Born Bandung, Indonesia, 31 October 1953. Educated Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands (BAgrEng 1977, MAgrSc 1984) and La Trobe University (PhD 1982). Research assistant, Soil Conservation Authority and School of Agriculture, La Trobe University 1977-80; Scientific Officer, State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, Melbourne 1980-81; consultant, Melbourne 1981-82, advising subdivision developers on land capability for septic tank systems and on possible alternative systems; demonstrator, Wageningen Agricultural University 1984; (Senior) Research Officer, Land Protection Division, Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands, Bendigo 1984-89; Principal Soil Scientist, Department of Soil Science and Geology, Wageningen 1990-95 (based at ICRISAT Sahelian Center, Niger 1990-94); Senior Agro-ecologist, Department of Agronomy, Wageningen Agricultural University 1996-99; project development support officer, Wetlands International - Africa Europe Middle East, Wageningen (4 days/week) 1999 to date; environmental and agricultural consultant, Bennekom, The Netherlands 1999 to date. Chair, RAOU Conservation Committee 1986-89, responsible for two publications, The legal status of wild birds in Australia and its Territories (1989, with D Robinson) and Threatened birds of Australia. An annotated list (1990, with S Garnett, qv). He helped to establish an annual waterbird census in Niger and is still involved in wetland issues in Niger and neighbouring semi-arid countries.