pooley is widely credited as being one of the leading defenders of the dunes at lake st. lucia, now part of the greater st. lucia wetland park, a unesco world heritage park.he was chairman of the campaign for st lucia, which helped to defend the park against proposed open-cast dune mining and get it proclaimed as a heritage park, and later co-ordinated a campaign preventing the deproclamation of part of the ndumo game reserve. this campaign is ongoing. tony's efforts as a conservationist were recognised by awards from the wildlife society and ezemvelo kzn wildlife (formerly the natal parks board).