Land Lifestyle Livelihood
About us
Welcome to our website. We hope you enjoy browsing around it and finding out all about who we are and what we do.
Blackwood Biosecurity Inc. (BBI) is an incorporated, not-for-profit community organisation managed by an elected Committee of members who voluntarily give of their time and expertise. BBI is the Recognised Biosecurity Group (RBG) endorsed by the Minister for Agriculture to take a lead role in the management of declared plant and animal pests in Western Australia’s Blackwood Valley region - Shires of Boyup Brook, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, West Arthur and the localities of Mullalyup, Grimwade, Wilga West, Balingup and Southampton in the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup. under Section 169 of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Act 2007. BBI is funded by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. The funds are derived from the Declared Pest Rate that all landholders in the region pay. The rate is 100% administered by Revenue WA and not by BBI. BBI submits an Operational Plan once per year, and if approved, the funds are released.
BBI works with landholders and land managers in a shared approach to manage declared pests.
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Our Team
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BBI has four staff who manage and deliver the day to day activities of the organisation: Trish McCourt - Executive Officer, Jason Dearle - Operations Manager, Max Cornish - Customer Service Officer and James Moyes - Operations Officer.
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The Committee currently has 7 community members:
Gwendalyn Banks - Chair, Jenny Dewing - Vice Chair, Margaret Morton - Secretary, Leigh Carroll - Treasurer and Stewart Kay, Mark Schneider and Julia Boyle as general members. Staff and the committee are a dedicated and experienced team, with a broad knowledge of biosecurity issues affecting the environment, industry, agriculture and lifestyle across our region. They work along side stakeholders from local government, business and industry, other RBGs, landcare groups, DPIRD, the community and other Government Agencies.
Why it matters
Declared pests can have devastating impacts on agriculture, the natural environment, endangered species and human health and safety. Pests don't stop at fences or town boundaries. Success relies on well-timed cooperative controls over the whole landscape.