AUTHOR, lecturer and science communicator Dr Mary E White swapped Sydney for the pristine forest of her Johns River property just over five years ago.
The 80ha property named Falls Forest Retreat, largely nestled at the bottom of Middle Brother Mountain, has forests full of “interesting plants and animals”.
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There is a covenant to protect the bushland as part of Dr White’s commitment to the environment.
The 83-year-old was today named a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for service to botany as a researcher and through the promotion of increased understanding and awareness of the natural world.
The honour came as a complete surprise.
“It’s nice to be recognised at having done something useful,” Dr White said.
Dr White has worked as an author, lecturer and science communicator since 1985.
She wrote a series of books including The Greening of Gondwana; Running Down: Water in a Changing Land; and Listen ... Our Land is Crying.
Dr White also promotes environmental awareness through speaking engagements and her eco-business, including a conference centre, at Falls Forest Retreat.
She is worried about the loss of biodiversity and the threat to the environment by the concentrated population on the eastern margin.
