- Dr Melanie Strawbridge appointed State Soil and Land Conservation Commissioner
- Cook Government committed to conserving Western Australia’s land resources
Experienced natural resource management executive Dr Melanie Strawbridge is Western Australia’s new Soil and Land Conservation Commissioner.
Dr Strawbridge has provided specialist advice to Government on natural resource management issues for more than 20 years, most recently as Agriculture Resource Management and Assessment Director with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)
The Commissioner is responsible for administering the Soil and Land Conservation Act (1945), which includes preventing land degradation, promoting soil conservation, and educating landholders and the general public about best practice land management.
This includes strategic, scientific and policy leadership on soil, water and land conservation, soil health and related farming systems.
Dr Strawbridge will sit on the Soil and Land Conservation Council, which provides policy advice to the Minister for Agriculture and Food on the State’s land assets.
She succeeds Cec McConnell, who is now Deputy Director General of Primary Industries Development with DPIRD.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
“I welcome the appointment of Dr Strawbridge, who brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the Commissioner’s role, as the premier advocate for soil health in WA.
“Dr Strawbridge has strong connections with industry and the scientific community, and is keen to focus on better monitoring and intelligence to improve the physical and biological health of our soils and landscapes.
“I look forward to working with Dr Strawbridge and seeing how Government, industry and the community can work together to enhance the stewardship of our vast land resources
