James:
Hello Annie, haven't seen you for ages.
Annie:
Hi James, you're right.
Annie:
I've been working really long hours.
James:
How's your job going?
Annie:
Pretty well, and yours?
James:
I'll have to admit, it's not what I expected, but at least I've got a job.
James:
Plenty of people who graduated with me are still looking.
Annie:
You're working in the city archives, aren't you?
James:
Yes, near Central Library.
James:
It's a terrific location.
Annie:
The one thing I don't like about my job is all the travelling.
Annie:
I had no idea how big the region was until I had to catch so many buses, trains and taxis.
James:
Why don't you drive?
Annie:
I haven't saved up enough for a car.
James:
I'm sure you've told me before, but what exactly is your job?
Annie:
I'm a biodiversity advisor for the council.
James:
What does that involve?
Annie:
A lot of surveying.
Annie:
There are four divisions in our team.
Annie:
Ecological assessment, native species management, ecosystem restoration, and I've forgotten the last one.
Annie:
Anyway, I'm in ecological assessment.
James:
What kind of land do you survey?
James:
And who do you advise?
Annie:
Anyone who manages or owns property, public or private.
Annie:
When a person wants to make changes, we run through his or her legal obligations and suggest the best use of the land while protecting or restoring ecosystems.
James:
Ecology was your major at university, wasn't it?
Annie:
Yes, but the real world is rather more complex than the one we described in our assignments.
James:
What are you working on at the moment?
Annie:
A development application.
Annie:
A farmer wants to reduce her reliance on sheep by planting olives.
Annie:
She'd also like to build some tourist accommodation, plus some walking tracks and a road.
James:
That's quite a lot of work.
Annie:
Moreover, there's a deep volcanic crater on her property, as well as a large wetland home to a rare bird.
James:
So what should she do?
Annie:
The tourist accommodation will be relatively straightforward as long as it's on high ground.
Annie:
With the track into the crater, where there are unusual rock formations and steam, she'll need to consider health and safety regulations.
Annie:
But they shouldn't be too hard.
Annie:
It's the wetland that presents a challenge.
Annie:
I doubt she'll be able to drain it.
Annie:
At some expense, she might be able to build a road around it, but it's more likely she'll have to forego new access to the olive grove.
James:
I had no idea development applications were so detailed.
Annie:
Well, this process means a carefully controlled use of land, for which I believe future generations will be grateful.
James:
Future generations?
James:
Working at the Archives, I'm completely immersed in the lives of past generations.
James:
Although the technology is up to date, we've got amazing scanners.
James:
I spent all last week scanning tram tickets and timetables from 1902 to 1956.
James:
The Archives keep all kinds of documents.
James:
1902 was when the electric tram service began here, and 1956 was when buses took over completely.
Annie:
But didn't you major in psychology?
James:
The Archives are about as far away from that as you could imagine.
James:
Although, working with so many different staff and public means I do have to apply some psychology from time to time.