Interpretation is frequently seen as effective in managing tourist-wildlife interactions because it increases awareness about a species and encourages a conservation ethic (Beckmann 1991, Moscardo 1998). Interpretation has been advocated as the most effective management strategy for wildlife encounters (Orams 1996). Implicit in this belief is that by changing people's attitude, interpretation will change their behaviour (Roggenbuck 1992).

Petty et al. (1997) define an attitude as an evaluation of an object (eg. people, animal, etc.) that exists along a dimension ranging from positive to negative. In reflecting on attitude change it helps to conceptualise an attitude as comprised of three main components: affect, cognition, and behaviour. The affective component consists of a person's feeling towards an object, the cognitive component consists of a person's knowledge and understanding of an object and the behavioural component involves a person's actual behaviour towards the object (Knudson et al. 1999).

Although attitude is conceptualised as having three main components, most past research on interpretation has focused on changes in cognition (Beckmann 1991). Howard (1998) suggested that as people attend interpretive programs at leisure affective realms are important, and as such, mood theory might improve our understanding of: the intrinsically rewarding feelings that characterise this type of leisure experience; and how interpretation may influence people's behaviour. The influence of affective realms on interpretive programs is poorly understood and not well researched (Howard 1998). This paper contributes to our understanding of cognition and affect in interpretive setting by providing the results of a preliminary study conducted at Mon Repos Conservation Park.

The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), which is responsible for the management of natural areas in public ownership within Western Australian and wildlife management throughout the state, has entered into a partnership with the University of Notre Dame Australia to deliver some of the units within their Environmental Studies and Tourism programmes. CALM involvement with the university started in 1994 with the provision of occasional guest lecturers and involvement in field excursions with the students over a range of units (eg. during visits to national parks and other sites managed by CALM). More recently, however, CALM have taken the responsibility for presenting two units in their entirety: ES/ BS 181 Ecotourism and Heritage Management andES280/380 Recreation Planning and Management. In addition to the partnership between these two institutions, the two units directly involve local government and the community.

This paper presents details of the two units and discusses how this partnership contributes towards community leadership and responsibility and represents effective environmental education.

In order to appreciate the educational benefits of the partnership between CALM and the University of Notre Dame Australia, a brief overview of the two units taught by CALM is provided.

The Ecotourism and Heritage Management unit focuses on interpretation techniques in natural and cultural heritage area management and the business of cultural and ecotourism. Subjects include interpretive planning, project design and evaluation as well as the planning, design and presentation of ecotours and other guided interpretive activities.