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Brooke graduated as a first class honours Natural Resources graduate of the University of New England (UNE). She specialised in wildlife management, ecosystem rehabilitation and natural resource management in developing countries and was awarded a University Medal in recognition of high academic achievement.
Brooke completed her honours project in association with CRC Pest Animal Control at CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Canberra, investigating conditioned aversion (CA) as a means to reduce the impact of fox predation upon colonies of threatened ground-nesting birds. This project used novel statistical analyses to investigate the responses of captive foxes to treated prey items. The paper summarising the findings of this study is currently being peer reviewed and will hopefully be published in the near future.
Brooke has been active in community environmental projects on the Northern Tablelands and South East Coast of NSW, including remnant restoration with Greening Australia and creek rehabilitation with Candelo Landcare. In this capacity, she has gained experience in the practical aspects of community-led environmental projects.
Since joining nghenvironmental, Brooke has prepared impact assessment reports relating to a variety of infrastructure development (including roads, windfarms, telecommunications, water supply management and residential development) as well as river modification and prescribed burning works. These reports have included threatened floral and faunal species assessments, research, fieldwork and GIS components. Her major projects have included impact assessments for three wind farm developments, a Species Impact Statement involving 33 subject species, a natural values desktop study to be used for strategic planning in the Snowy River Shire and Biocerticiation investigations in the Bega Valley Shire.
Courses and conferences Brooke has attended recently include: - Landscape Function Analysis training course (Adaminaby)
- Alpine Ecology Course run by Latrobe University (Falls Creek, Victoria)
- Amphibian, Reptile and Bat School held by Forests NSW (Kioloa)
- Environmental Management Systems Auditor training (Brisbane, QLD)
- Ecological Consultants Association: Survey Techniques, Towards Industry Standards Conference (Sydney)
- Department of Sustainability, Victoria: Anabat Methods and Call Analysis Workshop (Bairnsdale)
- Australian Network for Plant Conservation: Rehabilitation of Native Vegetation Workshop (Wagga Wagga)
- Far South Coast Community College: Eucalypt Identification (Candelo)
- Private Forestry: Brogo Field Day (Brogo)
- Department of Environment and Conservation: Threatened Species Legislation Amendments Forum (Bega)
- Environmental Defenders Office: Public Participation in Environmental Law Workshop (Bega)
- Rural Fire Service: Community Bushfire Forum (Tomekin)
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