Lauren leads the team, managing operations, overseeing the science program, and fostering community engagement.

Lauren has 15 years of experience across arid, tropical, and subtropical environments. She has led research on community ecology, threatened species, and invasive species management in the Northern Territory. Lauren has PhD through the University of Sydney on the refuge dynamics of the threatened plains mouse.

Katherine is one of the co-founders of Arid Recovery and was integral to establishing the reserve with her partner John Read. Katherine established many of the monitoring and research programs at Arid Recovery and continues to guide the science program as Principal Scientist.

Nathan looks after feral animal control, general infrastructure maintenance and the ongoing upkeep of the Reserve’s predator-proof fences. He is also there to lend a hand with any fauna survey work that takes place.

Coming from Central Victoria, Nathan has a background in pest plant management, flora and fauna surveying and re-vegetation works. He has a keen interest in the conservation of all of our native wildlife, and a particular soft spot for our native flora.

As a mammal ecologist by training, Stacey has extensive experience studying small mammal populations in South Australia's South East and Adelaide Hills. Stacey has brought a strong foundation in wildlife ecology and experience to the arid lands where she oversees Arid Recovery's long-term ecological monitoring program. Working closely with staff, researchers, and partners, she helps guide research priorities that support conservation and management of Australia's arid threatened species. 

 

Bianca has a background in environmental education and pollination ecology. She helps deliver ecological monitoring programs in the field, works with interns and students to develop their field skills, and leads community engagement through events and education programs. Bianca is particularly passionate about arid zone flora and the complex relationships between plants, wildlife, and landscape resilience. She also manages Arid Recovery's digital communications

Erica is a long-time Andamooka local with deep ties to the opal industry and a love of travel. She has worked in many different sectors including solar system installation, civil works and banking. Her flair for efficient business administration keeps Arid Recovery running smoothly and well connected with our network of suppliers.

Max helps Nathan with feral animal control, general infrastructure maintenance, and the ongoing upkeep of the reserve's predator-proof fence. He is also a research assistant with UNSW, helping to improve our understanding of 1080 resistance in feral predators. Members of the public may meet him on one of our Sunset Tours. When he is not on the reserve, he is studying Ecological Restoration.

Natasha is originally from Perth and completed her PhD investigating a simple question: does the anatomy of Australia's native species limit their ability to survive when faced with feral cats and foxes? At Arid Recovery, she examines predator control strategies for cats and foxes and investigates how heatwaves affect animal behaviour. Natasha is drawn to arid Australia because of its remarkable mammal diversity.