Contact Details
Biography
Paul holds a BSc Hons from Leicester University and an MSc in biological sciences from the University of Waikato and has a background in wetland and aquatic plant ecology. He specialises in freshwater biosecurity, especially risk assessment, developing strategies for the prevention of aquatic weed spread and protection of unimpacted water bodies, and designing and implementing eradication programmes for aquatic weeds. He works closely with a wide range of central and regional authorities in the field of biosecurity. He is also author/co-author of three books on the identification of common weeds, grasses, sedges, rushes and weed seeds in New Zealand. He also has experience in wetland ecology and conservation needs and management plans for nationally endangered aquatic and wetland plants. Paul joined NIWA in 1994 and was appointed Programme Leader – Freshwater Biosecurity in July 2015. He has been a Principal Scientist – Freshwater Ecology since 2004. He previously worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry coordinating eradication programmes for nationally important weeds.