Jörg Kretzschmar Joerg’s first landing in Fiji occurred on January 2 1993..blown in by Cyclone Kina. Since then he is has become a ‘regular vagrant’ to Fiji’s forests; and within the last two years also to Fiji’s waters, being a member of all three of NatureFiji-MareqetiViti’s Fiji Petrel Pelagic Expeditions. Joerg is a German biologist by education, he is German management consultant by profession, but he is a Fijian field man by heart. Joerg undertook extensive research in Fiji’s mahogany plantations to clarify their impact on birdlife, he also studied biodiversity patterns of Fiji’s rainforest and its regeneration after logging, which together formed the basis of his Ph.D. It was during this field work, that Joerg encountered some of our rarest forest wildlife including the Long-legged Warbler, the Red-throated Lorikeet and the Taveuni Flying Fox. As a member of the NFMV Fiji Petrel Pelagic Expeditions, Joerg admits to being very surprised that Fiji waters host - at least seasonally - such a lot of ‘tubenoses’ (petrel-albatross family), roughly 1/3 of all tubenose bird species known. Joerg is a strong believer of rigorous field research being the basis of conservation endeavour with the vital component being sustained local involvement. “MareqetiViti is an opportunity for me to repay the deep impact Fiji has had on me and my understanding of improved living – I will assist, however best I can. I consider myself lucky to be a part it.” Joerg says. Picture: JK by Amanda Rogers, photographed in May 2009

David and Elsa Miller

Ruth Urben Ruth Urben is from the UK and has spent most of her professional life in countries in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. An agriculturalist by training, the main focus of her work has been facilitating the smaller and subsistence farmers to use sustainable land management practices for sustainable agricultural production and improved livelihoods. Even with the focus on sustainability, any agriculture has the potential to threaten indigenous eco-systems and as an environmentalist at heart, Ruth expresses pleasure in being able to (partially) balance the equation by supporting what she regards as the very much needed activities that NatureFiji-MareqetiViti is undertaking through the enthusiasm and commitment of its staff and community partners.