She has been an active forest campaigner in Australia and internationally for over 30 years. She was previously the leader of the Greens in Australia’s state of Tasmania, serving as a Member of Parliament for 15 years, carrying the forests portfolio. She was inscribed on the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women in 2011 for service to the environment. She has subsequently worked internationally on forests and climate at the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention for Biodiversity. She has consulted for The Wilderness Society, Global Witness (UK), Humane Society International (Australia), and the Environmental Investigation Agency (Washington), also campaigning to stop illegal logging in Asia and Africa. She has been involved with markets campaigns in Japan and was a Gunns 20 defendant. Before joining parliament, she was Director of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust after establishing the Threatened Species Network in Tasmania, and leading the successful Huon Valley campaign to prevent construction of a wood chip mill.