Vanessa has over 10 years’ experience working with research organisations, government authorities and community groups undertaking a range of field-based, capacity building, and organisational activities. She has a particular interest in the integration of conservation and agriculture, and best practice management for threatened species in farming landscapes.
Vanessa has worked on multidisciplinary research projects in lowland river and wetland ecosystems monitoring the response of waterbirds, fish, frogs and vegetation to environmental water allocations. She has also been involved with monitoring the response of birds and invertebrates to ecological burning in natural and productive landscapes in south eastern NSW.
Vanessa has gained extensive experience in capacity building and landholder engagement working with stakeholders to achieve community and on-ground practice change to improve habitat and connectivity for a range of threatened woodland fauna. Vanessa was a volunteer committee member and surveyor with Cowra Woodland Birds Program, a long-running project collecting scientific data to monitor seasonal variation and population trends of woodland birds in the Cowra Shire of NSW.