Bellingen Riverwatch Steering Committee

The Bellingen Riverwatch Steering Committee brings together an array of scientific expertise in the areas of ecology, invertebrate taxonomy, citizen science project design, land management, monitoring and evaluation, aquatic ecology and water quality monitoring.

  • Adrian Dickson

    Senior Scientist River Assessment – Estuaries and Catchments Science, Science, Economics and Insights, Department of Planning and Environment

    Technical writer and presenter, workshop facilitator, community educator, panel speaker, program design, science and technical advisor, water quality advisor, macroinvertebrate teacher, data interpretation advisor.

  • Andrew Yager

    Project Manager, Bellinger Landcare

    Workshop facilitator, community educator, panel speaker, program design and technical advisor.

  • Andy Vinter

    Senior Land Services Officer, DRNSW Local Land Services Agency, North Coast, Local Land Services

    Panel speaker, program design and technical advisor, macroinvertebrate mentor.

  • Anton Juodvalkis

    Chief Executive Officer, OzGREEN

    Project management, program design and governance advisor, macroinvertebrate mentor, water quality mentor.

  • Anna Juodvalkis

    Partnerships Manager, OzGREEN

    Project management and program design advisor, macroinvertebrate mentor,

  • Chris Ormond

    Threatened Species Officer, Saving our Species, Department of Planning and Environment

    Advisor on Bellinger River Snapping Turtle recovery, macroinvertebrate mentor.

  • Daniel Cain

    Senior Project Officer - Threatened Species, Biodiversity and Conservation, Department of Planning and Environment

    Advisor for Bellinger River Snapping Turtle recovery, project management and program design advisor, partnerships advisor, macroinvertebrate mentor.

  • Dr Melissa Giese

    Senior Team Leader, Ecosystems and Threatened Species (North East), Biodiversity Conservation and Science, Department of Planning and Environment

    Panel speaker, project management and program design advisor, partnerships advisor, macroinvertebrate mentor.

  • Dr Nakia Belmer

    Scientist - Estuaries and Catchments, Science Division, Department of Planning and Environment

    Technical writer and presenter, workshop facilitator, community educator, panel speaker, program design, science and technical advisor, water quality advisor, macroinvertebrate teacher, data interpretation advisor, macroinvertebrate photographer.

  • Ingrid Garland

    Apex Enviro Solutions, NSW Waterwatch

    Workshop facilitator, community educator, panel speaker, project management and program design advisor, technical advisor, macroinvertebrate teacher and water quality mentor.

  • Justine Elder

    River and Biodiversity Officer, Bellingen Shire Council

    Workshop facilitator, community educator, panel speaker, project management and program design advisor, technical advisor, macroinvertebrate teacher and water quality mentor.

  • John Schmidt

    Senior Coast and Estuary Officer, Biodiversity and Conservation Division

    Water, Floodplains & Coast (North East), Department of Planning and Environment

    Panel speaker, project management, program design advisor, technical advisor, data interpretation and science communication advisor.

  • Shane Ruming

    Threatened Species Officer, Saving our Species, Department of Planning and Environment

    Advisor on Bellinger River Snapping Turtle recovery, program design advisor, macroinvertebrate teacher, Site B1 water quality tester, macroinvertebrate photographer.

  • Sue Lennox

    Co-Founder, OzGREEN

    Program design and partnerships advisor, water quality mentor.

Looking to contact the Bellingen Riverwatch Steering Committee?

Amy Denshire

Bellingen Riverwatch Program Manager, Bellingen Riverwatch Steering Committee Chair

From the Bellingen Riverwatch Steering Committee

  • “Bellingen Riverwatch is taking citizen science forward and by working together with government, consultants and researchers, are ensuring the data collected is useful, informative, timely and valuable for informing holistic management of waterways and the species they support.”

    - Adrian Dickson, Senior Scientist, Water Sciences Division, NSW Planning and Environment

  • “The ongoing recovery of the Bellinger River Snapping Turtle in the Bellinger Catchment is linked directly to the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of the catchment’s rivers. Not only are aquatic macroinvertebrates an important component of the Bellinger River Snapping Turtle diet, the macroinvertebrate communities are sensitive to changes in water quality and will, therefore, be an important indicator of river health into the future.”

    - Shane Ruming, Saving our Species, Department of Planning & Environment