Basil Schur

Basil Schur is a tireless, dedicated and passionate worker and advocate for his local environment in the Denmark region and further afield. He grew up on a cattle farm in Zimbabwe and his family immigrated to Perth in 1981 where he began university studies.   

As a young adult, he fell in love with the iconic, unique and precious Aussie environment and was involved in early forest activist campaigns that led to the expansion of conservation estate in old growth Karri, Jarrah, Wandoo and Tuart forests, remnant bushland conservation on private land. 

He has worked with Green Skills in Denmark since 1989 and seen a large span of projects in the areas of ecological restoration and community development come to fruition.  In the 1990s, he completed post graduate studies at Murdoch with a thesis titled 'Masculinity and Landcare in Rural WA'.

He has been a key ambassador for Gondwana link and a driving force in the creation of a feral predator enclosure eco-sanctuary and associated citizen science program at Balijup farm near Tenterden. He also has managed a south coast wetland conservation program that over 3 decades has seen multiple wetland fencing and rehabilitation projects completed on farms, including the Denmark Wetlands Centre.

In recognition of his 30+ years of environmental service on the ground he was awarded the West Australian Individual Landcarer Award in 2019 and then went on to also receive the National Individual Landcarer Award in 2021, as a testament to individuals who show significant commitment to caring for the land and are a leader in their community. 

Basil often expresses the sense of privilege he experiences in working alongside fellow conservationists, farmers and Noongar elders across the Great Southern. His success with environmental projects is attributed to the support provided by his colleagues, particularly in Green Skills and his long-term collaborations with the community, citizen science, farmers and Noongar elders and Rangers.