Great Eastern Ranges

Southern Highlands: Tim Beshara

Partnerships

Southern Highlands Partnership Facilitator

My role is to get everyone to work together and to help develop a common vision we can all work towards. I want the Southern Highlands Links project to be exemplary. To do this we need to get the science and communication right and get the on-ground action happening at a scale big enough to make a difference. Our first joint project, a partnership with the Hawkesbury Nepean CMA, Sydney University and various corporate partners, will replant riverside vegetation along 10 km of the Wollondilly River.

I have a degree in Environmental Science with majors in Geology and Geography. I found the degree wasn't instantly useful to enter a tough environmental jobs market early this decade. So in response I started working for various bush regeneration companies across Sydney pulling out Lantana. I also spent a stint building sandstone steps through bushland reserves. This practical experience combined with TAFE courses provided a solid grounding for my environmental career.

In 2004 I joined Greening Australia to manage the impressive Greening Western Sydney project (one of Australasia's top 25 restoration projects according to the Society for Ecological Restoration International).

In my current role as Science Manager my work covers a broad area of policy advocacy, science and program development. I attend to tasks such as conservation planning, grants writing and policy submissions. I also present to Mayors, Ministers and parliamentary committees. A Master of Arts in the Social Sciences has helped me polish my skills in this area.

Greening Australia is excited to be working for conservation in the Southern Highlands as part of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative. The Southern Highlands Link is special because it has more threatened animals than anywhere else in the extensive Sydney Basin. It is worthy of a special effort and I am proud to be part of it.

Contact Details

• phone 02 9560 9144
• email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it