Avian & Wildlife Ecology

Mark is our Auckland-based Principal Ecologist. Mark has over 25 years of experience in resource management, planning, project and contract management, ecological research and operational delivery.

At PDP Mark leads our Auckland ecology team and provides ecological advice to a wide range of clients. Before joining PDP, Mark was a lecturer at Auckland and Massey Universities. He’s also been heavily involved with the Maruia Society and the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society. He’s a science advisor to the Wildlife Conservation Trust of New Zealand.

Mark loves the outdoors: tramping, cycling, running and kayaking. His passion lies in New Zealand’s ecological diversity and we are privileged to have him on our team.

Emma is an ecologist with over 13 years of resource management experience gained through roles in local government and consultancy, with a background in freshwater ecology, water quality, planning and impact assessment.

Emma has strong technical expertise in the management and implementation of freshwater ecological assessments to support resource consent applications, meet compliance requirements and enhance ecological outcomes. These include field surveys to identify baseline ecological values and assessment of environmental impacts from resource use, discharges and land development on receiving environments. She is also experienced in preparing streamworks consents involving native fish capture and relocations and assessing instream structures for the provision of fish passage, under freshwater legislation.

Emma has a particular interest in ecological restoration, particularly in urban environments that benefit both the community and the environment. She has managed many large multi-disciplinary projects, involving collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, authorities and technical specialists. She is committed to delivering high-quality projects that exceed client expectations.

Emma is a Certified Environmental Practitioner (CEnvP) through EIANZ and is an active and founding member of PDP’s Environmental Sustainability Committee.

Lizzie is an Ecologist with over 11 years of experience in the Aviation/Transport Industry. She has been working as an independent Ecological Consultant and Airfield Manager/Wildlife and Grounds Manager.

She is an experienced project manager, with technical expertise in terrestrial ecology - Avifauna, wildlife and pest management plans, human-wildlife conflict and landscape reviews. She is experienced in mitigating human and wildlife conflict through habitat modification, ensuring wildlife and human activities co-exist safely.

Nicki Papworth is a botanist and wetland ecologist with expertise in wetland assessments and delineation, ecological impact assessments, botanical surveys, and terrestrial habitat and vegetation surveys. 

Her experience includes assessing terrestrial and wetland ecological values and constraints, rare and threatened plant surveys, developing joint ecological and GIS remote sensing techniques for wetland identification and delineation, the preparation of mitigation and restoration planting plans, and aerial based vegetation mapping to prioritise areas for restoration and enhancement.

Tim is a freshwater ecologist with over five years of experience working as an environmental consultant and researcher. Tim’s research and project experience has had a strong focus on understanding and assessing the impacts of agricultural and urban land use on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. This has included the management and implementation of freshwater ecological assessments to contribute to the development of Assessments of Environmental Effects (AEEs) for resource consent applications, ecological and water quality monitoring programmes, and completing environmental impact assessments and providing advice following isolated events.

Tim’s key projects have included the reconsenting of wastewater and water treatment plants, global stormwater discharge consents, and pre-and-post stream remediation (e.g., fish passage removal) and restoration (e.g., habitat restoration) monitoring programmes.

Tim has a strong technical skillset, including a high level of experience undertaking a variety of industry standard ecological field assessment methodologies, statistical data analysis using R and Microsoft Excel, technical reporting, and an understanding of local, regional, and national freshwater policy.