SPS Biota is welcoming two new staff members to our Surveillance Team!
Ben Doherty (above: left)
Ben is a fourth-generation forester and grew up in the forests around Murupara in the Bay of Plenty. His upbringing instilled a strong sense of mātauranga Māori which he brings to the role along with many years’ experience of forest health surveillance and forestry operations. Ben has most recently been a Specialist Forest Health Adviser with Te Uru Rākau-New Zealand Forest Service (TUR-NZFS), the forestry branch of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
In this new national role, Ben provided strategic and technical leadership to support the development of forest health advice within TUR-NZFS. The role included:
• providing independent advice within MPI, and across government and other sectors
• working on forest health and biosecurity strategies
• supporting the delivery of forest health/biosecurity programmes across TURNZFS, MPI, and industry including Māori
• contributing to training advisers in TUR-NZFS.
Ben was the TUR-NZFS representative on the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) Forest Biosecurity Committee.
Ben has always enjoyed the outdoors and wishes to share his experiences and knowledge of forestry and biosecurity and is looking forward to meeting the SPS Biota whanau.
Ricky Vispo (above: right)
Ricky is new when it comes to Biosecurity experience, though he brings a multitude of awareness on it. Since settling in New Zealand, Ricky has had aspirations of being part of team that works in Biosecurity sector. As a new member of the SPS Surveillance team, Ricky is grateful that his background in Forestry Science, passion and interest in Biological Science has been put to use particularly in Plant Identification and other technical aspects in relation to Biosecurity. In the future, Ricky is looking forward to making a difference in the Surveillance team and aiming to collect samples that will make an impact in Biosecurity in NZ.
Back to News