Peri-urban Program Coordinator
NSW Department of Primary Industries

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Dr Nicole Schembri coordinates NSW DPIs Peri-urban Biosecurity Program. Her background is in veterinary epidemiology research and peri-urban biosecurity engagement which she applies to her urban/peri-urban biosecurity social research and engagement for behaviour change work (delivered in partnership with a wide range of government, industry, professional and community stakeholders and groups).

The focus of her work is whole of farm biosecurity – plant and animal disease prevention and preparedness, surveillance and reporting, with a focus on biosecurity behaviour change across all sectors. Nicole works with a range of stakeholders in and around the ports, post-border to raise awareness and boost capacity to detect and report unwanted hitchhiker pests that may pass through our borders.

Areas of particular interest are behaviours related to pest and disease surveillance, reporting, urban agriculture and swill feeding. Nicole is involved in developing social marketing approaches to understand and influence the biosecurity behaviours of stakeholders, producers and others to achieve positive biosecurity outcomes. 

Nicole works closely with plant and animal biosecurity, invasive species and compliance officers in her agency, as well as Local Land Services officers state-wide to improve engagement and boost biosecurity outcomes among urban and peri-urban landholders.