Michael Lynch served in the Royal Australian Navy as an underwater bomb and mine disposal officer for 20 years, retiring in 1981 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was the inaugural executive officer of the Sail Training Association of Western Australia before moving to Melbourne to manage the Victorian challenge for the 1987 America's Cup. From there he became the joint manager of the University of Tasmania Research Company, before taking up a research and policy development position with Independent MHA, Bob Brown.;;Following the Labor-Green Accord in May 1989, he became coordinator of the office of the Green Independents. In May 1993 Michael took on the role of Director of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust, a position he held until his retirement in September 2005.;;Michael was a member of the Community Leaders Group which undertook the unique public consultation process that produced the Tasmania Together document.;;Michael is also the chair of the Tasmanian Heritage Council. He is a member of the Board of Management of the Environmental Defenders Office and the Board of the Alcorso Foundation.