Conservation Council of WA

Western Australia's peak environmental group has recognised the state's unsung environmental heroes at the 2011 Conservation Awards.

Presented by Conservation Council of WA patron and Guardian Australia presenter Josh Byrne, the Conservation Awards pay tribute to the people in our community who go above and beyond to preserve our wild areas and ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy the unique way of life that all West Australians hold dear.

The awards are the centrepiece event of Conservation Week, a week-long series of community-based events launched by Environment Minister Bill Marmion on Saturday night.

The major award of the evening, the prestigious Bessie Rischbieth Conservation Award, went to Wembley resident and Grandmother Margaret Owen. Named after one of the founders of the conservation movement in WA, the Bessie Award, as it is affectionately known, is awarded to a person who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the Western Australian environment.

Conservation Council of WA spokesperson John McCarten said, "These awards recognise those people in our society who stand up for the voiceless and champion our native heritage

"As a conservationist in the truest sense of the word, Margaret has been a relentless advocate for the preservation of our natural spaces. Over many years she has worked tirelessly to protect our urban bushlands, standing up to successive governments, developers and multi-million dollar corporations alike.

"Most recently she has fought tooth and nail to save the Underwood Avenue Bushland, a 32 hectare area of magnificent bushland in Perth's west that is under constant threat of development."

Mrs Owen said, "I accept the award on behalf of the people I know who work so hard to protect our bushlands, heathlands, wetlands, forests, coastal areas and individual trees.

"The clearing of our remaining woodland, including Underwood Avenue, should be a thing of the past. I've often asked Minister Marmion to accompany me on a bushwalk, which I think gives all people a greater appreciation for what we have to lose. I firmly believe that halting the clearing of our remaining urban woodlands would be a wonderful legacy for the Barnett Government."

Conservation Week is supported by the generous contributions of Australian Ethical, the Department of Environment and Conservation, Lotterywest, Curtin University, Swan Energy and Polytechnic West. Visit http://www.ccwa.org.au/conservationweek to find a full list of events, including an interactive map to help you find what's happening in your area.