EDITHVALE conservationist Les Williams is the City of Kingston's 2010 Citizen of the Year.

Regarded by some as a gadfly, Mr Williams, 74, says he believes he has written more letters of criticism to the council than those praising it and was therefore delightfully surprised when told by the council he was to receive the city's top annual award.

Mr Williams is well known to peninsula people for his work with migratory birds and climate change.

He has been warning about the effects of climate change since the 1980s. When he was a councillor with the former City of Chelsea in 1990 he was successful in getting the council to carry out an investigation into the possible effects of storm surges and sea rises, which were to be taken into consideration for future planning.

But the award focuses on Mr Williams' involvement with the Edithvale Seaford Wetlands since 1974.

Despite his retirement last year from the Friends of Edithvale Seaford Wetlands for health reasons, he still remains a champion for the environment. Mr Williams was a driving force for the wetlands gaining a Ramsar listing as a wetlands of international importance in 2001.

Each summer, thousands of migratory birds from the northern hemisphere visit the wetlands, notably sharp-tailed sandpipers, which are now here in flocks.

It means the wetlands, which are managed by Melbourne Water, will be protected for generations. Melbourne Water has recognised Mr Williams' dedication to the wetlands with a commemorative plaque at the Edithvale bird hide.

He was also an advocate for the establishment of Braeside Park at the former sewage treatment site. Mr Williams' interest in nature started when he was a young electrician with the former Board of Works when he was working on the Thomson Dam.