Dr Joanne Young

Member of The Leeuwin Group

Joanna Young has expertise and interests in forest pathology, forest management and conservation. She has worked in the past with the US Forest Service, the (former) Department of Conservation and Land Management, and South Coast Natural Resource Management. Her research career was focused on understanding the epidemiology of Phytophthora dieback and other forest tree diseases. She helped initiate and then managed ‘Project Dieback’, which delivered on the identification of priority areas, with high biodiversity values, for protection from Phytophthora dieback.

For six years, Joanna was a member of the State Conservation Commission, and she has also advised the Environmental Protection Authority on dieback and ecologically sustainable forest management.

She was President of the Royal Society of Western Australia in 1987, before marrying and moving to a farm at Walpole with her husband Ross. In 1988 she joined the Walpole-Nornalup National Parks Association and has greatly enjoyed being a part of its activities over the years.

In recent times, Joanna has been active in community conservation projects along the south coast and is a member of The Leeuwin Group, advocating for a review of prescribed burning in the state. She has been working with community groups to document threats to our biodiversity, spending as much time as possible in the Walpole Wilderness Area.