About Us

SPENCER SHAW: (VEGETATION RESTORATION and EDUCATION) has worked in the native plant, revegetation and bush regeneration industries for over 15 years and is passionately committed not only to the preservation of rainforest through various eco-restoration works but also through education. Spencer writes articles about local flora and fauna for various publications and is a workshop and field day presenter for a variety of eco- restoration topics.

KAREN SHAW: (SEEDS, NURSERY and EDUCATION) is a teacher with 19 years experience and a strong passion for environmental education. She continues to enjoy sharing her love for the rainforest with many children and adults. Karen provides an environmental education package to the Ananda Marga River school. When not collecting macro-invertebrates with kids or seed collecting, she is working in the BTE nursery. The nursery has been growing from strength to strength and Karen's main aim is to provide customers with a wide variety of healthy native plants and great customer service.

Our fabulous team:

Brendan Stephen

Project Manager 
Bachelor of Applied Science (Protected Area Management); AABR member; completing Masters of Environmental Management (Conservation Biology).
Brendan brings an amazing mix of practical and academic skills and experience to his challenging position of Project Manager, which merges onground restoration operations with plannning and management responsibilities. He is successfully developing, implementing and managing rehabilitation plans for the wide range of private and public sites we are restoring. Brendan has been a volunteer for QPWS, focusing on rehabilitation and monitoring; and worked for a range of other contractors including Greening Australia, Barung Landcare and Bushcare Services. He is excited for the future of our industry and playing an active part in it. He feels privileged to be part of a team that is focused on innovation, education, environmental outcomes and community participation.

   Mike Cooper

Team Leader                                                                                     
Mike has a great passion for plants and has worked as a landscaper, nursery person and bush regenerator in northern New South Wales and South East Queensland for over ten years. Mike has a wide range of tertiary qualifications ranging from Conservation and Land Management through to Workplace Training.                                                        

   Jake Smith-Moloney  

Bush Regenerator . (Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science); Forestry Traineeship)
Jake could be described as a bit of a paradox. A nerd with a tan, part hippie and part scientist. Always serious but constantly laughing. Jake seems to have a habit of doing the right thing. His main aim is to do something positive, for the betterment of everyone.

   Chad Oliver 

Bush Regenerator & GIS-Master
(Bachelor of Arts (Geology), Masters in Applied Science, Environmental Management)
Chad is originally from Seattle, Washington (USA).  In his travels around the world he has taken great interest in issues of environmental management.  Chad brings an international perspective to the turkey mound, working locally to achieve global goals.  He lives in Witta with his wife, Julie, and his son, Eli.

   Jem Dunlop

Bush Regenerator                                                                                    
Jem is the happy musician. Jem is a music teacher with green fingers and he brings lots of great songs and stories to our work day. He has worked in ecological restoration in Victoria and Queensland. Jem is passionate about the environment and looks forward to a greener future for his young son, Luke.                                                  

   Sam Newman

Administration & Nursery                                                                        
Sam has been a turkey for the longest time - she was our first team member. Sam has an amazingly broad range of skills - administration and accounts; nursery work, seed collecting, revegetation and building/carpentary skills - quite a "Chick of all trades"! Sam has qualifications in small business management.

Sara Whitehead

Bush Regenerator    (Bachelor of Fine Arts VCA)                                               
Sara has worked in the field of land management for 9 years and four of those have been in Queensland. Sara has always had a strong passion for understanding our environment and our native animal species. She actively works hard to protect these species and their habitats.                                                 

Helen Graham 

Bush Regenerator                       
Helen first developed her professional interest in the natural environment and her love of plants in 1986 whilst working as a gardener in the UK and studying towards a City and Guilds of London qualification in horticulture. She has over twenty years of industry experience in local and state government, and in private enterprise as a small business owner, and brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to the mound. Helen is a registered teacher with qualifications in adult and vocational education and has worked with indigenous communities, long term unemployed youth and disadvantaged women. Helen's recent studies in conservation and land management complete the picture of her professional commitment to actively sustain and conserve our natural ecosystems.