Abby Lagula

Background

About Abby Lagula

Growing up in New Plymouth fishing on the reefs, walking the tracks and swimming in the waters cemented my love and passion for the environment. After completing my ecology degree in 2003 I found a job in Wellington with MPI (MAF at the time) as a Quarantine Officer, this job absolutely changed my working life, I'd finally found my purpose. Biosecurity was not taught, this is something I have come to learn on the job, in the almost 10 years I've been involved both at the border and post border. I absolutely love it! I am now a Biosecurity Officer at the Taranaki Regional Council, my main focus is on pest pathways and new to region species. So what species we as a region need to be watching out for and how already established species are spreading throughout our beautiful region. Such threats can cause irreversible damage to our already fragile native environments, cause huge losses both culturally & economically. It is clear biosecurity threats will be an ongoing issue for all of us with everyone having a part to play in the biosecurity filter. Ever changing climatic conditions and human movements only increase these pest & disease threats to our amazing region.