By Bel Tromp/Margot Foster Monday, 17 September 2012
The Leadbeater’s possum is a tiny tree-dwelling creature that some say is destined for extinction, despite being closely monitored by scientists for decades.
It lives in a small patch of Mountain Ash forest outside Melbourne, which has been logged for much of the last century.
David Lindenmayer is leading the push to save the possum from extinction.
Once an idealistic and hopeful young ecologist, David Lindenmayer – now Professor Lindenmayer – is so disillusioned about lack of government support that he’s resigned in disgust from a government scientific advisory team.
David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment; Ryan Smith, Victoria’s Minister for Environment.