Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group Inc. - Office bearers & Committee members
President
Holger Topp
Holger is a Civil Engineer with life membership to the Institute of Engineers Australia. He spent most of his career in the mining industry on site and in corporate roles. Holger’s special area of interest was rehabilitation both here in Australia and in the US. As a result of a “tree change” Holger and his wife live on small acreage on the Capel River.
Treasurer
Tonina Pinneri
COMMITTEE
Des Donnelly
Past President
Des started work in the timber industry in 1955 and then joined the Forests Department as a forestry cadet in 1959. He gained experience in all aspects of forest management throughout the south west of WA. In 1972 Des was promoted to District Forester at Ludlow. There he successfully established tuart seedlings, ceased tuart timber harvesting in the tuart forest and finally closed the tuart sawmill in 1975. In 1976 Des was promoted to Chief Utilisation Officer in CALM specialising in plantation softwood utilisation, research and development. He played a key role in the introduction of softwood house framing and power poles into WA.
After leaving CALM in 1996 Des set up a saw mill in Capel cutting salvaged tuart logs. Since retiring in 2007, Des has maintained his passion for the Tuart Forest through active community involvement. He brings to the Ludlow Tuart Forest restoration Group a wealth of knowledge and experience in Forest Management. Being a former resident of the Ludlow Settlement, he is committed to its restoration.
Kathy Rutgers
Kathy has lived most of her life in the Busselton area. About 20 years ago Kathy and her husband Peter bought a property at Ludlow, that adjoins the Ludlow Tuart Forest National Park. Her concern for the poor state of the Tuart Forest and the decline of the Ludlow settlement heritage buildings prompted her and Peter to join the Ludlow Tuart Forest Restoration Group in 2018.
Bill Biggins
Bill has an affinity with the open air and community service having been youth member and more recently, a District Commissioner with the Scout Association of Australia where he still volunteers his time. He is a land owner in the Shire of Capel and a member of the Capel Land Conservation District Committee. Bill has held various roles in technical service and sales management, providing commissioning and technical support for industrial automation products and systems. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Marketing from Edith Cowan University.
Nick Hornibrook
Pat Worrell
Pat is a retired teacher who taught in Meekatharra, Republic of Nauru, Port Hedland, Bunbury and Capel. In Port Hedland she met and married her late husband who was a tug Master. Together they established a boarding kennels and cattery which they maintained along with their other careers. Len retired and they moved to the Capel area in 1991 to 40 acres on Goodwood Road where they established an apple and plum orchard. They moved into Capel townsite in 2006 after selling the orchard.
Pat is a keen gardener establishing gardens in the many different places she has lived. While her children were growing up, Pat was a committee member of the Capel Horse and Pony Club and on the Equestrian centre committee.
At present she is a member of the Capel Garden Club, the Capel bowling club and the Bunbury Bodacious Belles Red Hat Group.
Jules Hogan
A past resident of Ludlow, Jules has returned as an adult to the playground she once called home. The journey in between has been a wonderful adventure and, raising an incredible family has been at the heart of it all. Commencing working life as a school teacher, the years that followed were filled with twists and turns that led to a career in leading and developing high performing sales teams across Australia. Now, semi retired, Jules enjoys part time leadership coaching and working with the wonderful team of the LTFRG on the amazing vision for Ludlow.
Yolanda Cool
Debbie Spalding
Jane Croft
Diana Fisher
Diana is a fourth generation local to the Capel Region. Growing up along the Capel River she gained an appreciation of the land and all its natural wonders. Her family operating a mixed farming enterprise in dairy, beef, market garden and contracting work, which included working in plantation timber. Diana completed a Science Degree in Agriculture and worked for the State Agriculture Department for 25 years. Living in the tall timber region of Manjimup for 27-years she fell in love with the beauty of native forests along with their rich history and heritage. Returning to her home town in 2019, Diana is pursuing her passions and is being an active member of the local community including the Capel Land Conservation District Committee, Capel CWA, and Capel Chamber of Commerce.
Phil Faigen
P. D. (Phil) Faigen architect, builder has been involved in architecture, building and construction industries as well as dispute resolution since graduating. He has brought to the south west, his practice founded on traditional values while looking forward to the challenges of projects with inherent difficulties - be they technical or legally challenging or simply 'problematical'.
Arne Jesperson
Arne has a background in farming and Forestry, He moved into the Financial Services Industry and finally into software development. Arne believes his most useful contribution to the group are his skills in photography, aerial videography, video editing and technical knowledge gained from his years as a software developer. He has also produced many short films and travel videos.
Membership
There are currently 700 financial members
Past committee members
We acknowledge and thank the following people for their contribution to our Group as a committee members.
Lyn McMahon
Carole Walpole
Ian Walpole
Lesley Culleton
Kerri Rankin
Janet Wells
Peta Taylor
Simon Hotchin
Jenny Hake
Evelyn Taylor (Past President)
Di Claffey