Robert Sandford
"History, Public Policy & New Vision of the Mountain West"
Monday, June 5, 2006
13:00–14:30
Max Bell Auditorium
Bob Sandford has been exploring the nature, history and culture of the Canadian West for more than thirty years. The author of some twenty books on the nature of life in the West, Bob was also central to the development of sense of place-related regional planning strategies for the mountain national parks. He is widely respected as a visionary whose deep sense and understanding of past and present landscapes and cultures has led to profound insights about the importance of understanding where and how we live to the preservation of what is meaningful about the Western Canadian experience. He helped create the Heritage Tourism concept which aims to connect every visitor to the National Parks with the area’s unique mountain heritage.
An expert on issues related to climate change and fresh water availability and quality in the mountain West, Bob has clear vision relating to how our communities must evolve if we are to preserve what is worthwhile and unique about our Western way of life. Bob is presently the Chair of the United Nations International Decade “Water for Life” in Canada, an initiative that aims to advance long-term water quality and availability issues in response to climate change in this country and abroad. Mr. Sandford, in 2001, was presented the prestigious One Step Beyond Summit of Excellence Award for his lifetime contribution to mountain heritage in the Canadian Rockies. One of his current projects is to write the first book ever written on the UNESCO Canadian Rockies World Heritage Site as a bio-physical and cultural unit. It is anticipated that this book will be published in the spring of 2007.
