Director, Zoltan Kun, has been appointed Focal Point for the Wilderness Specialist Group in Pan-Europe. The Group aims to promote dialogue on wilderness in the international conservation community and thus the Focal Point will play a role in ensuring European wilderness issues are on the global agenda and liasing with professionals interested in wilderness.

Zoltan Kun, Director of the PAN Parks Foundation was appointed into this honourable position as ’he has been working with real wilderness areas and their managers in Europe for a long time and consequently has in-depth knowledge on the issues related to wilderness as well as the professionals working on this in Europe’ - explained Dr. Stig Johansson, Vice-Chair WCPA (Pan-Europe)

His responsibilities as Focal Point would include following what is going on in his line of speciality - wilderness - globally, make sure WCPA Pan-Europe is "on-board" and make sure that Pan-European issues also feature and are taken into account on the global agenda. The Focal Point would also be the person who WCPA members interested in wilderness issues would liaise with, he would also liaise with the Regional Vice Chair on wilderness isses.

PAN Parks Foundation has always found it important to cooperate with other organisations dedicated to wilderness conservation. The appointment of our Foundation’s representative as focal point for this important global wilderness conservationb body of IUCN is first of all prestigous secondly acknowledges our efforts in Europe for wilderness. As Zoltan Kun stated, ’I feel honoured of this appointment but this is certainly not a personal but an organisational achievement. I believe this will help PAN Parks Foundation to be more up to date with global conservation efforts and presenting its wilderness related work of Europe to a wider target audience”.

The Wilderness Specialist Group was launched in 2003 to respond to several needs such as promoting dialogue on wilderness in the international conservation community, providing a stronger voice for the wilderness constituency within WCPA, and providing a formal linkage between IUCN and the World Wilderness Congresses.

Tags: wilderness, PanParks, Wilderness Specialist Group