Australian Wildlife Services is a wildlife management consultancy based in Canberra. George Wilson, who leads AWS, has more than 50 years experience flying through the outback working as a zoologist, veterinarian, research scientist, resource conservationist and commercial survey pilot.
AWS specialises in strategic policy analysis, wildlife surveys, GIS mapping, tranquilising wild animals, conservation management and population ecology. We have projects Australia-wide. Some examples are: – Development of carbon abatement and sequestration through improved kangaroo management – Mapping the distribution and harvesting of kangaroos – Developing wildlife industries and tourism that aid conservation. – Indigenous land management – integrating traditional knowledge and western science
Contact:
wilson@awt.com.au
or
george.wilson@anu.edu.au
George Wilson AM is the principal of Australian Wildlife Services. His qualifications are Master Veterinary Science (University of Sydney) and PhD in Zoology (University of Aberdeen). In June 2021 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for “Services to wildlife conservation, veterinary science and community service Dr Wilson has been an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University, Fenner School of Environment and Society since 2011 and has been a Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales, Institute of Environmental Studies. His research experience covers a wide range of scientific and industry development topics in wildlife management, animal quarantine and disease management, animal production, resource management and conservation. He has had extensive experience in the practical application of research work and has published more than 130 papers, articles, wildlife plans of management and chapters and written three books. He has had contracts to manage research programs for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. Prior to establishing his own consultancy company he worked for three years with economic policy company – ACIL Consulting Pty Ltd and before for seven years was Branch Head in the Bureau of Resource Sciences including as Chief Veterinary Officer for Australia. He has also worked for Australian Government Department of Environment as Director of the National Conservation Strategy and Principal Wildlife Officer with with the Australian, and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. In Scotland in late 1970’s he and wifeeLynette worked with the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology on red grouse management and red deer. George has been a Scout Leader with Air Scouts Canberra since 1987 and was awarded a Silver Wattle for Meritorious service. He is a member of Canberra Burley Griffin Rotary Club where in 2014 he was named a Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of an outstanding commitment to the Club or the community. He is Vice President of the Deakin Residents Association.
Samaa Kalsia; Bachelor of Arts (Geography and Sociology) Hons 2018, Trinity College Dublin. Master of Environment (Natural Resource Management) Australian National University 2021 Samaa focuses on species management and innovations that create incentives for more private landholders to conserve biodiversity and support threatened mammals. She has collated information on Parma wallaby history, translocations and reintroductions which has been published by Australian Zoologist. She has also collated information koala research and management. Samaa has previously worked as an intern at WWF, India as part of the TRAFFIC department, where she created and maintained a database for tiger and leopard mortalities and seizures across India. In Australia, she has worked as a consultant for the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment where she assessed the feasibility and environmental impacts of expanding ski fields at Thredbo, Kosciusko National Park. She has conducted habitat surveys, fauna surveys (reptiles, invertebrates, birds, large and small mammals), inter-tidal zone surveys, Landscape Function Analysis and soil profiling and sampling.
Melanie Edwards, Bachelor of Science, First-class Hons, 2006, Australian National University. PhD, 2013, Australian National University. Dr Edwards (nee Garner) provides research support and investigations for biological aspects of projects. She has worked as an Intern at Smithsonian Institution, Australian National, and University of Canberra, where she researched a diverse range of animals including sea otters, bottle-nose dolphins, dessert tortoises, brush-tail possums, wallabies, kangaroos, Australian and Amazonia parrots and eastern bearded dragons. She has taught hundreds of tertiary biology students for a number of subjects, including genetics, immunology, cytogenetics, nutrition, diagnostics and wildlife management and has also worked within industry-government committee partnerships while in the Australian Department of Agriculture Water and Environment. She has collaborated and co-authored with Professor Wilson on several papers, including kangaroos and greenhouse gas emissions and Indigenous land management.
Charlie Wilson, Bachelor of Environmental Science, University of Canberra, 2008. Charlie provides part time support to AWS in the development of resource management plans and sustainable land use practices by pastoralists, Landcare cooperatives and Aboriginal communities. Charlie has extensive experience in ecological assessment, environmental economics, carbon accounting and carbon methodology development. Charlie is also an experienced Systems Administrator and IT consultant with interdisciplinary expertise in environmental modelling and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Charlie has also worked closely with remote indigenous communities in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia to develop environmental and economic programs. He has also worked extensively with agricultural companies, graziers and pastoralists throughout Australia to implement plans of management and alternative land-use strategies. Working in the compliance and global voluntary carbon markets he has advised on the development of carbon market mechanisms including the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) and the previously proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). He has authored and reviewed carbon accounting methodologies for use in the CFI and international carbon markets, developed and audited agricultural and forestry carbon projects with considerable experience in field assessment and research.
Jennifer Smits, Bachelor of Science (Resource and Environmental Management) First Class Honours 2008, Australian National University. Master of Science Charles Sturt University, 2017. Jenny has provided part time research support and investigations for biological aspects of projects, mapping surveys and software development. She has well developed computer mapping and GIS skills using ArcGIS, Manifold and MapInfo and has a Graduate Certificate in GIS and Remote Sensing. She has refined, developed and trained Cybertracker, the icon-based, portable GPS software, for Aboriginal rangers to track native and invasive flora and fauna. Activities also include bird, reptile, plant, mammal, aerial, landscape function, erosion, water and soil carbon surveys. She advised on procedures and requirements to minimise the impact of windfarms on wildlife and habitats.
Geoff Kay Bachelor of Science (Forestry) / Bachelor of Science (Biology) 2001 – Dec 2005, PhD Australian National University 2018 Dr Kayhas provided part-time support and research services for AWS. When working for AWS he modelled kangaroo populations and sustainable harvests and led the 2010 and 2011 reptile survey of Angas Downs conducted with the support of the Anangu Rangers. Here he is shown with the Angas Downs emblem – the Thorny Devil.
Edward Wilson, Bachelor of Design provides computing and design expertise especially for project reports and brochures. He manages AWS servers and IT needs.
Lyn Wilson is a specialist laboratory scientist who works on AWS projects.
AWS also partners with Universities, other consultants and services to provide a wide range of specialist input on projects.
Margaret Woodrow, Bachelor of Arts, Sydney University, with majors in Economics and Geography, and Diploma of Education, (CCAE). Margaret Woodrow has provided administrative and research support for the wide range of AWS activities and projects. She has 15 years public service experience and 11 years as a subject coordinator in a large school.
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