JOHN SHERWOOD
By Akita Olsen
Anthropologist, sociologist, environmentalist,
father, and long term south west resident. Bunbury's
John Sherwood makes the perfect spokesperson for
the South West Environment Centre.
John has lived in the south west now
for 15 years. Over half of that time has been spent
working with the South West Environment Centre,
an agency that has done more for the south west
environment than most people realise. The environment
centre's mission is to provide information, resources
and activities to promote conservation, ecological
sustainability, and enhancement of the natural environment.
Like many of us, one of the key reasons
(amongst others) John moved to the south west was
to escape the rat race of the city. Again, like
many of us, he thinks it was the best move he ever
made. John has found that his priorities in life
(1. kids, 2. environment, 3. social justice, and
4. music) fit in well with the culture and attitude
of most south west communities.
He enjoys living in Bunbury, stating
that it has a range of opportunities, facilities,
activities and services, without the problems of
a metropolitan large city. His words of wisdom for
others? "Live simply and sustainably, but with
doses of fun".
John is perhaps best known for his
conservation work. When asked about any recent environmental
"wins" he has been involved with, he notes
the backdown on the groyne project at Back Beach,
and the saving of some Tuart Forest at Shearwater.
While many of us enjoy these areas and take them
for granted, John sees this work as vital for our
community and the generations to come.
John lists the major environmental
issues for the south west at the moment as being
the efforts to establish the proposed Ocean to Preston
River Regional Park, support for the creation of
the Greater Wellington National Park, and pressing
for the establishment of a Tuart Conservation Strategy
in Western Australia.
The South West Environment Centre
is always in need of assistance from the community.
They would welcome help with their campaigns, volunteers
in the office, or donations. To find out more about
the centre, email them at swec@bigpond.com,
call them on 9791 3210, or pop into their office
at Lotteries House, 101 Victoria Street, Bunbury.
They also have a web site at http://www.users.bigpond.com/swec/.
And next time you see John riding
his bike around town, say hello.
September 2001
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