Finding a middle path through the Forest

‘I became frustrated that no new thinking was emerging to confront the challenges climate change poses for the forests. The real question is not “To log or not to log?” but “How do we best care for our forests?”

Let’s call this forest stewardship.’ At times quirky and disarmingly personal, at others deeply philosophical, Shades of Green weaves three separate but inseparable streams into a compelling narrative -
A posthumous memoir of nearly 50 years of campaigning for the forests of Australia’s south-west.
A discourse on ethics and effectiveness in politics, based on crossbench experience in the balance of power.
A lucid manifesto on the active management required to help jarrah forest recover from overcutting and inappropriate fire.
The detail may be local, but the ideas reach far beyond, into the realms of global.

About the Author

Born in London in 1947 Chrissy Sharp arrived in Western Australia in 1972 with no intention of staying, but soon became a prominent forest conservation campaigner.
She has a doctorate in politics from Murdoch University and was the first ever woman appointed to the board of the State’s watchdog Environmental Protection Authority, also becoming the first woman to be appointed as a Chair of a standing committee of the WA Parliament.
After stepping down from politics in 2005, much of her energy was devoted towards urging restorative action in disturbed forests to protect them from the damaging impacts of climate change.
She lived with partner Andrew Thamo at the Small Tree Farm, Balingup, near which town they co-founded, in 1980, the much loved arboretum Golden Valley Tree Park.
Chrissy passed in 2021 and is survived by her partner, daughter and son.

From Hansard:

‘...I held her in enormous esteem, above almost everybody else I engaged with in the forest debate, whether that was a forester, a politician or a conservationist. She could look at the debate dispassionately despite her enormous passion and come up with a valid solution in a way I have not seen with anybody else.’ – Dr Steve Thomas, Leader of the Opposition, speaking to a Condolence Motion in the Legislative Council 7th December 2021.