Dr Mark Norman joined Parks Victoria in 2016 as Chief Scientist, where he leads and supports nature conservation projects, science advocacy, research programs and nature engagement across Victoria’s 3,250 parks and reserves (adding up to 4.1 m hectares and 18% of the state). Working closely with Parks Victoria’s Environment and Science Directorate, he collaborates with a wide range of researchers, partner agencies, Traditional Owners, stakeholders and community groups in addressing urgent and increasing nature conservation challenges. 

In 2022, Mark’s role in Parks Victoria shifted to increasingly focus on climate change impacts felt in parks across the state, and building programs, visibility, resources and capacity to address and manage issues such as extinction risk, transforming ecosystems, rising and warming seas, and the responses of biological systems to unprecedented speed of change.