Mr Orr has volunteered with Landcare since 1996 and worked tirelessly on the Kermandie River clean up project.

By the late 1990s, the Kermandie River had become overrun with weeds, branches and willows after severe flooding.

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After working a full day at Forestry Tasmania - a role he held for 38 years-, Mr Orr and a friend would head down to the river and spend hours pulling out blackberries and willow branches from the waterway.

The official Kermandie River project may have ended many years ago but Mr Orr's work has never stopped.

To this day, he continues to keep the river clean and ensure native vegetation is able to thrive.

A humble man, Mr Orr says receiving this recognition is very unexpected.

"It means a great deal, though there are probably other people who have just done as much and I have," he said.

"So I'm very humbled but it's a privilege to be recognised."

Mr Orr hopes his legacy will enable future generations to enjoy the tranquility of the river and get back in touch with nature.

"Hopefully the legacy will be getting the river back to what it was originally before the settlers came to Tasmania."