Bessie Rischbieth Conservation Award Recipient 1998

Alex Syme

Alex Syme has been involved in the voluntary conservation movement for over 20 years.

As a member of the original Denmark Environment Group, Alex became a founding member and convenor of the Coalition for Denmark’s Environment, set up in 1981 to spearhead community opposition to the McLean Woodchip Project.  The project was one of the very few to be refused an export license by the Federal Government, and Alex can take much of the credit for that result.

Since those heady days Alex has become a leading authority on native forest management and an outspoken critic of current logging and burning practices. He was principal author of the Denmark Shire Council’s response to the WA Regional Forest Agreement process, which was used as a model for many other community submissions and received strong support form the WA Municipal Association.

Alex is thorough, reliable, innovative, persistent and dedicated, with an astounding head for figures, an infallible sense of direction and a great sense of humour.