Leader: Robert Lambeck

Contributed by Robert Lambeck

Name: Robert Lambeck

Job (title and organization):
CEO of Greening Australia (WA)

Where do you work (city, state and country):
Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia

Describe your conservation work:
I work with my state and national teams and other partner organisations to develop and implement large-scale environmental projects aimed at protecting and restoring globally significant landscapes across Australia with an initial focus on the Mediterranean type landscapes of Western Australia.

Through these projects, Greening Australia is striving to achieve “change that you can see from space” – truly transformed landscapes that not only protect the extraordinary natural diversity, particularly of Western Australia, but also provide new models for how people can live more sustainably in rural and urban regions of Australia. Examples of such projects can be found at http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/iconprojects/index.html

What inspires you in your work?

• A passion for the world’s wild places and an unfortunate affliction (shared by many) for bird watching.
• A great team of passionate and competent staff who really want to make a difference.
• A determination to be able to look back in 10-20 years at the places we have worked and be able to demonstrate that we have turned around significant trajectories of decline in the species and communities (biological and social) with which we work.

Degree(s):
BSc in Zoology and Botany from the University of Sydney and his PhD from Curtin University.

What are the highlights of your career accomplishments? 
Prior to joining Greening Australia, I was a Landscape Ecologist with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) specialising in landscape design for protecting biodiversity. My work on developing practical, applied conservation planning approaches based on the identification of Focal Species has been widely applied in Australia and around the world. In a practical, applied sense, assisting our organization to lift its aspirations to tackle ecological restoration projects across vast  landscapes through the acquisition and transformation of several large farms has been incredibly rewarding – with much more to come!.

Why is the Global Mediterranean Action Network exciting to you?

I am committed to making Greening Australia a highly ecologically literate, learning organization. To achieve this, we need to be networked to other practitioners with whom we can share our enthusiasm and commitment. The network can provide practical benefits through information sharing and exchanges, but also psychological benefits through knowing that we are part of a larger team committed to addressing similar issues and to raising the global profile of the importance of Mediterranean-type ecosystems.

Personal Interests

How did your early experiences in nature influence you?

In my early years my immigrant parents made a point of piling all seven of their kids, the dog and the cat in the station wagon and heading off to remote parts of Australia. Later in life, when revisiting some of these places, I realized that the iconic “outback” landscapes that I considered to be “natural” were in fact highly modified and suffering from serious environmental decline. This led to the recognition that humans tend to consider what they are born into to be “natural” and then proceed to trade off our natural assets against that “baseline”.  This lead to my perception that simply protecting our remaining assets, whilst necessary, was not sufficient, and that we had to attempt to reverse some of the poor judgments of the past.  

What are your favorite species and/or landscapes?

I guess I’d describe my “favorite” species from the perspective of memorable observations or interactions in special places. This takes me to Tarsiers in the forests of Sulawesi, Purple Crowned Lorikeets in the evening sun on the south coast of Western Australia and Rock Wallabies in the gorges of the Kimberly.

Why are you passionate about conservation?

Firstly, simply because of a deep appreciation for the wonders of our natural world and a determination to give our kids the chance to experience these in the future but, secondly, because of a personal challenge to exit this life with the confidence that the world is better rather than worse as a consequence of my existence.   

What gives you hope?

Certainly not a logical analysis of the facts! Probably the fact that I am surrounded by great people who share the commitment to make a difference.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?