WEST, Peter
Research interests
- Web and App-based monitoring of invasive species
- Effective engagement with communities
- Citizen-based surveillance and new incursions
- Regional and state-wide mapping of pest distributions
Background
Peter has 20 years’ experience in pest animal research and management, and has been with the Vertebrate Pest Research Unit since 2000. The focus of his research has been on developing suitable techniques for community-based and agency-based monitoring of pest animal populations. He has developed NSW and national maps of pest distributions to inform policy, research and management. He has a strong interest in developing community-based tools (including phone Apps) for gathering, centralising, reporting and alerting farmers, land manages and biosecurity stakeholders to threats posed by pest species. He is currently responsible for the national FeralScan program.
Qualifications
- B.App.Sc (Hons1) (Resource and Environment Science – Wildlife Management) – University of Canberra, 1999
- Training and Assessment (Cert IV) – Tocal Agricultural College
Current projects
- FeralScan – Community based surveillance and pest monitoring (national program)
- NSW state-wide mapping of the distribution of established pest animals
- Field guide to established pest animals (educational resources App and book)
- National rabbit biocontrol community platform for ongoing community participation in disease surveillance
- Community surveys to support the National Carp Control Program
- Wild Dog DNA sampling project – web-based platform.
Selected recent publications
Skelton CJ, Cook AS, West P, Spencer RJ, and Old JM (2019) Building an army of wombat warriors: developing and sustaining a citizen science project. Australian Mammalogy, (41) 186-195 CSIRO Publishing.
Roy-Dufresne E, Lurgi M, Brown S, Wells K, Cooke B, Mutze G, Peacock D, Cassey P, Berman D, Brook B, Campbell S, Cox T, Daly J, Dunk I, Elsworth P, Fletcher D, Forsyth D, Hocking G, Kovaliski J, Leane M, Low B, Kennedy M, Matthews J, McPhee S, Mellin C, Mooney T, Moseby K, Read J, Richardson B, Schneider K, Schwarz E, Sinclair R, Strive T, Triulcio F, West P, Saltre F, and Fordham D (2019) The Australian National Rabbit Database: 50 years of population monitoring of an invasive species Ecology 100(7): e02750.
West, P (2018) Guide to introduced pest animals on Australia, CSIRO Publishing. Melbourne.
Sawyers E, West P, Cox T (2017) RVDV Boost: community participation on a national scale. Proceedings of the 17th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference, Innovative Solutions and Future Directions, Canberra, May 1-4, 2017.
West, P (2017) Community-based invasive species surveillance: bringing innovation to information sharing and improved management. Proceedings of the 17th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference, Innovative Solutions and Future Directions, Canberra, May 1-4, 2017.
Henry S, Brown PR, Hinds, LA, Cruz J, Byrom A, Anderson D, Pech R, and West P. (2017) Separating the twitter from the chatter: monitoring and forecasting mouse plagues in Australian grain growing regions. Proceedings of the 17th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference, Innovative Solutions and Future Directions, Canberra, May 1-4, 2017
Trotter A, Crittle T, Hart Q, West P (2017) Assessing the extent and abundance of pest animal populations across NSW through expert knowledge. Proceedings of the 17th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference, Innovative Solutions and Future Directions, Canberra, May 1-4, 2017.
Bengsen A, West P, and Krull C (2016) Feral pigs in Australia and New Zealand: range, trend, management and impacts of an invasive species IN, Ecology, Evolutions and management of Wild Pigs and Peccarines – Implications for Conservation, Cambridge University Press.
Davis NE, Bennett A, Forsyth DM, Bowman DMJS, Wood SW, Lefroy EC, Woolnough AP, West P, Hampton JO, and Johnson CN (2016) A systematic review of the impacts and management of introduced deer (Family: Cervidae) in Wildlife Research (2016) 43, 515-532.
Allen BL and West P (2013) Influence of dingoes on sheep distribution in Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal (7) 261-7.
Professional associations and activities
- Australasian Wildlife Management Society
Fields of research (ANZSRC)
- 050103 Invasive Species Ecology
- 050211 Wildlife and Habitat Management
- 060208 Terrestrial Ecology
- 060201 Behavioural Ecology
- 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity
Keyword/phrase list of research interests
- Vertebrate pests
- Wildlife management
- Pest animal control
- Animal abundance estimation
- Community engagement
- Citizen science
- Smart phone App
- Training
