Ben Bowman Email & Phone Number

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

Coordination of climate change mitigation and adaptation, and environmentally sustainable development, principally focused on City operations and the target to achieve zero emissions by 2030.

Sunshine Victoria

Coordination of the sustainability team inculding climate change, energy, intergrated water management, and waste education. My personal achievements included the development of the Revised Brimbank Sustainably Water Management Strategy, and the Brimbank Climate Emergency Plan. From March 2021 to June 2022 I performed the role of Acting Manager Environment and lead the sustainability, natural environment, and contaminated land team, and managed the Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action.

Castlemaine

Manager of climate change, natural environments, parks and gardens, waste and recycling, and environmental health services, inclusive of the associated multi-million dollar operating, capital works and special project budgets and reporting, 22FTE Council staff, and relevant contractors. A great place to work!

Castlemaine

Implemented existing greenhouse gas and environmental policies, including identifying significant energy efficiency gains, before developing a new strategic management framework and documents including the Mount Alexander Shire Council Environment Strategy 2015-2025, and the Mount Alexander Shire Council Climate Change Action Plan 2016-2020.

Melbourne, Australia

I was approached to lead the conceptual development of guidelines for the ‘asset-based approach to natural resource investment’. This approach seeks to target investments to improve the natural environment by protecting the best ‘natural assets’. Victorian catchment management authorities adopted these guidelines to develop their respective regional catchment strategies. Following my work on the asset-based approach I developed the Victorian Landcare Program Strategic Plan 2012 and was then given the role of acting manager community engagement and Landcare for several months, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Landcare celebrations, the appoint of the 60 Landcare facilitator positions, and the annual grants process.

Melbourne, Australia

In this role I developed Fisheries Victoria’s ‘secure, share, grow’ strategic direction and aided investment coordination of the annual $40M budget, including evaluation. I was very fortunate to receive outstanding leadership training during this time from my director, Jenny Pequignot. During this time I also completed sustainability leadership training and was introduced to the teachings of Henry George and the world of environmental fiscal reform. This intellectual stretching conditioned me for my foray to the U.S. I returned to this role for several months after spending two years in the U.S.

Melbourne, Australia

This role was developed in response to the condition of inland fisheries during the millennium drought. I developed the first fisheries advocacy and fisheries education strategies and led advocacy for ‘environmental flows’ for waterways. I developed policies to deal with fish kill events, large woody debris and other such matters. A highlight of the role was my opportunity to develop the $3.2M Go Fishing in Victoria initiative that was funded as part of the 2006 Victorian Government ‘provincial statement’.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

FWW is a consumer group based in the U.S. that works to challenge the corporate control of the basic components of the food system such as fresh water, seed, and access to land and sea. I commenced work in San Francisco working with small-scale fishing communities on the West coast. My role was to alert them to the dangers of a fishery management system based on transferable stock quota that was being introduced by the federal government under direction of the ‘greenwash group’ the Environmental Defence Fund. Informed by my direct policy experience with this approach in Australia, I developed a network and organised and led the campaign. My work was featured in the media including in the Seattle Times. After a year the campaign ground switched to New England and so I moved to Washington D.C. and led the Fair Fish fishery resource access and sharing campaign from there. My work led to significant media interest, protests outside Capitol Hill and finally to congressional oversight hearings. I was very fortunate to work with significant allies including economist Daniel W Bromley, fishery advocate the late Zeke Grader, and staff at the Gloucester Times.

Future Sustainability Leaders Scholar

Associate’S Degree, Graduate Diploma Of Education

Bachelor’S Degree, Applied Science - Natural Resources Management And Policy

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba

Education record