Friday, March 29, 2024

CATEGORY

Biodiversity

Wild dog program could close

"The order was renewed last year for only 12 months, during which time farmers and other stakeholders were promised consultation and a count of the wild dog population across Victoria," said Libbe Paton, North East Wild Dog Action Group. "Neither of these promises have been upheld to date."

Buffel grass management enters next stage: Worden

The Territory Labor Government has determined the next step to reduce the impact of buffel grass in Central Australia. The Buffel Grass Technical Working Group (TWG) was formed in 2023 to address environmental concerns around buffel grass, which makes wildfires more intense and impacts biodiversity.

All ages effort to boost cockatoo numbers

Patricia Gill. Denmark school students are part of a landscape-scale move to re-establish the breeding of black cockatoos in the region. To spark their students’ enthusiasm, environmentalist Simon Cherriman visited four schools recently and helped the students build four nesting boxes at each school from recycled materials ... The Denmark Men’s Shed will build 40 nest boxes ...

Eco-acoustics – Understanding the forest through listening: DBCA

A scientific survey is being carried out in the Perth Hills, near Mundaring. Scientists are seeking to better understand the health of the forest through the simple art of listening. Using the emerging science of eco-acoustics, researchers are monitoring forest soundscapes to better understand and benchmark ecosystem health.

Destructive pests caught in record numbers: Sunshine Coast Council

Invasive species are being trapped and removed in record numbers across the Sunshine Coast, in a united effort between Sunshine Coast Council and the community to protect our region’s biodiversity. In 2023, Council’s team removed 335 feral deer from registered properties in the region, almost triple the previous record set in 2021.

Climate, carbon, temperature, science and politics

Why do we have sacred topics? Ideas, theories or policies that appear to be off limits ... Three sacred topics of late have been Covid-19, climate and carbon. What happens when ‘misinformation’ actually is proven correct?

Fight to save Gulmarrad wildlife corridor

A Gulmarrad wildlife corridor that is one of the last remnants of habitat for the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo in the Clarence Valley which is at risk due to a nine-lot subdivision determined in 2007 has seen a new approach, bringing together the landholder and conservationists to attempt to preserve the habitat and wildlife.

White sharks “vulnerable”

Michelle Daw. Reports of increased numbers of white sharks are not scientifically supported, according to the state government, and it has rejected culling as a response to recent attacks. Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven said many South Australians were understandably concerned about recent shark attacks across the state.

COP 15 biodiversity drive a threat to personal property, jobs and industry

The Australian Government signed the “30 x 30” target at COP15 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022, with a commitment to ensure that 30 per cent of the earth’s land and sea is protected through the establishment of Protected Areas (PAs) and Other Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) ... The WWF has urged the Australian Government to set up a $5B Green Fund to acquire forests, productive land and reforest wheat fields.  The land needed to meet the 30:30 objective has to be “high biodiversity value” land in accordance with the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Killing koalas to “save” polar bears: Robert Onfray

In this article Robert Onfray details the lack of environmental scrutiny of the wind factories and pumped hydro projects built or planned in Queensland as the state sanctions the wholesale clearing of remnant native forest on the coastal ranges straddling the Great Dividing Range ... 10,178 hectares of koala and 6,744 hectares of greater glider habitats are set to disappear if all the renewable proposals in Queensland are approved ... "blunt force trauma" is to be used to euthanise injured animals or those that cannot be relocated, particularly koalas.

Closure marred by vast contradictions

The Victorian government’s regulation of timber harvesting, which has led to the impending closure of Gippsland’s native forest industry in January, directly contradicts the joint national-state approach to ensure biodiversity alongside a timber industry over the previous 30 years, analysis shows ... When setting up the National Forest Policy Statement in the 1990s, the JANIS working group – conservation scientists and planners from all states and the CSIRO – drew up the criteria to form a CAR (comprehensive, adequate and representative) reserve system.

New arrival at Altina

Two black-and-white ruffed lemurs have been paired together at the Altina Wildlife Park near Darlington Point. The species is critically endangered due to poaching and deforestation and one is from England and will provide genetic diversity to the Australian lemur population.

Forestry Australia releases new Position Statements

Forestry Australia has released three new and highly topical Position Statements to share its evidence-based positions on important issues relating to the management of forests across Australia ... “Now more than ever we need to ensure that there is evidence-based and balanced information readily available, given we live in an era of information overload, misinformation and disinformation”: Forestry Australia President, Dr Michelle Freeman.

Senate inquiry into spread of red imported fire ants: Littleproud

Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has welcomed a Senate Inquiry into the spread of red imported fire ants. Mr Littleproud said the inquiry was urgently needed, with Labor losing control of its National Fire Ant Eradication Program and failing to commit to the funding required.

Of ants and plants – how flowers led to the rise of the many

Geoff Park. I recently watched an excellent short video by PBS Eons on the rise of ants and the importance of flowering plants in the story ... This increase [of ants] seems to parallel the rise of flowering plants, a rise which involved many symbiotic relationships ... These complex relationships were very apparent to me as I wandered around the bush at our place, camera in hand.

Shenhua land back to agriculture: Anderson 

Following the cancellation of Shenhua’s plans to mine on the Liverpool Plains, work is underway to regenerate the land for the benefit of the community and the environment ... While some land has been sold to farmers, a 6,300ha parcel of land has been kept in public hands and is being managed by Local Land Services under a biodiversity project known as The Waratah Project.

VicForests audit 2022 – 96 per cent compliance

The 2022 official audit of VicForests has found an average 96 per cent compliance with the state's forestry environmental standards ... This audit was conducted according to four themes: environmental values in State forests, conservation of biodiversity, operational planning and record keeping, and coupe infrastructure for timber harvesting operations.

Update on Checkpoint – Lord Howe Island officially declared rodent free

Suzie Christensen. The Checkpoint program conducted in July 2023 has found no sign of rats or mice on Lord Howe Island for over two years, signalling a significant milestone in the Rodent Eradication Project ... More than 950 detection device checks were undertaken using 140 tracking tunnels, 32 trail cameras, and 300 wax tags and chew cards, along with sweeps with detection dogs.

Is the humble farm dam the lifeline that frogs need?: Deakin University

Frogs are in trouble. While many of the world's animal species are now at risk from habitat loss, climate change and other human pressures, it is frogs that are particularly at risk ... "Farm dams, often overlooked in the conservation context, have emerged as potential lifelines for numerous species during dry spells, including frogs": Dr Martino Malerba.

Innovative ocean platform grows seaweed and sinks carbon: Agrifutures

With a goal of achieving “the three Rs” of reducing emissions, removing greenhouse gases and repairing the climate, the Climate Foundation has developed an innovative technique for cultivating seaweed to regenerate lost kelp forests and sequester carbon in the ocean’s depths for hundreds of years.

The Great Koala National Park is not an extinction panacea: Forestry Australia

The Minns Government’s proposed Great Koala National Park is not an extinction panacea for koalas, says the President of Forestry Australia, Dr Michelle Freeman ... "it is simplistic to suggest that locking away forests is the great panacea for saving koalas from extinction ... In fact, experience shows us that declaring a National Park does not equal koala population growth." 

Koala dreaming? Too right!

Vic Jurskis. Koala plagues and megafires go together. Koalas are breeding faster than ever on all the soft young growth generated by Black Summer. The scrub development is unprecedented. Our next extreme fire season will kill more people and animals than ever before. But the koala is in no danger of extinction.

All categories

About ARR.NewsACTAFLAgingAgricultureAquaculture & fishingARR.News eventArtsAthleticsBankingBasketballBeefBiodiversityBook ReviewBowlsBuilding & ConstructionBusinessCarbonCharityClimateCommunicationsConflictCottonCouncilCraftCricketCyclingDairyDamsDanceDroughte-commerceEducation & trainingEmploymentEnergyEngineeringEquestrianEventExhibitionFamilyFarmingFederal politicsFeedFertiliserFestivalFilmFireFishingFloodFloraFoodFood & BeveragesForestryGardeningGoatsGolfGrainsHealthHealthHistory & heritageHorticultureHospitalityIndigenousIndustry reportsInfrastructureInland waterwaysInternationalInternationalInterviewLand & environmentLaw & orderLetters & responsesLifeLiteratureManufacturingMarineMediaMedia ReleaseMeet the publishersMilitaryMilitary historyMiningMotorsportMurray RiverMusicNew ReleaseNewsNewsletters - SportNSWNTOpinionOut nowOut now - Archive - April 2021Out now - Archive - April 2022Out now - Archive - April 2023Out now - Archive - August 2020Out now - Archive - August 2021Out now - Archive - August 2022Out now - Archive - August 2023Out now - Archive - December 2020Out now - Archive - December 2021Out now - Archive - December 2022Out now - Archive - December 2023Out now - Archive - February 2021Out now - Archive - February 2022Out now - Archive - February 2023Out now - Archive - February 2024Out now - Archive - January 2021Out now - Archive - January 2022Out now - Archive - January 2023Out now - Archive - January 2024Out now - Archive - July 2021Out now - Archive - July 2022Out now - Archive - July 2023Out now - Archive - June 2021Out now - Archive - June 2022Out now - Archive - June 2023Out now - Archive - March 2021Out now - Archive - March 2022Out now - Archive - March 2023Out now - Archive - March 2024Out now - Archive - May 2021Out now - Archive - May 2022Out now - Archive - May 2023Out now - Archive - November 2020Out now - Archive - November 2021Out now - Archive - November 2022Out now - Archive - November 2023Out now - Archive - October 2020Out now - Archive - October 2021Out now - Archive - October 2022Out now - Archive - October 2023Out now - Archive - September 2020Out now - Archive - September 2021Out now - Archive - September 2022Out now - Archive - September 2023PaintingPerformancePetsPhotographyPicnic RacesPlaguepoetryPoliticsPopulationPoultry and eggsPowerProfilePropertyQldRacingRailReligionResearchRetailRoadsRowingRugby LeagueRugby UnionRunningSASailingSaleSculptureSheepShowsSoccerSoilSportState politicsSteelSugarSupply chainSurfingSwimmingTalkiesTasTechnologyTennisTheatreTimberTourismTradeTransportTravelTriathlonUncategorisedVicVolunteeringWAWaterWeatherWebinarWildlifeWineWoolYouth