"Tortoiseshell Farm" Bridgetown wins National Award.

Sheila Howat of "Tortoiseshell Farm" was presented with the inaugural Environmental Management Systems Association's EMS of the Year Award (Small Business Category) at a gala dinner in Newcastle, NSW  and was invited to outline her EMS to an assembly of National and International delegates.

Sheila and her husband, Sean, incorporate tourist accommodation, eco-tourism, biodiversity conservation and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation on their forest property at Bridgetown, Western Australia.

The Association's President, Genevieve Carruthers, congratulated Sheila on "an innovative EMS that uses a "whole of business" approach, that by focusing on a variety of natural resource management issues, has implemented practices that not only reduce the impact on the local environment, but actually enhance it".

Along with a trophy, was a cash prize of $2,200.00 and sponsorship to attend and address the 3 day National EMS Forum in Newcastle.

Runner up in the Small Business Category was the Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association, Queensland where 120 commercial fishing businesses have developed an joint industry EMS.

Sheila says that her EMS is all about biodiversity conservation in managing her important jarrah/marri/banksia remnant bush and her eco-tourism business.  It has also involved the creation of new habitat in the fencing and planting of major wildlife corridors which connect upland bush areas to downhill wetlands, the erection of  artificial nesting boxes for both birds and mammals to supplement natural hollows, improvement of riperian areas, building of boardwalks in bush areas and  feral proof specie-specific wildlife rehabilitation enclosures.  She began developing her EMS in 2005 and was Certified with the  Blackwood Basin Group's BestFarms programme this year.

Sheila can be contacted at tortoiseshell@activ8.net.au