Rickard Abom

Program Manager at Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), delivering the Crown of-thorns-Starfish Control Program and the Reef Coastal Restoration Grant, and delivered the Mulgrave-Russell Regional Water Quality Program (2021-24). Possessing in-depth knowledge of program framework, offering 4 years of experience managing environmental programs. In managing the delivery of programs, positive engagement with delivery providers, growers, stakeholders and First Nation groups. Delivering reports inline with milestone payment structure of contracts. Extensive expertise in marine and terrestrial operations, logistics and technical aspects of working in remote areas, as well as a keen interest in visual communications to create feel-good communications to share with the public about the COTS control program, Mulgrave-Russell Water Quality Program and the positive effect these programs has on the health of the Reef and the community.

Certificate of Achievement for Team Excellence in Service (2019)

Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Leadership (2018)

Certificate of Achievement for Commitment to Continuous Improvement (2018)

Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Contribution (2017)

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Module NSWTACE401C (2020)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Module NSWTACE401B (2019)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Module NSWTACE401A (2019)
• CASA certified RPA pilot (2018)
• Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1, MAR20313, transcript upon request, 2015)
• Certificate III in Driving Operations (TLI31210, Transcript upon request, 2014), medium rigid truck licence
• PADI First Aid at Work Instructor Trainer (2009)
• PADI Master Instructor (2002) with over 20 specialty instructor levels, including more technical diving such as ice and penetration dive qualifications with over 7,000 dives completed
• Queensland unrestricted, open driver’s licence for car and motorcycle

Over the last 25 year’s I have worked in and around marine and terrestrial systems, in tourism and in the science community managing people, safety, activities, specialized equipment, boats and vehicles both locally and internationally. This have given me a unique set of skills in leadership in combination with strong technical and practical knowledge across marine and terrestrial environments. I have developed a strong safety culture in my leadership, promoting safe work practices to get the work completed.

I strive to continuously improve my communication and leadership skills in attending self-development courses, staying current with new and innovative research, delivering positive and sustainable program outcomes and building team resilience to tackle future challenges.

Protecting Great Barrier Reef resilience through effective management of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish outbreaks. Samuel A Matthews, David H Williamson, Roger Beeden, Michael J Emslie, Rickard T.M. Abom et al. PLOS One 2024.

Decoupled diversification dynamics of feeding morphology following a major functional innovation in marine butterflyfishes. Nicolai Konow, Samantha Price, Rickard Abom, David Bellwood, and Peter Wainwright. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 284:20170906, 2017.

Behavioural differences in response to predation risk in tropical savannah rodents. Rickard Abom and Lin Schwarzkopf. Animal Behaviour, 122:117 – 124, 2016.

Complex mammal species responses to fire in a native tropical savannah invaded by non-native grader grass (Themeda quadrivalvis). Rickard Abom, Scott Parsons and Lin Schwarzkopf. Biological Invasions, 18:3319 – 332, 2016.

Short-term responses of reptile assemblages to fire in native and weedy tropical savannah. Rickard Abom and Lin Schwarzkopf, Global Ecology and Conservation 6:58 – 66, 2016.

Mechanisms of the impact of a weed (grader grass, Themeda quadrivalvis) on reptile assemblage structure in a tropical savannah. Rickard Abom, Wayne Vogler, Lin Schwarzkopf, Biological Conservation 191:75 – 82, 2015.

Why do lizards avoid weeds? Jessica Hacking, Rickard Abom, Lin Schwarzkopf, Biological invasions 16:935 – 947, 2014.

Moving day and night: highly labile diel activity patterns in a tropical snake. Rickard Abom, Kris Bell, Lauren Hodgson, and Lin Schwarzkopf, Biotropica 44:554 – 559, 2012.

Erdmann, S., Johnson, J., Abom, R., Waterhouse, J. and Haynes, D. (2021) Innovations in Crown-of-Thorns Starfish control on the Great Barrier Reef: A Synthesis of NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub research. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. Reef and Rainforest

Research Centre Limited, Cairns (65pp.)