Jos Chatfield (Posthumous)

Jos Chatfield, known to many as the “Tree Lady of Tammin” was one of the key drivers of Landcare in her local area, Tammin and across Australia for over four decades.

At the beginning there was a need for rehabilitation on the family farm and in the local catchment, due to saltland and waterlogging issues; this enabled Jos and her husband Dennis to establish an on-farm tree nursery in 1979.  Chatfield’s Tree Nursery, passed down to the next generation, continuing the legacy and passion of providing over 2 million seedlings per year of weather hardened, quality trees for farmers, landcare groups and industry.

The Chatfield’s Tree Planter which was designed and developed on the farm during the 1980s is still available and used across Australia by many farmers and groups today, enabling thousands of seedlings to be planted per day.

Jos and Dennis were often the “grass roots” connection for many projects in the landcare world, collaborating with state, national and international community, beginning the seeds of change.  Jos’s exuberance, energy and knowledge, being a key element in attracting support for landcare efforts.

Jos was a strong community voice. She gave presentations at many of the landcare conferences and gatherings, authored and co-authored a number of papers setting out acknowledgment and recommendations which underpinned the rapid growth of landcare during the 1980s and 1990s and is still relevant today.

She was a Committee member of the Tammin Landcare District Committee, National Landcare Assessment Panel, Soil Conservation Advisory Body for the Federal Minister,  Trustee of the Gorden Reid Foundation, Chairman for the Tammin LCDC and State Water Reform Council, Executive to the State Salinity Council, Commissioner of the Australian Heritage  Council, Deputy Chairman of Water and Rivers Commission and the Recipient of a Commonwealth Centenary Medal for service to natural resource management, landcare and and conservation…. Not to mention a much-loved mum to three girls and adored grandma of four grandchildren!

She was truly an inspiration to the Landcare movement. Sadly, Jos passed away in 2023.