NSW pest animal expertise recognised in national award

Peter West
Peter West from the Orange Agricultural Institute leads a national mapping project on vertebrate pests.

A NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) scientist has won a national pest animal management award for leading national efforts to map the numbers and distribution of vertebrate pests throughout Australia.

Mr. Peter West, from NSW DPI’s Orange Agricultural Institute, has been awarded the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research 2007 Participant’s Prize for Contribution to Pest Animal Management.

Mr West coordinates a mapping project that will provide a national system for monitoring and reporting key invasive animal species.

His work involves managing state and territory input and collating best available information on the range and abundance of invasive animals.

In presenting the award, Dr Tony Peacock, CEO of the CRC, said Mr West’s efforts will help produce a comprehensive ‘first off the rank’ national analysis of invasive animals’ distribution, abundance and impacts.

Dr Peacock added: "On going use of the mapping project will improve state and national datasets of invasive animals to support decision-making, pest management policy and control strategies.

"Peter has consistently promoted the Invasive Animals CRC, with a very positive attitude. He continually shows high standards and initiative in his work, which has made a significant contribution to invasive animal management."

The National Mapping Project, which Mr West coordinates, is a joint venture with the National Land and Water Resources Audit.

NSW DPI leads the Terrestrial Research Program for the Invasive Animals CRC.

Further information on NSW DPI’s vertebrate pest research can be found on our website.

Vertebrate Pests research unit
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/areas/health-science/vertebrate-pest-research

Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC)
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/alliances/invasive-animals-crc

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