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Paula Peeters

Regional Ecologist (West)
Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia

Bachelor of Science (Honours)
PhD in biological sciences

“The main challenge of the job is its enormous scope. Eyre Peninsula alone covers an area roughly the size of Tasmania.”

The position (I have held since Feburary 2003) is based in Port Lincoln, but takes in the West Region which covers most of Eyre Peninsula, and also extends west to the Western Australian border (see Parksweb - Parks and wildlife).

From August 2001 to February 2003 I held the position of Project Officer for the Asparagus Weeds Steering Committee, Southern Hills Region, funded by the Natural Heritage Trust. My role was to coordinate an integrated weed control program in the Southern Mount Lofty Ranges (South Australia), incorporating chemical, physical and biological control methods.

Prior to August 2001, I was employed as a tour guide to conduct tours of the Little Penguin colony and other environmental tours on Granite Island, South Australia (see Parksweb - Granite Island Recreation Park). During my studies I was employed as a demonstrator / tutor at Monash University, Charles Sturt University and the Flinders University of South Australia.

In terms of career, my aim (at present) is to facilitate links between scientific research and on-ground natural resource management. As Regional Ecologist my responsibilities include:

  1. The development and implementation of programs for the conservation, management and restoration of ecological systems both on-park and off-park. (see Parksweb - biodiversity)
  2. The provision of ecological information and advice to local communities.
  3. Ensuring that the biological conservation programs of National Parks and Wildlife South Australia in the West Region meet sound ecological criteria.
  4. To work with the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resource Management Group to identify regional biodiversity conservation priorities for the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resource Management Investment Strategy.
  5. The management of the Regional Conservation Team which is comprised of
    four staff: one Ark on Eyre Coordinator, one Threatened Flora Officer and two Bush Management Advisors.

The main challenge of the job is its enormous scope. The West Region covers a large area (Eyre Peninsula alone covers an area roughly the size of Tasmania) and encompasses many different environments and many conservation issues. Very little ecological research has been done in this region so our baseline information on the environments we are required to manage is minimal.

But this is also what is so enjoyable about the job - there are always new things to learn and discover. There are also challenges inherent in being the link between the perceived 'ivory tower' of science and the on-ground land managers (farmers, park rangers, local government officials and the general public, just to mention a few), as there can be prejudices and obstacles in both directions. The people of Eyre Peninsula and Western South Australia are known for their 'can-do' attitude, and links between institutions and other land managers are already strong. This has already resulted in many productive conservation initiatives.

There were many things I enjoyed about my studies at university. The diversity of the people, the friendliness and dedication of the staff of the Department (now the School) of Biological Sciences. The many field trips which were part of the subjects I studied. I met some terrific people who have influenced my outlook on life and have remained good friends. I took the course I did because of my interest in nature, and the subjects I studied certainly improved my understanding of the environment.

There were two significant things I also got out of my time at Monash which I did not go looking for. The first was that I was taught to think about and to analyse issues and concepts in a scientific way. This is probably the most important skill I have gained from my time at Monash - critical thinking. The second thing was that I learnt how enjoyable and rewarding it is to communicate what you are interested in to other people. These skills - critical thinking and communication - have served me well in both the academic sphere and the wider community.