One couple, 38,000 trees and a forest reborn

Ian Webster & Dianne Lanskey at their property which they have been rehabilitating since 2002.

by Ian Stannard

Local landholders Ian Webster and Dianne Lanskey have been awarded the prestigious Healthy Planet Award at the 2026 Sunshine Coast Biosphere Awards. Sponsored by Australia Zoo, the category celebrates outstanding contributions to environmental preservation. In a field heavily populated by well-funded environmental organisations, the selection of the Flaxton couple highlights the profound impact that dedicated private citizens can have on regional biodiversity.

When their names were announced at the ceremony on Friday 26 June, the couple expressed a mixture of pride and total surprise. Standing alongside structured conservation groups and businesses, Ian and Di were the only private landholders among the finalists who had tackled a large-scale landscape remediation project entirely as a couple.

Their ecological journey began in 2002 with the purchase of a heavily degraded 12.9-hectare property directly bordering Kondalilla National Park. Over the subsequent twenty-four years, the pair transitioned the rugged site from an agricultural wasteland scarred by illegal dumping and thick infestations of Lantana, Elephant Grass, Privet and Camphor Laurel into a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem. 

“When we first saw this degraded and rugged property we thought there was potential for rehabilitation,” said Di. “We wanted to make a difference.  Never did we foresee the degree of difficulty and the effort that would be required.  We began as weekenders.  When we left Brisbane and the pressure of work each weekend (and holidays) we didn't know what new adventure or discovery awaited us.”

But it wasn’t all fun. “Our journey was full of ups and downs,” said Ian.  “The sheer hard work in rain and drought was very draining.  Many of the times we would utter the words ‘Are we finished yet?’ only to realise there was another obstacle to overcome.  Landslips, tractor accidents and cattle destroying our new plantings were hard to take.  A capacity for hard work and a ‘never give up’ attitude helped.  We just got on with it.

Ian said “continuous little rewards” kept him and Di motivated.  “In the beginning it was discovering the hidden gems – perhaps a rare or endangered species hidden among the feral weeds – that rewarded us.

“Now we see the developing young forest regenerating, working alongside us, and joining the pockets of  old growth forest. Our special reward, after 24 years, is to see what was a rugged and degraded property returning to its former glory.”

To date, the couple has planted more than 38,000 native trees and understorey plants, expanding the canopy and actively stabilising steep, erosion-prone landslip zones. 

Their work has successfully safeguarded vital habitat for threatened regional species, including the Richmond Birdwing butterfly and the endangered Macadamia ternifolia. The project also required considerable engineering innovation, notably the design of a custom 400-metre irrigation network used to establish 7000 trees across near-vertical gullies.

Beyond providing a masterclass in technical environmental rehabilitation, Ian and Di serve as critical examples of what private land stewardship can achieve. 

Across the Sunshine Coast, there are currently 1250 registered Land for Wildlife properties collectively protecting 8683 hectares of habitat.  This private conservation network covers an area more than double the size of the council’s entire public conservation reserve estate, making private voluntary participation foundational to our region's broader UNESCO Biosphere goals.

By formally securing a Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) with the Sunshine Coast Council, the couple has placed a binding covenant over 90 percent of their block, ensuring their hard-won forest is legally protected in perpetuity. 

Their extraordinary success underscores a vital truth for the region's environmental future: while grande policy shapes conservation goals, the physical restoration of the planet is ultimately achieved piece by piece, property by property, through the persistent hands of our local community members.

“The Biosphere Award (Healthy Planet Category) has been, for us, a recognition by others of what we have achieved,” said Di.  “Someone has noticed what this means for the wider community of the Sunshine Coast and we share the award with our beautiful forest.”