Tauranga

Sharon De Luca

Principal & Ecologist

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (2000) – Environmental and Marine Science, University of Auckland
Bachelor of Science (1995) – Zoology, University of Auckland

Professional Affiliations

Certified Environmental Practitioner, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
Member, NZ Marine Sciences Society
Member, Royal Society of New Zealand
Member, NZ Coastal Society

Profile

Sharon has been working in aquatic and broader environmental science since 2000. She has significant experience in assessment of effects on coastal/marine and freshwater ecological values, preparation of aquatic monitoring programmes, habitat surveys, contaminant analyses and restoration plans and preparation and presentation of expert witness evidence. Sharon has a strong background in the area of contaminants in aquatic environments causing adverse biological effects.

Sharon’s scientific skills are diverse and include aquatic contaminant monitoring techniques, freshwater ecology, wetland restoration and management, stormwater, aquatic contamination and monitoring, wastewater quality, aquatic and terrestrial ecology and effects of contaminants and land use change on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. She has excellent analytical, statistical and communication skills, and she efficiently produces high quality work.

Recent work has included assessment of effects on the aquatic environment of proposed NZTA projects including SH20/SH16 Waterview Connection, Transmission Gully and 3rd Waitemata Harbour Crossing, in addition to preparation of a State of Receiving Environment Report for Tauranga City Council, assessment of stormwater discharges from large residential developments, assessment of an estuary contaminated by an historic industrial discharge, and monitoring of mangrove removal in Tauranga Harbour.

Expertise

Aquatic ecology

Taxonomic descriptions of flora and fauna in marine, estuarine and freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Assessment and monitoring of ecological characteristics of habitats and communities. Identification and implementation of ecological restoration of degraded communities.

Environmental monitoring

Development and application of monitoring programmes to assess the condition of environments, determine compliance with consent conditions, ascertain sensitivity of environments, statistical analyses.

Assessment of environmental effects

Preparation of assessments of environmental effects, including site assessment and analysis. Determining affected parties and assessment of effects of activities on receiving environments.

Expert witness

Preparation of evidence for presentation at council hearings and Environment Court.

Ecological / scientific advice

Reviewing and auditing environmental projects and reports, experimental design, scientific methodology and statistical analyses.