Since 85-year-old John relocated from Sydney to Forster more than 16 years ago nothing much has changed in his everyday life.

John continues to wake at around 4.30am every morning, willing the sun to rise so he can get up and get to work.

But, John has switched  his occupation from a paid high school teacher to a volunteer ‘environmentalist/conservationist’ with the One Mile Dunecare group, a unit he helped form with assistance from Great Lakes Council back in 2001.

Since that time John has propagated thousands of seeds in his tiny Forster backyard, planted even more native trees and bushes and removed millions of weeds and pests which threaten the fragile environment around One Mile Beach.

John’s indifference to feral trees and weeds began back in 2000 as a new resident to the Mid North Coast.

 He approached council to ask if he could do a ‘bit of weeding’ at the rear of the Forster golf course.

As an idealistic newcomer, John declared he was going to solve the weed problem.

“I didn’t realise the magnitude of the problem,” he said.

Bitou bush, which was choking  surrounding sand dunes, was a big problem back in those days, John said.

Like the cane toad, bitou bush was introduced back in the mid 1940s to help stop dune erosion.

And, like many introduced species this now noxious weed thrived in the environment, replacing native plants and destroying native animal habitat.

Over the years council has undertaken extensive ground and aerial spraying programs to keep the weed under control.

“When council was brought in to knock it out (bitou bush) that brought it home to me that sheer muscle power was not going to do the job.”

The newly cleared area revealed a healthy rain-type forest, which contained a diverse number of plant and flora species.

With assistance from the local Lions club and a $30,000 grant,  a boardwalk was established though the rainforest and down to the beach, and later named the John Ward Boardwalk, acknowledging John’s hard work and dedication.

Following its completion in 2004, One Mile was recognised with a regional best beach award in 2005, while John was nominated in the 2006 Regional Achievement and Community awards and given a certificate of achievement for Environment and Landcare Awards.

A heart attack followed by a stent procedure late last year has forced John to take a step back from his dunecare duties.

“It was a strong message; no more carrying heavy bags of soil or buckets of water for me anymore.

“But , I don’t have any intention of retiring,” he said.

“I am still very much involved in the community; I have to have a target to keep me going.

“I have a very strong desire to contribute to society.”

John now works once a week next to the Tuncurry tip recycling old bicycles for future sale, and continues to propagate native and endangered plants for dunecare and the next-by nursery.

He has successfully propagated the Cynanchum elegans, and donated 16 plants to the National Arboretum, Canberra 

A climbing plant the Cynanchum elegans is native to much of the Mid North Coast and the Forster area.

“I am finding my new jobs really and truly absorbing.”