Jon Day

Following an Honours degree in Natural Resource management (UNE), Jon commenced his professional career in terrestrial protected areas in 1975. He first worked with the Victorian National Park Service and the Victorian Land Conservation Council, and then spent four years in Kakadu National Park (Northern Territory). In 1986, Jon joined the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), and for the next 28 years, was involved in many aspects of planning and managing the GBR. This included seven years involved with marine and island field management within the GBR (as QPWS Area/Regional Manager) and 16 years as one of the GBRMPA Directors.

As a GBRMPA Director, Jon was variously responsible for biodiversity conservation, park planning, heritage (particularly World Heritage), Indigenous Partnerships, the GBR rezoning and commencing the first GBR Outlook Report. For his efforts with the GBR rezoning, Jon was awarded an Australian Public Service Medal (PSM) and a Smithsonian-Queensland Fellowship. Jon was also appointed as the natural heritage expert during Australia's four-year term on the World Heritage Committee (2008-11).

Following his retirement in 2014, Jon undertook a post-career PhD, in which he analysed the reasons behind the success of the GBR rezoning. This transformative policy process led to the current GBR zoning plan, and today it is recognised as the most effective policy review process ever to occur in the GBR, with many lessons for marine conservation around the globe.

Despite retirement, Jon continues to work and publish in marine management/planning and World Heritage. However, most of his efforts are focused on applying the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI), a systematic and rapid assessment tool that Jon co-developed with a JCU-colleague (Prof Scott Heron); the CVI is now being applied in many heritage areas around the world.