The Denmark Environment Centre grew out of the activities and supporters of a group called The Coalition for Denmark’s Environment, which successfully opposed a 1987 scheme to establish a local woodchip mill, to be fed by old-growth forest. It was decided that the environment movement needed a public face in Denmark and premises were rented on the main street to house an environmental shop, library and office space.

This was the first environment centre outside of the metropolitan area and it remains a not-for-profit community group that promotes environmental and conservation interests in the south coast region.
 

By 1989 a very small office at the back of the shop was shared with the emerging Green Skills organisation. A move was soon set in motion to purchase the land behind the shop, and by 2000, an office complex and meeting room were built with the assistance of Lotterywest and the community. This housed both the Centre’s administration and Green Skills but tragically this building burnt down on 4 July 2009. Hence why we now have a modern building at the rear of the shop.
 

In those early years, the Centre was involved in many campaigns and many successful environmental projects thanks to the dedicated volunteers who contributed their time and expertise.

DEC has won many awards:

• 1990 Winner John Tonkin Tree Award (Community Group) Greening Australia

• 1993 Winner Alcoa Greening Australia Revegetation Award Landcare Australia

• 1993 Finalist Living Streams Award Ribbons of Blue

• 1994 Co-Winner (with Denmark Agricultural College) National Alcoa Greening Australia Vegetation Award Landcare Australia

• 2002 the Community Achievement Environment WA Award and a Joint Overall Winner of the Inaugural WA Environment Award

• 2003 Finalist in the Banksia Awards.

• 2022 Len Howard Community Group Award from the Conservation Council of WA (CCWA).

• 2022 Geoff Evans (past convenor + committee member) was awarded the Bessie Rischbieth Conservation Award from Conservation Council of WA.