A day in the life of a Te Korowai o Waiheke's Senior Field Technician, Sam

A day in the life of Sam: Te Korowai o Waiheke’s Senior Field Technician

What does your day-to-day look like?

It starts off at 8am with a team meeting. Where we discuss upcoming events, relevant news and assign the day’s trapping areas for each team member. Then, I head out to an area of the island (I have been to almost everywhere on Waiheke!) to service and re-bait Stoat traps to catch and eradicate stoats across the motu. Then head back to the office to clean gear and finish my day.

How did you get into this type of work?

I have always had an interest in conservation, though I had never worked directly in the field. Before I started, we had one of the team servicing traps on the property where I live. She convinced me that Te Korowai o Waiheke was good to work for and that I should apply for this role. So, I did and I am now enjoying my first foray into conservation work.

What has your previous work experience looked like?

I have had a range of jobs before my current position. These have included being a horse-riding instructor in central London and a station hand in the outback of Australia, on 1.2 million acres. My last job before Te Korowai o Waiheke was as a shepherd on a sheep and beef farm in the Far North of NZ.

What attracted you to working in conservation?

Working on a project that is bigger than yourself and hopefully being part of something that leaves a lasting legacy. Trying, in some small part rectify some of the damage that humans have done to the natural environment.

How did you get to Waiheke?

By ferry! I came to support my partner who got a job here as a property manager, at Whites Bay, a stunning location towards the southeast of the Island.

What’s the weirdest job you’ve had?

It would probably be the horse-riding instructor in central London and getting used to horses living inside almost year-round. Riding in the snow through Hyde Park, up to Buckingham palace, and dealing with the super-wealthy was certainly half a world away from what I was used to.

How long have you been working in conservation?

Other than 3 weeks building a turtle hatchery as well as protecting and gathering data on the leatherback turtles in Costa Rica in 2009, I have been in my current job in conservation for the last year and a half.

What’s your best work story at Te Korowai o Waiheke?

It is always interesting when dragging a dead stoat along on a string to lay scent trails and hopefully lure another stoat - as though taking a pet for a walk. People always look somewhat startled at the sight! However, my best and most enjoyable story was the success of my first catch. I saw a stoat on a Tuesday, put out live traps on Wednesday, and caught a large male stoat on Thursday.