Meet The Experts - Sam Evans

From caring for reptiles at the zoo to chasing Critically Endangered myrtles across remote outcrops in Central Queensland, Sam Evans’ journey into botany has been anything but conventional. Now a Senior Botanist based in Brisbane, Sam brings a deep respect for plant diversity, a love of fieldwork, and an encyclopaedic knowledge of Australia’s flora to every project he touches.

In this latest instalment of our Meet The Expert series, we talk to Sam about the winding road from koala food plantations to ecological consulting, the joy of rare plant finds, and why listening to seasoned locals might be the best botany lesson of all. 

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1. How do you explain your job to someone at a party? 

Usually, when I say I am a botanist, people don’t realise that’s a modern-day job. The follow-up question is usually “like with plants?”. I tend to say that I am an ecologist and that my role is to describe which species exist within an area and to try to avoid or minimise impacts on important areas.   

2. What first inspired you to pursue botany, and how did your career path evolve over time?

I’ve been lucky to have tried a few different types of work over my career. Fresh out of uni I was working as a zookeeper, surrounded by great people who were excited and passionate about the environment. I was a reptile keeper. Then I started working in the zoo's native plantations, which existed to feed the koalas and provide forage for other animals. I learned a lot about a range of plant species, especially eucalypts, from people who had spent their careers in this space. 

Then I spent some time teaching Agricultural Science in central Queensland before getting into consulting as an ecologist, and later specialising in botany.  As a kid, I spent a lot of time at the botanic gardens at Mt. Coot-tha in Brisbane.   

3. Which field experience stands out as the most memorable in your career?

There have been plenty of great days in the field working with passionate and dedicated people. I remember standing on top of a remote rocky outcrop in Central QLD, where we had spent the day searching for (and locating) a Critically Endangered myrtle. This finding led to a great outcome from a species conservation perspective. 

4. What advice would you give to young professionals starting a career as a botanist?

It’s a journey. I think this is particularly true with flora. There is such immense diversity in plants, even just within relatively small areas. Connect with and listen to people who have spent time working with plants! Local Landcare groups are a great source of knowledge.