WEST, Peter
Research interests
- Wildlife research
- Pest animal control
- Feral animal disease
- Monitoring and GIS mapping
Background
Peter West is a Research Officer with NSW DPI’s Vertebrate Pest Research Unit. He is based at NSW DPI’s Orange Agricultural Institute, and has over 12 years experience in coordinating research projects on wildlife and pest species.
He is a Project Leader with the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, and currently manages a national pest animal mapping project to collect and report information on pest species throughout Australia.
In recent years, he has managed projects to monitor and map pest species throughout NSW, and has been the national coordinator for vertebrate pest monitoring and reporting as part of the Australian Governments National Land & Water Resources Audit.
His background includes research on pest birds, rabbits, feral goats, wild dogs, exotic disease risk from feral animals, and many native species. He continues to work on monitoring and reporting pest populations, GIS mapping, and risk analysis – with a goal of delivering accurate information on pest populations for informed decision-making by land managers at all levels.
Qualifications
- B. Applied Sc. Hons. (Resource and Environmental Science) – University of Canberra 2000
Current projects
- National mapping of invasive animals
- Improving monitoring and mapping protocols for invasive animals
- Feral animals as hosts of exotic disease in Australia
- NSW pest animal assessment (2009)
- Kakadu aerial survey and training program
- Alien fish monitoring techniques, indicators and protocols
Recent publications
West P (2008) Assessing invasive animals in Australia 2008, National Land & Water Resources Audit and Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra.
West P (2008) Significant invasive species (vertebrate pests) – Status of Natural Resources Information for reporting against indicators under the National Natural Resource Management Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. National Land & Water Resources Audit and Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra.
Tracey JP, Fleming PJS, West P, Slade S, McLeod SR, Jambrecina M (2008) Techniques for Aerial Surveys of Wildlife. Training and reference Manual for Kakadu National Park. Invasive Animals CRC and NSW DPI.
West P (2008) National assessment of invasive animals – project outcomes. In: Proceedings of the 14th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference, Darwin, Australia June 2008.
West P, Brown A and Hall K (2007) Review of alien fish monitoring techniques, indicators and protocols: implications for national monitoring of Australia’s inland river systems. Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra.
West P and Saunders G (2007) Pest Animal Survey: A review of the distribution, impacts and control of invasive animals throughout NSW and the ACT. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW.
West P, Auricht CM, Franco M, and Alexandra J (2006) National Weeds and Invasive Animals Information Workshop: A report on workshop outcomes. Report to NLWRA and IA CRC
Gibson J and West P (2006) Summary of State/ Territory invasive animal distribution and abundance monitoring. Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.
Doody JS, Green B, Sims R, Rhind D, West P and Steer D (2006) Indirect impacts of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) on nest survival in pig-nosed turtles (Carettochelys insculpta). Wildlife Research 33: 349-354.
Saunders G, Walter M, McLeod L, West P and McLeod S (2005) Fox management and production outcomes in NSW – benefits and future directions. In, Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference, New Zealand May 2005
Woolnough AP, West PB and Saunders GR (2004) Institutional knowledge as a tool for pest animal management. Ecological Management and Restoration, Vol 5: No 3, 226-228.
Professional associations and activities
- Project Leader - Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre
- Project Coordinator (Vertebrate Pests) - National Land & Water Resources Audit
Fields of research
- 050211 Wildlife and Habitat Management
- 060208 Terrestrial Ecology
- 070205 Animal Protection (Pests and Pathogens)
- 070308 Crop and Pasture Protection (Pests, Diseases and Weeds)
Keyword/phrase list of research interests
- Wildlife research
- Pest animal monitoring and mapping
- Wildlife management
Contact details
Email: peter.west@dpi.nsw.gov.au
