Career Profiles
| Careers | Environmental Sciences | Earth & Ocean Sciences |
Biosecurity Officer
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Name: Ben Paris
Employer: Environment Waikato
Vocation: Biosecurity Officer
Degrees: Bachelor of Science (Technology)
Subject: Biological Sciences
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Bring tui back to Hamilton
Ben Paris has moved ahead by the motto “experience is the key to getting jobs”, and after getting experience doing work placements with both the Department of Conservation and the Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research, Ben walked straight into a job at Environment Waikato after finishing his final exams.
“Environment Waikato really valued the work experience I gained from my work placements, it definitely helped me get my current role as a Biosecurity Officer,” says Ben.
Ben’s role at Environment Waikato sees him being the Biosecurity Officer in charge of biodiversity in the Hamilton City area and surrounds. Ben is involved in the Hamilton Halo project, which is aimed at encouraging tui back to Hamilton. The project involves doing pest control and plantings in and around the rural forest areas of Hamilton.
‘Working on the Halo project is extremely rewarding. I get to work with my passion for birds, and am doing a job that will make a difference, allowing me to say that I helped bring tui back to Hamilton.”
Tui feeding is a common sight throughout New Zealand, but is currently a rare sight in Hamilton. With the implementation of Project Halo, tui nesting will be encouraged in the Hamilton area, to increase the tui in Hamilton.
The Hamilton Halo project began with a 20 kilometre feeding range radius drawn around Hamilton City. In this ‘halo’ area, measures will be put in place to provide effective pest control of ship rats, one of the main predators of forest birds.
“For now, bringing tui back to Hamilton is a huge goal for me” says Ben, “I’d also like to help bring other biodiversity aspects back to urban environments so that we can teach the public about the native wildlife that is so unique to New Zealand.”
Ben gained valuable work experience whilst studying towards a Bachelor of Science (Technology) in Biological Sciences. Ben studied through the Behavioural Ecology and Conservation Programme, and completed this through work experience volunteering with the Department of Conservation both at the Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre working with captive breeding birds, and at Boundary Stream Mainland Island doing pest control and kiwi and kokako monitoring. Ben also worked at the Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research at the University of Waikato, doing vegetation monitoring.
“Work experience is the key – get as much diverse employment background as you can in your career area, it will pay off. Also, get advice from your lecturers. They have many years of experience and know what they’re talking about!”
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