Award for tireless pest control

Alby Osborne has devoted his working life and endless hours of his spare time to the region's animal pest control programme and his tireless efforts have been recognised with a prestigious biosecurity award.
Mr Osborne, 62, a biosecurity officer at Bay of Plenty Regional Council is the 2011 recipient of the Peter Nelson Memorial Trophy, which was awarded to him at last week's NZ Biosecurity Institute's annual seminar in Auckland.
The annual award, which is handed out by the institute to individuals or organisations, recognises valuable work in the biosecurity field, and symbolises the importance of pest animal control and eradication to maintain this country's indigenous biodiversity.
The trophy Mr Osborne received is a carved kokako standing on a limb above the skulls of small predatory mammals - a rat, a possum and a stoat - and was designed and was made by Ray Weaver.
Mr Osborne, who works out of the regional council's Mount Maunganui office, said he was "absolutely gobsmacked" when he was called up to the receive the award. He was asked to go to the seminar dinner under the guise that he was replacing someone else unable to attend.
"My goodness, I did not know my colleagues could tell so many lies to get me to there, and they only gave me 24 hours' notice ... it's a huge honour."
Mr Osborne began work with the Meringa Rabbit Board in Turangi in 1964. With the exception of stints in the army and navy, he has worked in the pest destruction industry ever since, including working for the Central Bay of Plenty Pest Destruction Board. He has been involved in the industry at all levels, including as a national training officer for several years.
In the late 1970s during the kiwifruit boom, he gave up his free time to design and introduce feral pest control methods, which were lauded for helping to save landowners from financial ruin.
"It's been a huge challenge over the years and has meant spending many hours working in my own time, but it's work I'm very passionate about," he said.
Mr Osborne's manager, Robyn Skelton, who is land resources manager for the Western region, said she was very proud that a key member of the council's biosecurity team had been recognised in this way.
"It is officers like Alby, who work in the background doing some wonderful pest control work, which has made it possible for many of our biosecurity gains. That includes his pest control efforts to save Mauao's struggling petrel colony."