The Dunbogan resident was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to conservation and the environment.

"I feel that the award recognises everybody's effort - that is volunteers, staff from council and National Parks and Wildlife Service, and contractors who have also done a huge amount of work," Ms Baker said.

"It's a nice incentive to keep going and achieving."

Bushwalking and teaching about the environment were among the factors behind Ms Baker taking action as a volunteer after inheriting a love of the bush from her father.

Her voluntary efforts date back to the 1980s with what is now Conservation Volunteers Australia.

A love of Australian plants and animals, coupled with an acute awareness of environmental problems and the need to conserve habitats, particularly in light of climate change and development, continue to drive Ms Baker's volunteer commitment.

Ms Baker formed the Dunbogan Bushcare Group 23 years ago with an aim to clean up a bitou bush infestation around the Dunbogan breakwall and Gogley's Lagoon, and in conjunction with the council, build an access track to the lagoon.

Those projects were ticked off and the scope grew from there. The volunteer team has restored more than 20 hectares of habitat.

Dunbogan Bushcare Group's focus is now on endangered littoral rainforest, and in 2022, with assistance from the NSW Environmental Trust, the work has moved into a new area of rainforest.

They have just planted 1600 seedlings on the eastern edge of Gogley's Lagoon.

Ms Baker's involvement with bush regeneration at Crowdy Bay National Park started in 1999 when there was a massive infestation of bitou bush on Diamond Head.

Today, the headland is free from the invasive weed, except for the inaccessible cliffsides that are still being worked on by aerial and drone spraying. Native plants have returned.

Ms Baker has coordinated the significant bush regeneration program in the Diamond Head-Kylie's Beach area and worked closely with National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to plan and execute large-scale restoration of Crowdy Bay National Park.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service, volunteers and contractors continue work on the project.

The Dunbogan-Crowdy Bay National Park habitat corridor has attracted more than $500,000 in grants.

The OAM honour follows Ms Baker being named the Environmental Citizen of the Year in the 2022 Port Macquarie-Hastings Australia Day Awards. She was also a nominee in the 2022 NSW Environmental Citizen of the Year Awards.

Ms Baker thanked all the volunteers, council staff, NPWS staff and contractors for their assistance and contributions.

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