Principal – Aquatic Ecology
Meet the team: Luke Stone, Principal – Aquatic Ecology
Luke Stone has over eight years of experience as an ecological consultant, specialising in aquatic ecological assessment.
“I’ve been working as an aquatic ecologist since 2016, although I also have a background in fluvial geomorphology and river rehab. While my specialisation is freshwater ecology, I often work at the interface of aquatic and terrestrial systems and how processes and biota at this interface interact and function. This has led to many other opportunities to broaden my experience in other areas, including in marine environments, and with riparian vegetation, upland swamps and amphibians.”
Since relocating from the UK in 2006, Luke has lived and worked in Sydney and Wollongong. When Luke is not working, he loves to spend time with his wife exploring new places, bushwalking, and walking their dog Frankie. Showing us that Luke is an ecologist’s heart, he also enjoys gardening and spending time creating a native plant oasis in his backyard.
To Luke, a good project outcome always delivers a robust assessment that fulfils regulatory frameworks and requirements but also tells the story of what the ecological condition and function of an area is, and importantly how projects can fit within that context to deliver outcomes that balance client needs with those of the environment.
“I strive for constant improvement, particularly in ongoing monitoring programs. I always seek to improve our monitoring and analysis approaches in order to gain a deeper understanding of ecological processes and long-term trends to enhance our assessments.”
Working at Niche:
Luke has worked at Niche in our Bulli office since January 2022. Luke, who splits his time working from the office, his home in southwestern Sydney, and travelling to wherever fieldwork takes him, noted some recent highlights: working in beautiful upland swamps and sandstone streams in protected areas around Wollongong and the Southern Highlands.
When asked what three words best describe Niche, Luke responded by explaining…
“Care – I find that this value flows through the business and that the Niche team genuinely cares about one another, what we deliver, and the team as a whole. Integrity – I value respect and honesty, and I appreciate how integrity is valued at Niche and forms a key part of what we do. Teamwork – I have really loved working as part of a positive team that is motivated to help each other and to work together to deliver really high-quality work.”
Luke explained Niche has allowed him to develop new assessment skills and work with many highly experienced professionals from which he has benefitted hugely, by learning from their expertise and approach to projects.
He has enjoyed working with the other members of the aquatic ecology team and the opportunity to share his knowledge and compare and contrast approaches to achieve better outcomes.
In particular, Luke has really appreciated the support from Matt Russell, Associate – Aquatic Ecology, in providing so many opportunities to work on different and interesting projects, and always providing great input, advice, and a laugh!
It is clear that at Niche, Luke has felt that his skills and expertise continuously evolve through the high level of care that Niche offers. We know that this is only the beginning for Luke and that he has a long and exciting career ahead of him at Niche!
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