Clare McCutcheon 

Presentation “A novel approach to seabird collision risk modelling for the Australian offshore environment”.

To be held during session 9A – Wind energy and biodiversity in practice, Tuesday 19 September at 3.30pm. 

Clare is our Senior Associate Zoologist and has over 14 years of ecological consulting experience conducting fauna surveys and habitat assessments across south-eastern Australia. She has particular expertise with vertebrate fauna identification, monitoring, and targeted surveys for rare and threatened species. 

Clare has designed and coordinated numerous large-scale surveys for threatened fauna species across a range of habitats, including targeted mammal surveys of the central Gippsland foothill forests, seabird and shorebird surveys of the central Gippsland coast, and targeted surveys for threatened grassland fauna to the west of Melbourne. She has also undertaken impact assessments and provided advice for a range of large-scale infrastructure projects including onshore and offshore wind farms in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania and linear infrastructure projects including major roads, pipelines and recreational trails. 

Connect with Clare via LinkedIn or cmccutcheon@biosis.com.au.

Dr Jonathan Botha 

Presentation: “Performance of the Biosis wind turbine avian collision risk model evaluated for two species of Australian eagles”.

To be held during session 9B - Wind energy and biodiversity in practice, Wednesday 20 September at 11am. 

Jonathan is a Senior Zoologist with over nine years of ecological research experience across marine, freshwater and terrestrial systems. Since joining Biosis in 2021, Jonathan has worked on and managed a variety of projects ranging from general flora and fauna assessments to detailed ecological monitoring of seabirds and shorebirds, arboreal mammals, reptiles and amphibians. 

Prior to joining Biosis, Jonathan worked as a Research Assistant at Deakin University and conducted research as part of the Marine Ecology Survey Program for the Star of the South Wind Project. During this time, he spent extensive periods collecting tracking data for fur seals and seabirds on several islands in Bass Strait, analysing these data and drafting specialist reports. Given his experience, Jonathan has subsequently been involved with a number of wind energy projects since joining Biosis, including several proposed offshore projects. 

Connect with Jonathan via LinkedIn or jbotha@biosis.com.au.

Dr Inka Veltheim 

Presentation: “Grey-headed Flying-fox movements – an emerging issue for wind energy development in Australia” with Kate MacEwan (WEST), Emma Bennett (Monash University), Inka Veltheim (Biosis), Jennefer McClean (Tolga Bat Rescue and Research) and Jessica Meade (Western Sydney University).

To be held during a Special Session on Thursday 21 September at 2pm.

Inka is a Senior Zoologist with over 20 years’ professional experience in ecological surveying, research, monitoring and impact assessment. Inka is a project manager and a consolidating technical expert leading and coordinating projects and teams. Her expertise is threatened species, their conservation and management. Inka has undertaken, designed and led surveys and research on birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs and she has strong expertise in ornithology with over 20 years' experience in shorebird and waterbird ecology. Her PhD research tracked movements of Brolgas to inform strategic planning and siting of wind energy projects to avoid potential impacts on the species. 

Inka has specific experience in managing large-scale wind farm and other infrastructure projects, specifically designing, undertaking and leading surveys and teams, and advising how to minimise impacts of wind energy projects on wildlife, including Brolgas, Superb Parrot, Powerful Owls, Australasian Bittern, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Grey-headed Flying-fox and other terrestrial fauna species. She has designed and carried out avian tracking studies, managed and led field teams, taught environmental impact assessment, helped to inform strategic conservation planning and management, and worked with other aspects related to wildlife and wind energy impacts. 

Connect with Inka via LinkedIn or iveltheim@biosis.com.au.