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Archives For 30/11/1999

Jobs at DOC: Trudi Ngawhare, Partnerships Ranger

Department of Conservation —  16/05/2014

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile Trudi Ngawhare, Partnerships Ranger, Gisborne…

At work

Trudi and partner Bennet at the Auckland Nines.

Me and my partner Bennet at the Auckland Nines

Some things I do in my job include: 

Working with the community, events, education, volunteers, community groups, iwi—whenever, wherever… even at netball or while watching rugby.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by:

The more people that engage with conservation, the more people participate in recreation…

The best bit about my job is:

The passionate people I meet and the cool places and species work DOC people are privileged to be a part of. It’s very, very awesome!

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is:

Seeing the return of tuatara to the East Cape—a translocation project from Ngāti Kōata to Ngāti Porou.

Trudi with tuatara being returned to the East Cape.

It was a privilege to be part of history and see the return of tuatara to the East Cape area

On a personal note…

Most people don’t know that:

I am a twin, so if you see my lookalike in Hamilton, don’t worry. We are quite accustomed to people carrying on a conversation with us before realising that they may be talking to the wrong sister.

The song that always cheers me up is…

Anything by Michael Jackson or Stevie Wonder.

My stomping ground is:

“The promised land” Te Araroa, East Cape!

If I could trade places with any other person for a week it would be…

Beyonce. That way I wouldn’t have to pretend.

My best ever holiday was…

Anywhere with my family, where there is no cellphone coverage and where you don’t have to spend heaps of money, because there are five or more kids to get into everything.

Trudi with her kids at kiwi egg operation.

Awesome DOC moment to take my kids along to lift kiwi eggs to be taken to Kiwi encounter

My greatest sporting moment was:

Actually, that I am still playing competitive netball at 36 (nothing seems to recover fast any more). My osteopath shakes her head disapprovingly.

If I could be any New Zealand native species I’d be:

A kārearea—travel would be cheaper and faster.

My secret indulgence is:

Horoera pumpkins (kina) with a side of sautéed paua off the BBQ.

Trudi dressed as a paua for a community event.

My first community event dressed as a ‘Paua’

Before working at DOC I was…

A youth career coach working with early school leavers to transition into productive pathways.

I learnt many life lessons, such as talk to your kids from primary level about their interests and possible pathways that stem from them; don’t do everything for your kids, let them suffer a little bit to learn; expose them to different role models, even undesirable ones so that they know where they don’t want to be; and (not the easiest concept to sell to teenagers). STAY IN SCHOOL …everything is free!

Deep and meaningful…

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is:

“Get outside and play.”

In work and life I am motivated by:

My whānau.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is:

Enjoy and learn about our natural heritage, that way we are better equipped to protect what we love.

Question of the week…

I never go anywhere without…

That’s easy… my gumboots, (a Coasties main apparel). If it weren’t for your gumboots where would you be?

In East Coast, Jobs at DOC , , , , ,
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Jobs at DOC: Maria Deutsch, Outreach and Education

Department of Conservation —  09/05/2014

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile Maria Deutsch, Outreach and Education Coordinator, based in Nelson…

Maria amongst the speargrass flowers on Mt Peel.

Researching our beautiful flora — speargrass flowers on Mt Peel

At work

Some things I do in my job include: 

My personal vision is to make a significant contribution to connecting people to nature at a deeper level and to mainstream conservation in Aotearoa/New Zealand.To achieve this I (hopefully) work to my strengths and skills, including: facilitation and coaching, creative thinking around interacting with new audiences and development of tools, hands-on input in the partnership space in the community, and supporting the many awesome people in my region in the best way I can. I also have input in national partnerships and enjoy finding solutions to conundrums.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by:

Facilitating approaches that inspire people about their relationship with nature and through this engaging them in conservation in a way that is meaningful to them.

The best bit about my job is:

My team!  A more awesome, creative, down to earth practical and yet visionary team you will not easily find; it has taken motivation to a whole new level.

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is:

Co-facilitating a young leaders’ programme at Whites Bay in the Sounds. Young leaders were taking younger children on a one hour forest exploration walk that included plant knowledge and survival skills; every hour the young leaders and us swapped over to a new group of children. The biggest buzz for me happened at round three when one of the young leaders took over the facilitation of the walk—he included group and leadership skills he had picked up from us alongside the forest knowledge he had learned—us DOC-ites stood back and he held the space!  What an awesome outcome.

The DOC employee that inspires or enthuses me most is…

I have been with DOC since December 2012 and since then I have met too many inspirational people to choose just one. There are funny ones, enthusiastic ones, clever ones, persistent ones, scary ones, odd ones, peculiar ones and ALL are an inspiration in their own right. Ka mau te wehe!

Three red rata flowers.

Rewards of kaitiakitanga—rata flowers in our forest

On a personal note…

My stomping ground is:

36 hectares of native bush that I have been kaitiaki for during the last 20 years with a comprehensive pest control programme and a lot of sharing with others of this special place which now shows the reward of our mahi in a healthy forest and fantastic birdlife. After that it’s tramping in Te Tau Ihu, West Coast and Mount Aspiring National Park. Though working with the Māori Cadets has given me a taste of Te Ika-a-Māui (the North Island)—so more to explore.

My greatest sporting moment was:

Leading a grade 21 rock climb on a tricky slab in Castle Hill/Kura Tāwhiti and getting to the top unscathed.

In my spare time I:

Go cycle touring, photograph patterns and wonders in nature, write poetry, do mosaics, tend to my organic vege garden and orchard, create space to be with friends, take children through our bush, read books, go to concerts… what spare time?

If I wasn’t working at DOC, I’d like to:

Work as a facilitator in situations where multi stakeholder collaboration, including indigenous cultures, brings about new sustainable ways of living in tune with the ecosystem.

Before working at DOC:

I was self employed for 13 years in community development and as a facilitator, coach, trainer, creator of organisational solutions and leading initiatives of integration of nature as an asset for organisational work.  I was also one of the main tutors on the Maori Conservation Cadetship— what an awesome whanau and wonderful young leaders some of whom now work for us—kia kaha e hoa mā!

Maria amongst the mountains in the upper Copeland Valley, South Westland.

Feeding the soul in the upper Copeland Valley, South Westland

Deep and meaningful…

My favourite quote is…

“You have to go through chaos to create a burning star” (Nitzsche)

And my favourite Whakataukī: Toi tu te marae a Tane, Toi tu te marae a Tangaroa, Toi tu nga Iwi.  (if the realms of Tane and Tangaroa prosper, then we will prosper too).

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is:

My dad used to say two things that stayed with me: “there is always a better way of doing it” and “there is always a choice, even if people tell you there isn’t” (he created some unbelievable choices in Nazi Germany—my grandfather was the head of the local resistance movement). The two pieces of advice sit together for me, combining choice and self responsibility with a drive for excellence that creates true innovation.

In work and life I am motivated by:

Inspirational people that walk the talk, children that laugh and play and nature as a teacher.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is:

There is a wellspring of health, enjoyment and inspiration in nature—go out and explore and experience and delight in it.  Once you understand this, the rest will follow…

Maria with a piece of driftwood shaped like a fish at the beach.

What type of fish is this?

Question of the week…

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why?

Adam Kahane, Dalai Lama, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Christine Hogan for fascinating conversations that can change the world, and the lead singer of Runrig and Loreena McKinnett for some beautiful singing.

In Jobs at DOC, Nelson/Marlborough , , , , ,
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Jobs at DOC: Hannah Hendriks, Marine Conservation

Department of Conservation —  02/05/2014

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile Hannah Hendriks, Marine Conservation Technician, based in DOC’s National Office in Wellington…

Swimming on Taputeranga Island, Island Bay, Wellington.

Swimming in Island Bay, Wellington

At work

Some things I do in my job include:

Being the point of contact in National Office for the operational side of marine mammal sightings and incidents, including managing and maintaining the data associated with these.

I have been involved with getting our Maui’s dolphin sightings and incidents data out of spreadsheets and into a geospatial database—wider marine mammal data is the next step in this process.

I am also responsible for improving the availability of our data and information to the public as well as updating and distributing our awareness resources. Plus a bit of everything else.

Embracing the weather in Doubtful Sound.

Embracing the weather in Doubtful Sound

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by:

Improving the knowledge and public awareness of marine mammal conservation issues and making our data collection process more time efficient and higher in quality so it can inform conservation management of our threatened species.

The best bit about my job is:

Having fun on Kapiti Island during the intern field trip

Having fun on Kapiti Island during the intern field trip

Working with such amazing, kind, and inspiring people (directly in National Office and through phone and email contact with district offices and field bases).

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is:

Working with the American students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on their raising awareness of Maui’s dolphin project.

Such an awesome group of energetic, enthusiastic and bright students with some absolutely wonderful ideas.

Their ‘Rounded fin? Send it in!’ slogan is better than anything we could have come up with!

Also, our intern field trip to Kapiti Island—beautiful place and inspiring rangers. Was good to get our hands dirty.

The DOC employee that inspires or enthuses me most is…

It’s hard to pick one…being so new means that everyone inspires me! Especially those rangers who do the hard and hands on work on the coasts dealing with whale strandings etc.

But, if I had to pick one, it would have to be my supervisor, Laura Boren. There is so much marine mammal knowledge stored in that brain, she knows how to deal with every situation and that is what I want to be able to do at some point in the future.

I stood in her shoes to some degree while she was in Africa for a month, which was daunting to say the least.

I also have to mention Katie Clemens because she is like Wonder Woman.

Doing the Tongariro Crossing as a child. Something I really want to do again.

Doing the Tongariro Crossing as a child. Something I really want to do again

On a personal note…

The song that always cheers me up is…

I ended up changing this answer three times (have you noticed I’m not very decisive?) so I’ll just give you all of them—Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz, One more Time by Daft Punk and Breezeblocks by Alt-J.

The best piece of news I’ve heard lately is:

My contract was getting extended past the internship programme period; and compliments from a ranger saying that I did a good job dealing with a whale stranding while I was holding down the fort for Laura.

My secret indulgence is:

Disney and Pixar movies and music.

If I wasn’t working at DOC, I’d like to…

Well ever since I was little I wanted to be a zoo keeper and I think I would still like to do that.

Before working at DOC:

I was doing my Masters in Marine Conservation at Victoria University which gave me some awesome experiences such as going to Heron Island to experience some tropical conservation topics and doing some field science in the beautiful Doubtful Sound.

Sunset on Heron Island, in the southern Great Barrier Reef.

Sunset on Heron Island, in the southern Great Barrier Reef

So I guess I was one of the lucky ones to jump straight out of study (actually while I was still studying!) into specifically what I wanted to do. Dream job.

Deep and meaningful…

Graduating my Masters in December, with my dad.

Graduating my Masters in December, with my dad

My favourite quote is…

I don’t know if this is a quote but “Just do it”. It might sound cheesy but it is very appropriate if you’re like me and get anxious at the prospect of doing new things.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is:

Don’t spend your money paying off more of your interest free student loan than you need to. Spend your extra money on travels and experiences. Hello Alaska in June!

In work and life I am motivated by:

Basically I just try my best to make the most of my time doing things I enjoy and to not waste opportunities (that’s how I got here).

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is:

Go out and do something in nature, even if it is small, it will increase your passion and awareness for New Zealand’s natural environment.

Question of the week…

What’s the kindest thing that someone has ever done for you?

One of the kindest things I can think of that has affected my life is how both my step parents treat me like their own family and support me in everything I do and make my life very pleasant! Plus they are both taking me overseas in the near future and if that’s not kind then I don’t know what is!

In Jobs at DOC, Marine , , , ,
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Jobs at DOC: Andrew Blanshard – Services Ranger

Department of Conservation —  25/04/2014

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile DOC ranger Andrew Blanshard, based in the Bay of Islands.

At work

Some things I do in my job include… I’m an archaeologist, historic assets project manager, boat skipper/manager, rodent dog handler, as well as looking after GIS,  island biosecurity, rural fire and marine mammal disentanglement.

Andrew excavating at Marsden Cross.

Andrew in his hole, excavating at Marsden Cross

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by helping to protect our historic heritage so that it will still be there for the next generation to appreciate and learn from. I help to keep our islands and special places pest free so that our unique wildlife can flourish.

The best bit about my job is managing, protecting and promoting some of the country’s most significant historic and archaeological sites. Also, working with my rodent dog on offshore islands with only the birds for company and getting out on the beautiful waters of Pewhairangi (Bay of Islands).

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is…It’s hard to narrow down to one. They include seeing the Cape Brett Lighthouse with her new coat of paint; finding the remains of New Zealand’s first Government house at Okiato; helping excavate New Zealand’s first school at Marsden Cross; spending 12 days on Kapiti with my Rodent Dog ‘Tike’ and getting to know this wonderful Island a bit better.

Tike looking at orca from a boat.

My rodent dog ‘Tike’ getting a view of orca

On a personal note

If I could trade places with any other person for a week it would be a crewman on Captain Cook’s voyages. I would love to see what the Pacific looked like before European Influences.

My best ever holiday was a working holiday sailing to 80 degrees north above Svalbard (Norway).

Andrew after 6 weeks in the field in Mongolia.

Looking a bit grubby after 6 weeks in the field

In my spare time I am involved in ongoing archaeological projects in Mongolia and Colorado.

If I wasn’t working at DOC, I’d like to be floating around the Pacific on a boat or being a ski bum…

Before working at DOC I was an archaeologist, driving instructor, kitchen designer and salesman.

The excavation crew just after uncovering New Zealand's first Government House.

The excavation crew just after uncovering New Zealand’s first Government House

Deep and meaningful

My favourite quote is “Give out, don’t give up!”

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is You have two ears and one mouth therefore listen twice as much as you talk!! (a hard one for me!!)

Training for disentangling large marine mammals.

Learning how to disentangle large marine mammals.

In work and life I am motivated by sharing my passion for Aotearoa/New Zealand’s unique and varied history.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is before going on an OE, make sure you have seen the beauties of your own country! Once you realise how special it is, GET INVOLVED with one of the brilliant conservation focused community groups/projects that we are lucky enough to have in abundance.

Andrew in Colorado, USA.

In red rock canyon country: Paradox Valley, Colorado.

Question of the week…

What was your favourite childhood toy and do you still have it?

A little Snoopy stuffed toy, which yes, is still with me in the garage.

In Historic, Jobs at DOC , , , , ,
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Jobs at DOC: Nelson Lakes Ranger, Jenny Long

Department of Conservation —  11/04/2014

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Today we profile DOC ranger Jenny Long, based in Nelson Lakes

Jenny holding a tomtit.

Plucky little tomtit caught by mistnet while I was accompanying a PhD student studying avian malaria

At work

Some things I do in my job include…

My main job is to run one of the six trial sites for DOC’s self-resetting trap trial.

Monitoring wrybill and oystercatcher breeding and survival in the Rangitata River as part of a wind farm mitigation project.

Monitoring wrybill and oystercatcher breeding and survival in the Rangitata River as part of a wind farm mitigation project

This one is based at the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project (RNRP) Mainland Island in Nelson Lakes National Park.

This involves collecting data on trap performance, monitoring mustelids and ensuring the traps in the field are set up and checked correctly.

I also get to join in with a wide range of other biodiversity work including monitoring native species like weka, robins and kākā, trapping/poisoning other pest species and engaging with volunteers and other members of the public.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by…

Mainland Islands were created to be places where we could test new methods and technology, so our work in the RNRP is geared towards improving techniques for tackling conservation challenges nationwide.

The work my teammates and I do also directly helps protect the native species within the area that we do pest control, as well as helping to spread the conservation message to the wider public when they come to visit Nelson Lakes and enjoy the wildlife and stunning views.

The best bit about my job is…

Spending most of my time outdoors amongst the beautiful mountains of Nelson Lakes, doing something I really care about, and working with great like-minded people.

Most scenic stoat trapline in this neck of the woods–along the top of the St Arnaud range.

Most scenic stoat trapline in this neck of the woods–along the top of the St Arnaud range

The most surreal DOC moment I’ve had so far was…

When we had the NZ Air Force (who have a training base nearby) helping us to take out an old hut, and I was flying along above the forest in a noisy open-sided Iroquois helicopter with soldiers in uniform… I felt like I was in a Vietnam war movie!

Catch of the day: a stoat with racing stripes!

Catch of the day: a stoat with racing stripes!

The DOC employee that inspires or enthuses me most is…

Everyone I’ve met in DOC has been pretty inspiring, from the scientists who do the research to inform decisions, through to the managers who make those decisions, to the rangers who make it all happen by slogging around the hills day in, day out.

But one person who stands out for me is of course my partner Joris Tinnemans, beech tree-shooter extraordinaire, who is always so cheerful and enthusiastic no matter how wet the West Coast bush, how uncooperative the birds he’s trying to monitor, or how many anchors he’s lost overboard!

On a personal note

The song that always cheers me up is…

Longtime by Salmonella Dub. Works every time.

If I could trade places with any other person for a week it would be…

The person back in time who was most instrumental in introducing mustelids to New Zealand and I’d change my mind!

The best thing to do after a long hot day working at Lake Rotoiti!

The best thing to do after a long hot day working at Lake Rotoiti!

My best ever holiday was…

Going to Transylvania (in Romania) with Joris to do volunteer work for a PhD student studying the impact on large carnivores of Romania’s drive for development since joining the EU. It was fascinating seeing the old sustainable lifestyle of the Transylvanian villagers and the incredible biodiversity in their mosaic of forest, wood pastures and small farms. It was also a joy to see carnivorous mammals like foxes, martens and bears in an ecosystem where they belong.

If I could be any New Zealand native species I’d be…

A peripatus (velvet worms)! They look like pudgy worms with legs, how could anyone not love them?

If I wasn’t working at DOC, I’d like to…

In my dream world I’d love to travel around the world doing conservation work, learning the languages of local people and finding out different ways of approaching the wide variety of conservation challenges we face worldwide. Of course, in my dream world I could also do this without burning tonnes of fossil fuels on long haul flights…

Deep and meaningful

My favourite quote is…

There are oodles of witty and inspiring quotes to choose from, but a more serious one that helps whenever I’m getting overly frustrated at not being able to solve the world’s environmental problems single-handed is this one:

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…

“Give it a go”—given to me by my parents about every single idea I’ve had for a change in life direction, including about-turns between studying graphics, doing a car mechanic course, studying linguistics and marine biology at university, going to vet school, mountain-bike instructing in America, leaving my GIS job to go back to uni to study Wildlife Management… and so on.

I don’t regret any of the things I’ve tried my hand at, I’ve met so many great people and had a lot of memorable experiences.

My awesome parents got me outdoors right from the beginning! Here’s dad taking me abseiling at Mt Ruapehu when I was two

My awesome parents got me outdoors right from the beginning! Here’s dad taking me abseiling at Mt Ruapehu when I was two

In work and life I am motivated by…

The friendly and inspiring people I meet everywhere, the beauty of nature, and the unfailing ability of life to be funny and take you by surprise. Like when you’ve organised to go on a great chocolate-fuelled tramping trip over Easter, only to end up in hospital on nil-by-mouth with a second bout of appendicitis (it can happen) while surrounded by taunting Easter eggs from well-meaning visitors!

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is…

It’s not a new idea, but for anyone who is already passionate about conservation my advice would be to do your best to share this passion with others who aren’t already involved.

Take friends of friends tramping/kayaking/biking, give family a bird-feeder and stoat trap set for Christmas, become a scout leader and take kids on outdoors trips to get them stoked on nature early—there are myriad ways to spread your enthusiasm and help make it normal to be environmentally aware.

Question of the week

If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to and why?

I would change it to Basil, because there aren’t enough Basils in the world these days.

In Animal pests, Jobs at DOC, Nelson/Marlborough , ,
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