Marcus King
Marcus trained and worked as an engineer and scientist for Callaghan Innovation and its predecessors. He has tramped and climbed in the Southern Alps all his life and has been involved in conservation work for decades.
His introduction to large-scale pest control operations was with DOC’s kākāriki karaka (orange-fronted kākāriki) project in the Hawdon, Poulter and Hurunui valleys. The Hawdon Valley was one of the first tramping areas he went to with his parents in the 1970s. Back then there was very little bird life: the forest seemed silent. Protection of kākāriki karaka began in the early 2000s. Marcus and his wife, Irene, trapped the valley for 10 years, and observed that the birdlife increased markedly: there are now flocks of kākā, breeding kiwi can be heard every night and the mistletoe is abundant in mid-summer. The experience of that pest control was so inspiring that Marcus gave up his engineering career to focus on pest control, particularly with the Doubtless Conservation Trust (DCT), which protects the Doubtful and Nina valleys and the surrounding tops.
Marcus understands both the volunteer and commercial biodiversity operations. He has worked with DOC in Marlborough on sanctuary islands from Oruawairua (Blumine Island) to Takapourewa (Stephens Island) and manages trap lines in Christchurch’s Port Hills, Mt Vernon and several private farm properties. He gives talks to school and community groups on the importance of pest control.