Experts

 

Dave McFarlane - Field Manager, Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust

Dave grew up in Southland during the 1960s and 1970s and was first exposed to conservation and environmental concerns through the Save Manapouri campaign and the subsequent controversy over the NZ Forest Service proposal to clear fell and chip beech forest, that culminated in the Maruia Declaration of 1977.

He arrived at the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust to work as their Ranger in 2003,  after detours through librarianship and various contracts with both Forest & Bird & DOC, co-ordinating wilding tree control, working in community relations and operational roles, including pest/weed control.

Currently employed as the Field Manager, he says "It is the best job I've had; giving me opportunity to work with the yellow-eyed penguin, an indomitable and endearing native of the south, as well as on wider coastal conservation issues with the human communities living on the wonderful coastlines of Otago and Southland".

Jim Fyfe - Coastal Ranger, Coastal Otago Area, DOC

Jim and sea lion at Sandfly Bay , Otago Peninsula

 

Jim Fyfe has been working as a coastal and marine conservation specialist for Coastal Otago Area for the last 10 years. He has a background in zoology and reef ecology.

The importance of sea lion conservation and advocacy means Jim has gained a lot of knowledge and experience working with this rare marine mammal in Otago. He has also worked as a member of a sea lion research team in Auckland Islands for two summer seasons. He says:

'Because sea lions and humans share a love of sandy beaches it is important that everyone can learn what to expect and how to behave around these large and curious marine mammals. Sea lions were wiped off mainland New Zealand along with the moa, but unlike the moa, they are returning - this is a rare good news story!'

Wayne Beggs - Ranger Biodiversity, Akaroa, DOC

Bridey White - Wildlife Veterinary Nurse, Massey University

Rosalie Goldsworthy - Katiki Point Penguin Trust

Rosalie owns and lives in the Moeraki lighthouse and home and is manager of the Katiki Point Penguin Charitable Trust, which won the supreme award in the annual TrustPower Waihemo community awards.

Dave Houston - Technical Support Officer, Auckland, DOC

Dave is currently working with numerous endangered bird species on the Chatham Islands, however has more than 20 years of management and research experience with New Zealand penguins in Otago, Stewart Island
and the subantarctic islands.

Project moderator - Monika Fry

Monika is the Director of Megabright and has been running online projects for schools since 1998. She has taught in primary, intermediate and secondary schools in New Zealand, England, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.

She has an MEd in ICT and technology education from the University of Waikato, has been a national facilitator for environmental education and a recipient of a Royal Society fellowship to study the packaging industry.