Adam McArthur
Director / Principal Ecologist
Adam holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Resource Management) and is JWA’s Managing Director and Principal Ecologist. Adam has over 19 years' experience as an ecological consultant/environmental scientist throughout NSW and QLD and is an accredited assessor to apply the Biodiversity Assessment Methodology (BAM) in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 (Certification No.: BAAS18069).
In addition to aptitude in a broad environmental management role, he possesses expertise in wildlife biology and is also proficient in flora and fauna assessments and vegetation mapping. He has prepared baseline ecological surveys, impact assessments, rehabilitation plans, offset assessments/offset area management plans, bushfire assessments, due diligence investigations and threatened species management plans. He has completed environmental monitoring programs and compliance audits for numerous urban development, resource extraction and linear infrastructure projects.
Adam has managed teams of scientists, coordinated numerous ecological field surveys and authored/reviewed/approved countless technical reports.
Adam is proficient in the assessment of local government planning schemes, State and Commonwealth legislation, including the preparation of referrals under the EPBC Act, responses to Information Requests, and also the preparation of court evidence.
Adam’s particular areas of expertise include:
- Flora Survey, Vegetation Mapping and Conservation Assessment
- Ecological Assessment Reporting/Impact Assessment
- Licensing and Approvals (State and Federal)
- Wildlife Ecology and Management
- Threatened Species Survey and Management
- Environmental Monitoring
- Offset Management Strategies
Belinda Whyburn
Ecological Analyst / Project Coordinator
Belinda holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Resource Management) and is JWA’s Ecological Analyst and Project Coordinator. Since joining JWA in 2004, Belinda has combined her background in environmental management with her expertise in technical and graphics programs to become responsible for the company’s drafting duties. She has vast experience in land and vegetation mapping, rehabilitation plans and aerial photograph analysis. Belinda also fulfills the role of Project Coordinator and is responsible for appropriate scoping of work, quality project management, report reviews/quality assurance and client relationship management.
Belinda’s particular areas of expertise include:
- Technical Drafting Programs (AutoCAD, GIS)
- Graphic Software Programs (Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator)
- Land and Vegetation Mapping
- Aerial Photography Interpretation
Grant Brearley
Senior Ecologist
Grant holds a Bachelor of Science (Biology / Ecology), Bachelor of Science (Honours), Doctor of Philosophy (Ecology) and completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at The University of Queensland. Grant has over 18 years’ of experience researching, surveying, and managing biodiversity issues during postgraduate studies and employment in research and the consultancy industry. During this time, he has played a key role in managing, planning, and performing Ecological Assessment and Fauna Management projects throughout NSW and QLD. He has a vast experience in urban / road ecology and mitigation strategies, as well as habitat assessments, and diurnal and nocturnal fauna surveys using a range of techniques including Mawbey, Elliot, cage and pitfall trapping, hair surveying, harp trapping, and Anabat, spotlighting and infra-red camera surveys.
Before joining JWA, a primary focus of Grant was the assessment and management of koalas and their habitat throughout NSW and QLD. In addition to preparation of reports and associated koala plans of management, Grant has managed landscape and patch scale koala assessments using the Spot Assessment Technique (SAT) sampling protocols and associated methodologies (RG-bSAT and Rapid-SAT), and developed working tools for construction to minimise impacts (e.g. metapopulation modelling). Grant was a key driver in guiding active management for various NSW government organisations through the development of a scientifically robust concept and definition of a koala population ‘hub’ for conservation, which formed part of the NSW Areas of Regional Koala Significance and Save Our Species program.
From 2014 – 2016, Grant assisted in the management and delivery of a targeted koala project requested by the Federal minister as an integral component of a $4.9 billion upgrade to the Pacific Highway. This project incorporated koala population and habitat surveys, provision of mitigation strategies and advice, and stakeholder workshops and media interaction. In addition, the safe capture and sampling of 50 individual koalas informed a Population Viability Analysis (PVA) process to guide population mitigation and management.
Grant has published peer-reviewed scientific papers in international and national journals and has presented his research at conferences and specialised workshops, as well as provided expertise and knowledge for local council and community events.
Grant’s particular areas of expertise include:
- Wildlife ecology and management
- Koala ecology, conservation and survey design / protocols
- Ecological assessment reporting / impact assessment
- Threatened species survey design, implementation and management
- Urban landscape ecology (including road / edge ecology)
- Environmental / ecological monitoring and reporting
- Legislation, Licensing and approvals (Local, State and Federal)
Nicole Davies
Ecologist / GIS Analyst
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science (Zoology and Marine Biology), Bachelor of Science (Hons) (Squirrel glider ecology) and Doctor of Philosophy (Physiological ecology). Nicole has been employed as an Ecologist with JWA for almost three (3) years. In this time, Nicole has undertaken baseline ecological surveys, flora surveys and vegetation mapping, fauna surveys, and impact assessments and has prepared numerous ecological reports and management plans. She is proficient in the assessment of local government Planning Schemes, State and Commonwealth legislation, and her experience covers a variety of habitats and ecosystems in Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales.
Before joining JWA, Nicole was involved in numerous research projects focusing on Koala ecology, both through the University of Queensland and as part of a Koala monitoring program for Endeavour Veterinary Ecology. These surveys focussed largely on Koala habitat use, movement patterns and diet.
Nicole also has a keen interest in physiological ecology, having completed her PhD in the physiological stress, movement patterns and diet of Koalas at the semi-arid edge of their distribution in 2014.
Nicole’s particular areas of expertise include:
- Arboreal Marsupial Ecology
- Ecological Assessment Reporting/Impact Assessment
- Wildlife Ecology and Management
- Flora Surveys, Vegetation Mapping and Condition Assessment
- GIS
Nicole is the co-author of several scientific journal publications.
Leigh McArthur
Company Administration Officer
Leigh has extensive experience and knowledge in operation of accounting systems and office and business management for a wide variety of business types. In her role as Company Administration Officer Leigh prides herself on her excellent customer service skills and the firm’s outstanding reputation for delivering high quality outcomes and service to clients.