New RD&E Manager boosts Centre’s work on weeds
The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions has appointed its first Invasive Weeds RD&E Manager, Cath Walsh.
“Cath brings new energy to the Centre’s weeds program at a time when government, universities and communities are looking for enhanced solutions,” said Andreas Glanznig, the Centre’s CEO.
Before joining the Centre, Cath worked for the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, working extensively in the Great Barrier Reef Catchments, monitoring wetland health and water quality, habitat mapping, and assessing the impacts of agriculture, weeds and pests on the landscape. Cath has also had the opportunity to work in Tasmania, where her work involved weed identification and mapping in association with her assessment of development impacts on threatened and invasive species.
Most recently, Cath worked as a spatial scientist on the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program for the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Her work involved analysing the temporal and spatial patterns of fire ants in South East Queensland, looking at their habitat association, the effect of different environmental variables on their spread, and providing advice on scientific strategy.
Cath Walsh is the Centre’s new Invasive Weeds RD&E Manager.
“I’m excited to join the Centre and build on its invasive weed projects,” said Cath Walsh.
The Centre’s Portfolio R&D Director, Associate Professor Richard Price, is excited to have Cath join the research team: “She brings a great set of skills to the role — not only does she have a background in terrestrial and aquatic ecology, but she is also very experienced in working with multiple stakeholders across government, NRM organisations and community groups.”
Invasive weed research, development and engagement is a growth area for the Centre with more projects expected to get underway in the new financial year.
“We aim to build on the Centre’s successful delivery of projects like the WeedScan weed ID app and on-line community management system involving CSIRO, NSW and a number of other States; development of a surveillance system to monitor e-commerce web sites for illegal trade in plants led by Associate Professor Phill Cassey from the University of Adelaide; and the National Invasive Grasses Program being led by the NSW Government’s Department of Primary Industries which will establish large scale demonstration sites across Australia,” said Andreas Glanznig.