Our Committee

Paul is trained in naval electronics, business management and bushland regeneration.  His 45 years of business experience, includes managing a national branch network of up to 40 staff and contractors. This business experience has helped the Greater Sydney Landcare Network incorporate business processes and governance into its day to day running including the management of our Local Landcare Coordinators.

Paul is now full-time volunteer bush regenerator and activist in environmental areas. As an activist for the past 38 years, he has researched and writing submissions on State and Federal environmental and planning legislation & regulation while managing not-for-profits and participating in on-ground works.

Based in the Blue Mountains NSW for the past 18 years Paul has been the deputy coordinator of the Popes Glen Bushcare Group providing landscape scale reports and evaluations. He is also of the convenor of the Blue Mountains Bushcare Network.

Matt is an enthusiastic and long term volunteer bush regenerator in the Willoughby local government area. He has a background in communications, a degree in Ecology and a Diploma in Conservation and Land Management.

Matt was one of the people who helped start Bushcare’s Major Day Out – to raise awareness and encourage increased volunteer participation in ecological restoration.

Jeff Cottrell is a foundation member and Treasurer of Friends of the Colo from 2000 and a founding member of the Greater Sydney Landcare Network. Jeff is a whitewater paddler who got involved in Landcare and volunteering in National Parks in 2000 as a way of regaining access to places he goes paddling and to also protecting rivers from invasive introduced species. He combines his passion for paddling with landcare volunteering by:

• running and participating in Landscape scale weed control and river restoration programs through mapping, treating and ongoing monitoring activities.
• leading on-water activities for other landcare groups and bushcare networks in New South Wales
• leading paddles and Landcare Source to Sea Journeys to raise awareness of the work being done by Landcare groups, government agencies, private landowners and farmers to protect our waterways and allow volunteers to see their work and the work of others from the water

Jeff has a background in accounting and is a computer systems consultant. This understanding of computer systems means that he is an advocate for the role which accessible data can play to track and measure environmental work by both paid workers and volunteers.

Bev Debrincat is a founding member of the Greater Sydney Landcare Network and is a representative for Greater Sydney on the NSW Landcare NSW Council and is on the Landcare NSW Executive.

Bev is also the Founder and Executive Director of International Environmental Weed Foundation (IEWF), runs the Habitat Network, and is co-founder and a coordinator of The Habitat community native plant nursery and food garden in Ryde.

Her education and experience encompasses systems development and management in the computer industry, marketing, bushland management (formerly an on-ground supervisor with the National Trust). Bev was responsible for starting the Volunteer Bush Regenerators’ Network in Ryde (Sydney).

As a landholder, in the Macleay Valley Coast (Northern Rivers NSW) has co-managed the regeneration and restoration of the 22.92 hectare property of which 22.8 hectares including Littoral Rainforest, Coastal Wetlands and Dunes are under a Voluntary Conservation Agreement under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974.

Bev is part of a world-wide network of scientists and practitioners interested in Restoring Natural Capital (RNC) and maintains the RNC Alliance website.

Bev and her various projects have been successful in winning and managing grants for coastal dune restoration, littoral rainforest restoration, urban bush regeneration, creek and corridor restoration and establishing The Habitat and education programs.

Suzie Wright is the Regional Manager for Conservation Volunteers Australia, based in the Penrith Office. Grew up in Western Sydney, have a degree in Health Science and Clinical Research.

Suzie has been a passionate environmentalist, as a volunteer and in Green politics since 2005. She represented Western Sydney University in a range of relationship liaison roles, working with Government, business and the community sector to deliver sustained and mutually beneficial outcomes.

Suzie has a good network across many sectors in Western Sydney and has a strong commitment to “connecting people with nature” which she sees as the best solution to most environmental challenges.