The Blue Mountains Conservation Society appointed Susan Crick as the society's new president at their recent annual general meeting.
Ms Crick, a resident of Wentworth Falls, grew up in the Blue Mountains and has a family history of involvement with protection of the natural environment of the Blue Mountains. In the 1970s Ms Crick's mother, who was a member of the then Katoomba and District Wildlife Conservation Society, worked on behalf of the society to stop Clutha in their plans to mine the Blue Mountains.
"Numbers made a difference then and they do now," Ms Crick said in her acceptance speech.
"The society currently has over 900 members and this matters when we write letters and submissions."
Ms Crick, who has a degree in biological sciences and post graduate marketing qualifications, has worked in teaching, community relations, marketing and senior management before joining the society as vice president and newsletter editor.
"I will use my experience to help the society grow and to diversify our membership. We can then be an even stronger force to more effectively protect our natural environment," she said.
Outgoing president, Tara Cameron, was also recognised for her outstanding service and awarded life membership of the Society.
President of the Society for five years and senior vice president for nine, Ms Cameron's 14 years of society service has included involvement in large campaigns such as the Gardens of Stone, that has resulted in the area being declared a State Conservation Area. She was also actively involved in the Delta Electricity campaign preventing pollution from the Wallerawang power station, as well as the Katoomba Airfield campaign and fight to have it added to the Blue Mountains National Park.
Amongst her other achievements, Ms Cameron was appointed member of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Advisory Committee and was winner of The Nature Conservation Council of NSW Dunphy Award for the most outstanding environmental effort of an individual.
