David is a forest health specialist with more than 21 years’ experience spanning biosecurity, diagnostics, and large-scale surveillance across urban, plantation, and native forests. Before joining ArborCarbon in 2022, he advised the Chief Plant Health Officer as Senior Forest Biosecurity Officer at Agriculture Victoria and held research fellow and honorary appointments at the University of Melbourne.
His work focuses on the biology and control of pests and pathogens that threaten forest productivity and ecological integrity. David has designed and delivered end-to-end monitoring and surveillance programmes for plantation companies and government agencies, and has contributed to eradication or containment efforts for priority threats including chestnut blight, palm fusarium wilt, myrtle rust, Giant pine scale, and an exotic pine nematode. He provides technical advice to local, state, and federal governments, the National Forest Health and Biosecurity Committee (including Urban Forests), and the Victorian Committee for Amenity Tree Health.
At ArborCarbon, David brings deep expertise in tree pathology, fungal taxonomy, and forest entomology together with practical field capability — from aerial surveillance and RPA operations to GIS (Esri ArcGIS) and data systems. His goal is simple: detect problems early, reduce risk, and give decision-makers defensible, science-backed options that protect forest assets for the long term.
ArborCarbon acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.