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Archives For 30/11/1999

Visiting Kapiti Island

Department of Conservation —  18/02/2014

By Daniel Deans, DOC Intern

Recently the summer interns at DOC had the opportunity to ditch the spreadsheets, stretch their legs and get out of the office for a two day excursion on Kapiti Island.

DOC Interns on the beach at Kapiti Island.

DOC Interns on Kapiti Island

Every summer, DOC takes on a small group of interns to work in various roles. This year saw the largest contingent of interns that DOC has ever dared to take on at once, with a group of 11 wannabes working for three months in DOC’s National Office.

Interns working with a DOC ranger on Kapiti Island.

Hard at work

Having had enough of us after two months, our managers sent us across the sea on an unseasonably stormy day to spend two days volunteering on Kapiti Island. Home to one of New Zealand’s treasured native bird sanctuaries, we were to spend two days working with local ranger Gen on various island maintenance tasks – getting the hands on work we’d been craving after weeks behind a keyboard.

A weta on Kapiti Island.

Weta

The first day involved an invigorating walk to the summit of the island (a surprisingly high 521 metres), where we were greeted with a stunning sight of fog and rain, as well as the occasional weka attempting to steal our lunches.

The journey back down the hill was no less invigorating, having been tasked the glamorous job of clearing drains.

With mechanised street sweepers unsuited to a steep gravel track, clearing the drains involved shovelling dirt and leaves with your boot heel, and bending down to scoop it all up with your hands.

Needless to say the group arrived back to the accommodation rather damp, muddy and exhausted, but entirely satisfied with some good physically demanding labour (who needs a gym when you can do squats clearing drains?). While some retreated to the hot showers, the more adventurous among us thought that the howling wind and rain was the perfect weather for a swim. The sanity of these individuals is now missing somewhere off the coast of Paraparaumu.

An intern on Kapiti Island.

Enjoying nature

During the evening (after several increasingly ridiculous games of Articulate), we were treated to a kiwi spotting tour with Gen the Ranger. While ‘spotting’ is perhaps a bit of an optimistic term in retrospect, we did hear the calls of several kiwi in close vicinity, as well as stumbling on giant weta and other wildlife.

A gecko species on Kapiti Island.

Geckos

The dawn of day two saw Juliet and team leader Shannan up at a ridiculous hour – running to the top of the island to catch the dawn chorus. The rest of us dragged ourselves out of bed to have breakfast with the cheeky kaka, who were entirely unfazed by the human invaders to their home.

With the sight of the well needed sun, we set out on the morning mission – weeding the tracks. As it turns out, Kapiti Island is quite the ideal working location, with the crew being treated to the melodic sounds of the native bird population as we laboured. Along the way the ever-knowledgeable Ranger Gen pointed out each bird’s specific call, and succeeded in selling the job of Kapiti Island ranger as a very tempting career move.

An intern visited by a kaka on Kapiti Island.

Curious kaka

But unfortunately the trip had to end. With soggy socks and heavy hearts we boarded our boat back to the mainland, having had a fantastic taster into life ‘on the ground’ as part of DOC – an invaluable experience for all of us!

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Jobs at DOC: Yang Gan, Publishing Assistant

Department of Conservation —  07/02/2014

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 Yang Gan, Publishing Assistant based in Wellington.

Yang taking photos near trig at Mataikona.

Getting some snaps near the trig at Mataikona

At work

Some things I do in my job include… anything and everything that helps DOC produce great looking publications, from brochures, to posters, to banners, to reports, to maps and everything else in between.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by… presenting information clearly for staff and the public to understand.

The best bit about my job is… getting to meet and work with all the great DOC staff around the country.

The scariest DOC moment I’ve had so far is… being fairly new and cooped up in an office all day, there aren’t too many rock falls to watch out for or possum traps to clear, but I was able to take the great opportunity to tidy the carpet under my desk when the big earthquake hit last year.

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is… there is not just one, everyone in DOC is dedicated to saving, conserving and growing New Zealand’s special nature and wildlife.

Yang kayaking on Lake Arrowhead.

Relaxing on Lake Arrowhead

On a personal note

Most people don’t know that I… am allergic to nuts…please don’t give me any nuts.

The song that always cheers me up is… Peaches by Presidents of the United States of America. Who wouldn’t love a song about peaches!

My best ever holiday was… when I spent four months backpacking around the east coast of the USA and Europe in 2012. It was amazing to meet all the different people and explore the world, eat the food, see the sights! It all started with celebrating Fourth of July in L.A. then being recruited into a sailing race at Lake Arrowhead, camping out in Yosemite National Park, watching Usain Bolt set a new Olympic record and win the 100 metre final in London, relaxing all day on the pebbly beaches of the Mediterranean, getting over 200 km/h while driving down the autobahn and cycling through the beautiful country side of Slovenia.

Yang and friends on a beach in Nice.

Enjoying the beach in Nice

My greatest sporting moment was when… I was selected into the Central New Zealand badminton team and we travelled to Perth to compete in the Under 18 Australasian champs, where we came away with a lovely medal for runners up. It was the best result the team had ever achieved.

In my spare time I… get out and play some sport, whether it’s football, badminton or out on my bike. But if all else fails, I’ll be at the pub.

My secret indulgence is… a nice glass of port.

Yang and the Hutt Valley junior badminton teams.

Coaching the Hutt Valley junior badminton teams

Deep and meaningful

My favourite quote is… When I die, I want to go peacefully like my grandfather did–in his sleep. Not yelling and screaming like the passengers in his car.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… just relax, things will sort themselves out.

In work and life I am motivated by… people that are friendly and smile! No one likes a grouch.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is… look around you and appreciate what we have, otherwise one day it may not be there anymore.

Yang and a friend cycling to Bohinj Lake, Slovenia.

Taking in the surroundings while cycling to Bohinj Lake, Slovenia

Question of the week…

If you were immortal for a day, what would you do and why?

I would go running with the lions. Who wouldn’t want to experience the big cats up close and personal?

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Jobs at DOC: Daniel Lee, Rakiura/Stewart Island Ranger

Department of Conservation —  31/01/2014

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 Daniel Lee, Conservation Services Ranger, Rakiura/Stewart Island.

The stunning view from Rocky mountain.

The stunning view from Rocky Mountain across to Mason Bay

At work

Dan Lee filling bait stations.

A little breezy and damp on Rakeahua while filling bait stations

Some things I do in my job include… maintaining the tracks and huts around the island, setting bait stations for pests, fighting weeds, and talking to trampers and visitors in the field about the island, and the work we are doing.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision because… I recently had a tramper tell me how Mason Bay was looking much better compared to eight years ago, as a result of the Marram Grass eradication project going on. When people see the work we are doing, and we can show or explain the benefits of the work, and the difference it is making to Stewart Island and beyond, we are helping to spread that message.

The best bit about my job is… talking to the visitors from all over the world. Everyone I meet is so keen to learn about what is going on. Stewart Island is a long way to come for a visit and so it’s a great feeling to be able to share my knowledge of ecology and conservation with them to improve their experience here.

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is… doing some weed control work and seal sampling on Codfish Island and Tim, the kākāpō ranger, offered to take us around and show us his work as he carried out some health checks. We found Pearl, a female kākāpō, after a long crawl through the bush and as she seemed in no distress, I was able to hold her. Even working for DOC, opportunities like this do not come around often and so I count myself very lucky indeed! They are such beautiful birds up close, and whole experience for me was both very humbling and motivational at the same time.

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is… a hard question to answer, as everyone I work with has a genuine passion for the work they do, for them it’s not just a place to come to earn a salary, the motivation of doing some good work drives them on and inspires others. If I had to single out people it would be the volunteers that come through, either as long term placements, hut wardens or working parties. It’s a big ask to give up your time for free, and seeing them all get enjoyment from just being here and being a part of conservation inspires me, every time I’m asked: ‘Are you a volunteer?’ to always reply with: ‘No, I’m merely a paid employee’.

On a personal note…

Dan Lee and Pearl the kakapo.

Me and Pearl the kākāpō on our first date!

The song that always cheers me up is… I love music! I’ll listen to almost anything, from Queens of the Stone Age when marching up all these hills on the island, to Cannonball Adderly’s amazing sax licks, but I think the one song I love sitting down at the end of any day, and always seems to fit any mood is Let The Good Times Roll, by Louis Jordan.

My stomping ground is… I’m from the south coast in the UK, and so I grew up exploring the chalky South Downs, and the wealds of Kent. A little older but no more grown up, the Cornish coastline and Dartmoor National Park became a favourite haunt for wild camping, despite the stories of real life Baskerville hounds roaming the Tors!

My best holiday was… spending two months in Borneo volunteering with various projects for education, building schools, and reclaiming native forest from palm oil plantations. I loved every minute of it, from working alongside the Malay communities, overcoming the language barrier with sport, work and rice wine, to climbing the mountain, diving, and getting chased by a pygmy elephant. It was also the one and only time I had ever seen an elusive kingfisher.

In my spare time I… like to dabble in all sorts, a bit of watercolour painting, learning the blues saxophone, and taking advantage of what the island has to offer. It’s great fishing down here and getting a feed of blue cod, mussels and paua takes no time at all. I also like to get to the mainland when I can—for a busman’s holiday, exploring some new frontier of wilderness.

Before working at DOC I… spent the last three years studying Environmental Management at Plymouth Uni in the UK. Before that I was a qualified gas engineer, installing central heating systems, gas appliances, and general plumbing work, and carrying out landlord safety checks for two years. Before that, I served seven years in Royal Navy submarines as a sonar operator, listening to all the noise the ocean makes, and being lucky enough to travel from the east coast of the States, to Singapore, and a fair few ports in between.

Deep and meaningful…

Track work on Rakiura.

Comradeship in the bush…. when the first fella finds a deep hole in the track, it’s only fair you all find it!

My favourite quote is… ‘You can’t solve problems with the same thinking you used to create them’ – Albert Einstein

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… things are never so bad they can’t be made worse. I cannot even remember where I heard that now, but its true, when things are going wrong you will never change anything unless you drag yourself out from under the duvet and find the positives in life!

In work and life I am motivated by… making a positive difference. I’m not talking on a global scale, not just yet anyway. I’m talking on a day to day basis, whether that be with my friends and family, through work, or to a complete stranger.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is… get involved! Even if you have no time to help with a work day or a DOC event, you can still grab a few leaflets or search the web and read up about conservation issues here in New Zealand. Even by educating yourselves, you’re better equipped to spread the message and make people aware of just how important it is to keep this global bastion of natural beauty safe! That, and come to visit Stewart Island. It’s awesome.

Dan Lee at the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

At the summit of Mount Kinabalu, Borneo

Question of the week…

If you could have a conversation with any native species, which species would that be? I would definitely like to spend the day conversing with an ancient kauri. I would ask it how it has seen the world change since it first started to grow. What it has seen and felt and what it thinks of the changes it has seen, and what it would like to see in the future. What does it think of humans and the impacts we have made. It would probably have some good advice, and a few thousand years old tree would have a few good tales to tell I’m sure!

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Jobs at DOC: Brian Sheppard, Government Support

Department of Conservation —  24/01/2014

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 Brian Sheppard, Government Support Manager, based in Wellington.

Brian with his camera in Rotorua.

Capturing memories at Wai-o-Tapu, Rotorua

At work

Some things I do in my job include… helping the flow of information between the Minister and department, and supporting managers to meet the Minister’s requirements.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by…strengthening the ties between the Minister and department.

The best bit about my job is… getting to know so many people with such a strong commitment to the department and its work.

The funniest DOC moment I’ve had so far is… advising on a request from Japan to ship a block of glacier to Fukushima as a feature exhibit at a New Zealand stand in a trade show. I found what permissions were needed so that the Fukushima prefecture could make the necessary arrangements to collect and ship it out in a refrigerated container ship. I did warn them though that the Japanese border control people might have some difficulty in deciding whether a one cubic metre block of ‘dirty ice’ was an acceptable import. It was let into the country, did what was required for the duration of the show, and everyone was happy.

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is… John Holloway, a previous director at DOC, who had a remarkable ability to draw on and apply his strong understanding of land management and ecology to guide the department’s work. He provided sound, pragmatic, advice and direction that earned him the huge respect of staff and associates on all sides of conservation issues. 

Bird on the wharf at Chaffers marina, Wellington.

Taking terns at Chaffers marina, Wellington

On a personal note…

My stomping ground is… the Wellington coastline which, like the city itself, offers so much variety in such a small area – from the downtown waterfront, to family beaches and wild coastline, especially the uplifted rocks along the Taputeranga marine reserve on the south coast.

My greatest sporting moment was… a rare event as I rarely ‘do’ sport. While at university, I rowed in an eight for the ‘May Bumps’. England’s river Cam is too narrow to pass and so, after a staggered start, the aim is to catch and bump the boat in front. We never won but I had a great time, even with the ominous name of our boat ‘B.A. Cantab (failed)’.

In my spare time I… spend quality time with family (including our ‘grand dog’ Bailey) and friends, mostly cooking, eating and having fun, but I also spend a lot of time, and probably too much money, with my photography.

I also provide support by telephone through the Cancer Society, for people dealing with head and neck cancers and I am a ‘consumer representative’ for head and neck cancer programmes run by district health boards. The most recent of these has been assisting in the development of plans for faster cancer treatment to meet new requirements of the Minister of Health. This work lets me give something back for the fantastic support that I received for dealing with tongue cancer nearly a decade ago.

A photograph of Wellington's south coast by Brian Sheppard.

Wellington’s south coast

Deep and meaningful…

My favourite quote is… Just do it!

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… make the most of life. You only get one chance.

In work and life I am motivated by… the energy and enthusiasm of others.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is… have a look at conservation challenges in other countries, recognise the importance of what we have and what we are achieving, then do your best to build on it.

Brian's dog Bailey at the beach with a stick.

Bailey (the grand dog)

Question of the week…

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why? I would love to have met the photographer, Brian Brake. I only became aware of his work through an exhibition at Te Papa. He had mastered his art over a long career in New Zealand and overseas. His work, in monochrome or colour, is stunning. It would have been great to see him at work and to follow his thought processes that led to the recognition and capture of the essential elements of a scene. What’s more it all happened before digital photography and Photoshop. What a master!

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Jobs at DOC: Jennifer Germano, Kiwi Recovery Group Leader

Department of Conservation —  17/01/2014

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 Jennifer Germano, Technical Advisor Ecology/Kiwi Recovery Group Leader based in Hamilton.

Jen and an Ascaphus frog.

Finding my first Ascaphus frog in Canada, along with New Zealand’s native frogs this species is one of the world’s most archaic frog species

At work

Some things I do in my job include… helping to coordinate conservation efforts for kiwi across the country. The Kiwi Recovery Group is an amazing group of people, whose expertise covers a range of topics, including kiwi handling and biology, research, community groups, iwi issues, on the ground kiwi operations, predator science, education and advocacy. My job is to help bring together those people with different backgrounds to get technical advice out to kiwi practitioners and DOC staff. I also have the privilege of working with both the Recovery Group and others to develop national strategies for kiwi conservation.

This helps achieve DOC’s vision by… protecting and conserving one of New Zealand’s most iconic species!

The best bit about my job is… the people.  I just started a month ago, but so far, people in the kiwi community and DOC have been incredible. Definitely a friendly and passionate group that have made me feel welcome from day one.

The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is… meeting with the staff at Kiwi Encounter and seeing the newly hatched baby kiwi there.

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is… James Reardon.  His enthusiasm for conservation and his passion for herpetofauna are contagious.  He’s a great biologist, an amazing photographer and a good person to be in the field with, whether it was hanging out with the skink crew in Central Otago or searching for frogs in the Amazon. James was one of the first biologists I worked with when I first arrived in New Zealand over ten years ago and he helped to introduce me to the wildlife and the unique conservation problems that we face here.  Also, while some people are scientists and others are more interested in on-the-ground wildlife management, James showed that it was possible and advantageous to blend the two in order to help save a species from extinction.

Jen packrafting in the Colorado River.

Packrafting in the Colorado River

On a personal note…

My most recent stomping ground was… Red Rock Canyon in Southern Nevada, USA.  I just returned to New Zealand after doing translocation research on desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert for the last few years.  Red Rock had some of the best rock climbing in the states, plus it was a beautiful corner of the Mojave full of wildlife (desert tortoises, big horn sheep, snakes, lizards) and amazing landscapes.  I’m still finding my way around Hamilton and looking for some new stomping grounds around here.

If I could trade places with any other person for a week—famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional—it would be… Jane Goodall while she was working with the chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania.  She was able to combine being a conservationist, a scientist, a mother, and an educator and has inspired people worldwide to care about, not only the chimps in Africa, but about protecting the environment and the world that we live in.

Jen radio tracking desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert.

Radio tracking desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert

My best ever holiday was… spending a summer in Ecuador with my sister.  We were living with some families down there learning Spanish and because our travel agent messed up some of our plans, they squeezed us into a couple empty spaces on a boat visiting the Galapagos to pay us back. It was the trip of a lifetime. Amazing wildlife!  Albatross mating, blue-footed booby birds, giant tortoises, marine iguanas. We snorkelled with sea turtles and seals, snuck up on some flamingos, and stood in the shallow waters on a beach while the sting rays washed over our feet with the incoming waves.  It was an amazing adventure to share with my sister… I wish I could go back again one day!

My greatest sporting moment was when… I finished the Memphis Road Race Series, which included two 5k, two 5-mile, two 10k, two 10-mile, and two half marathon races over a 10 week period. It definitely showed that with a bit of hard work and determination, I could accomplish anything and that by surrounding myself with enthusiastic and passionate people, I could be inspired to do things that I never would have attempted on my own.

My secret indulgence is… anything chocolate!

Jen kayaking on the left and tramping on the right.

Left: Kayaking near Vancouver Island Right: Tramping near Mount Cook

Deep and meaningful…

My favourite quote is… Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… go out and do something amazing.

In work and life I am motivated by… the fact that we are all capable of making the world a better place in some way, whether it is big or small.

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is… take the time to help others appreciate the natural world around them. Passion for conservation can be contagious, so share your love of the outdoors and help others to get outside.  It’s only when people understand and have a connection to nature that they’ll make the effort to help protect it.

Jen and family at the Vernal Falls, USA.

Family camping trip at Yosemite National Park, USA.

Question of the week…

What did you want to be ‘when you grew up?

I thought I wanted to be a palaeontologist. I had quite a collection of rocks with little fossils in them that I had found behind my parents’ home and as a kid always had dreams of finding a dinosaur. When I started uni, I did a heap of geology papers and then spent my first summer as a palaeontology intern. But after spending 40 hours a week staring through a microscope sorting out microfossils from buckets of sand, I decided that I’d rather be in the field studying animals that were still alive rather than the remains of dead ones.

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