Cat Stephenson
Cat has 13 years’ experience in the environmental field as a consultant, specialising in bushfire ecology and botany. Major bushfire projects she has managed include assessing the condition of vegetation across the entire Victorian rail network and the fire risk it poses for six consecutive years for Public Transport Victoria, reviewing the City of Brimbank’s Municipal Bushfire Management Plan, and producing Bushfire Management Plans across several large reserves for the City of Manningham, City of Whitehorse and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Cat has also completed over 200 bushfire-related reports, including Bushfire Management Statements, Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Reports, Bushfire Risk Assessments in response to Clause 13.02-1S, strategic bushfire assessments for largescale growth area/precinct developments, Fire Risk Assessments for large-scale renewable energy projects, Bushfire Construction Management Plans and Bushfire Emergency Management Plans. Cat has also provided expert advice to VCAT and Panels relating to bushfire matters.
Cat has also undertaken a wide range of botanical work, including Biodiversity Assessments for a variety of purposes, such as single dwellings, large residential subdivisions, commercial and industrial properties, public buildings (e.g. schools), renewable energy facilities (e.g. solar farms) and government authority infrastructure (e.g. water pipelines, roads). Other botanical work includes Vegetation Management Plans, Offset Management Plans, vegetation restoration/habitat enhancement plans, habitat hectare assessments, development pre-clearance habitat inspections, forestry pre-harvest flora and fauna surveys, assessment of potential native vegetation offset sites and targeted species surveys, including for Golden Sun Moth, Matted Flax-lily and Spiny Rice-flower. Cat has also provided expert advice to VCAT and Panels, and prepared reports for projects responding to the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Victorian Environment Effects Act 1978. She is also an Environmental Management Systems Lead Auditor with respect to ISO 14001:2015.
Prior to being a consultant, Cat worked as a researcher for the Centre for Risk and Community Safety at RMIT University, where she studied the environmental, economic and social impacts and costs of five major bushfires in south-eastern Australia since 1983.
Cat has also undertaken a wide range of botanical work, including Biodiversity Assessments for a variety of purposes, such as single dwellings, large residential subdivisions, commercial and industrial properties, public buildings (e.g. schools), renewable energy facilities (e.g. solar farms) and government authority infrastructure (e.g. water pipelines, roads). Other botanical work includes Vegetation Management Plans, Offset Management Plans, vegetation restoration/habitat enhancement plans, habitat hectare assessments, development pre-clearance habitat inspections, forestry pre-harvest flora and fauna surveys, assessment of potential native vegetation offset sites and targeted species surveys, including for Golden Sun Moth, Matted Flax-lily and Spiny Rice-flower. Cat has also provided expert advice to VCAT and Panels, and prepared reports for projects responding to the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Victorian Environment Effects Act 1978. She is also an Environmental Management Systems Lead Auditor with respect to ISO 14001:2015.
Prior to being a consultant, Cat worked as a researcher for the Centre for Risk and Community Safety at RMIT University, where she studied the environmental, economic and social impacts and costs of five major bushfires in south-eastern Australia since 1983.
Key Skills
- Extensive bushfire management planning report experience
- Effective management of large, long-term projects
- Vegetation and biodiversity assessments
- Representation of the interests of clients professionally and respectfully
Key Projects
- Victorian Rail Network Vegetation Management and Bushfire Risk Assessment (Public Transport Victoria)
- Port Campbell National Park Memorandum of Understanding Offset Management Report
- Mornington Peninsula Freeway Reserve Fire Management Plan (VicRoads and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council)
- Corhanwarrabul Creek, Rowville Restoration/Habitat Enhancement Plan
- Bushfire Management Plans for large reserves in the City of Manningham, City of Whitehorse, City of Brimbank and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
