Principal
Dr. Michelle McKemey founded Melaleuca Environmental in 2008 to offer consultancy services to a diverse range of clients. We collaborate with various specialists, including botanists, zoologists, lawyers, educators, graphic designers, and Indigenous Elders, leaders and language experts, to tailor our services to meet specific needs.
Michelle is an ecologist, researcher, guest speaker, and best-selling author whose work is featured in international scientific journals, Time Magazine, Wall Street Journal and on the ABC. She received the University of New England Chancellor's Doctoral Research Medal in 2021. Alongside her Aboriginal collaborators, Michelle was awarded the Ecological Society of Australia national award for ‘Right-way Science’ in 2019 and 2020, and the CSIRO Award for Indigenous Engagement in 2017.
With over 25 years of experience in environmental science, Michelle has worked for local, state, and federal government bodies before establishing Melaleuca Environmental. She also co-directs a commercial cattle and sheep grazing operation in regional NSW. Michelle has undertaken numerous environmental projects across Australia, frequently working with Aboriginal communities to conserve natural and cultural resources. She possesses extensive experience in the environment, cultural heritage and agriculture industries.
For further information, contact Michelle on +61 (0)437 350 597.

Senior Consultant - NRM
Mark Desailly works as a Senior Consultant at Melaleuca Environmental, specializing in fire management, natural and cultural resource planning, sustainable agriculture, training and capacity development, as well as collaborations with Indigenous communities.
With over 25 years of experience, Mark possesses extensive on-ground skills and knowledge in these fields. Since 2007, he has worked with Indigenous landowners in tropical savanna fire management. Much of his work in Arnhem Land involved collaborating directly with Indigenous landowners, integrating their traditional knowledge and lore with modern techniques and tools, to plan and implement landscape-scale burning during the early dry season. Additionally, he has substantial experience in wildfire suppression.
Throughout his career, Mark has worked extensively within the savannas of northern Australia, engaging in activities such as monitoring vegetation communities, assessing pastoral land condition, and developing carbon abatement methodologies.
Mark began work with Melaleuca Environmental in 2024 following a move back to NSW after many years living in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Senior Consultant - Biodiversity
Ian Simpson is a Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM) Accredited Assessor under the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the BAM, BAM-Calculator, and their relationships to State and Federal legislation, stewardship/offset sites, and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT). Ian is well-versed in the processes required for sites and developments to meet agreed conditions of approval.
With over 20 years of experience in environmental science and assessment across New South Wales and western Queensland, Ian has contributed to teaching, research, and industry projects. Ian’s roles in tertiary education (teaching/research) and ecological consulting have provided him with extensive expertise in ecological survey design, data collection, processing, report writing, and publication. Ian’s focus is always on adhering to relevant institutional and legislative guidelines, ensuring project compliance, and achieving the best outcomes.
Throughout his career, Ian has conducted ecological surveys and assessments across NSW, particularly in the Hunter, New England, Northwest, and Western regions. His diverse project experience includes:
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Vegetation identification and mapping
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Threatened species population studies and surveys
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Seed bank studies
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Vegetation restoration/rehabilitation programs
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Plant population genetic studies
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Fauna (Mammal/Herpetology/Avian) surveys
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Invertebrate surveys
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GIS and reporting.


Why 'Melaleuca'?
The name Melaleuca is derived from the Ancient Greek μÎλας (mélas) meaning "dark" or "black" and λευκός (leukós) meaning "white", apparently because one of the first specimens described had fire-blackened white bark.
We specialise in working in the cross-cultural space, where people of different cultures work alongside each other. We also love learning about, and applying, fire!



