About Us
Forest Rehabilitation Ecology was established in March 2018. Our aim is to provide expert ‘best practice’ bush regeneration and restoration for a competitive price and ensure integrity is maintained within the industry and the environment wins.
The proprietor Victoria Bakker has over 25 years experience in the industry having worked for local government, the private sector and NPWS secondments in lead roles. Victoria is an Ecologist with extensive on-ground experience across NSW and QLD managing high conservation value remnant vegetation communities from the coast to the hinterland.
The Team
Jason de Haan – Team Leader
Jason started working for FRE in the spring of 2020, after completing a traineeship in Conservation and Land Management. He has considerable experience working in various ecosystem rehabilitation and revegetation, as well as rare and endangered ecological community restoration and weed management in SEQ and NSW. ACDC licence and Work Safely at Heights.
Camila Rodrigues Catarino – Team Leader
A passionate bush regenerator with 3 years of experience in caring for country. Camila brings passion, enthusiasm, and mentorship skills to the team. Qualifications include ACDC & currently completing CEM III.
Jef Swan
Started working for FRE in early 2018, and is an expert technician with working at heights, having worked on projects from Fingal Head to Cape Byron. Field work experience includes rare and endangered ecological community restoration and weed management in SEQ and NSW. ACDC licence, white card, and Work Safely at Heights.
Giacomo Zanello
Recently changed career paths and has completed a traineeship in Conservation through Comunify around the Scenic Rim region and currently studying CEM III. Qualifications include ACDC & Chainsaw. Acclaimed photographer and drone pilot. A passionate advocate for sound land management and environmental sustainability.
Sofia Mynott
A high school graduate with a passion for the environment. Interests include on-ground restoration and botanical painting. Sofia is studying to be an ecologist, starting with CEM III. Qualifications include ACDC and White Card.
Amy Rice
Administration and Safety Officer who keeps all the wheels in motion. Processing invoicing, project administration, equipment ordering and maintenance. Over 10 years of experience volunteering and working in Conservation and Land Management NSW to QLD engaging in weed control and revegetation projects across the region. ACDC licence and Work Safely at Heights.
Victoria Bakker
Company director & Project Manager
An Environmental Scientist with over 25yrs experience working in Conservation &; Land Management and Ecology. A Field Technician with extensive experience in restoring all vegetation types and providing weed management solutions with minimal herbicide usage and following best practice. Successful with delivering results and funding from proposals and grant applications for high conservation value restoration and rehabilitation. Field Botany skills as a ‘generalist’ across all vegetation communities with specialisation in rainforest species of SEQ and northern NSW bioregion. Interested in biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage preservation and threatened species recovery. Expert with working at heights. ACDC licence and Work Safely at Heights.
Victoria was featured in ‘We Are Gold Coast’ “Gold Coast women leading the charge for environment and sustainability” Click here to read the article.