Jesse Ellis

Jesse joined the Conservation Ecology Centre from Parks Victoria to assist with the ongoing management of feral pigs in the Otways. During her five years with Parks, Jesse built an array of skills in pest plant and animal management and education.  She contributed to a number of conservation programs during this time including the successful Eastern Barred Bandicoot captive breeding program, Koala assessment programs, Phytophthora management and feral pig control.

Jesse was also a firefighter with Forest Fire Management Victoria and found it fascinating to understand ground operations and broader planning objectives of current planned burning practices, along with building on previous fire ecology studies.

In addition to her work with the CEC, Jesse is currently undertaking an honours research project based at Federation University on Eastern Ground Parrot habitat in the Otways and how this has changed over time. This project gives her the opportunity to explore plant ecology, wider ecological interactions within heathlands, and further, historical management and land use of the Otways area.

Jesse has always had a keen interest in outdoor environments and, in recent years has developed a love of botany. She began her conservation journey studying Outdoor Education- Sustainable Nature Tourism before transferring in Environmental Science where she completed a bachelor in Wildlife Conservation Biology at Deakin University