Gareth Johnston

Chair

Board Director – Murray and Riverina electoral zone

Gareth has a background in Land Management. Gareth sees Landcare as a critical element of support within a strong, resilient agro-ecological system. He believes water security, climate variability, cheap energy, adaptation and community wellbeing as key challenges for rural Australia. He hopes to connect smaller community groups with knowledge and resources that contribute to a stronger region and supports Landcare NSW leadership.

Mobile: 0433 108 391

Steve Bunnell

Vice Chair

Board Director – South East and Greater Sydney electoral zone

Steve is a member of the South East Landcare Regional Landcare Coordinator steering committee and Treasurer of the Boorowa Community Landcare Group. Currently dividing his time between a finance and administration consultancy in Sydney and his wool and sheep trading property at Boorowa, Steve is active in his local Landcare and Regenerative Grazing Groups. Steve is currently undertaking several revegetation projects on his property including recently completing several tree planting and direct seeding sites.

Mobile 0419 284 836

Bruce Rolph

Independent Director

Bruce joins Landcare NSW as a skills based Independent Director, bringing a wealth of leadership experience in banking & finance, environment & sustainability research and advocacy, and good governance & fund raising as a Chair, Director, advisor and consultant across a range of community/not-for-profit organisations. Bruce’s recently completed Masters in Environmental Management brought him into regular contact with the great work and goodwill generated by Landcarers throughout NSW. At a personal level, Bruce is a long-time custodian of a pocket of wonderful biodiversity in the Lower Hunter region now recovering from the bushfires and doing battle with lantana.

Mobile: 0417 018 886

Rene Woods

Independent Director

Rene joins Landcare NSW as a skills based Independent Director, and holds the seat reserved for an Aboriginal and/or  Torres Strait Islander on the Landcare NSW Board of Directors. Rene is a strong advocate for First Nation people in the Murray Darling Basin and has worked in communities in both the public and non-government organisation sectors of the Basin. He is currently employed by the Nature Conservancy Australia as a Conservation Officer and has previously held the position of chairperson of the Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations (2018 to 2020) and  been vice-chair of the Nari Nari Tribal Council. Rene hopes to bring a cultural lens to the work that Landcare does across NSW and to bring a better understanding and recognition of First Nations land and water practice in Landcare.

Mobile: 0424 299 929

Wayne Chaffey

Board Director – North West and Northern Tablelands electoral zone

Wayne has worked with a number of Landcare organisations since the 1980’s, at local, regional and state levels, and has spent the vast majority of his life on the family farm, managing livestock and increasing biodiversity with his wife, children and now, grandchildren.

After more than forty years as a parent, science teacher, educational leader, mentor and community volunteer, Wayne promotes life-long learning, research-based change, and the education of youth to ensure community wellbeing, through an understanding of the importance of the natural world, especially local ecosystems. He, and his wife, are working to understand and improve soils, increase landscape rehydration, and through holistic planned grazing, improving their property and producing healthy cattle.

Mobile: 0400 358 217