Land & environment

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) welcomes the Net Zero Australia study report, which recognises the need for a fair transition to a carbon neutral future – and not at the expense of agriculture ... The report outlines exclusion areas to reduce the likelihood of solar and wind developments on productive farmland, while water reliant industries like hydrogen will use desalinised water rather than tapping into Australia’s limited fresh water supplies.

The rail transport initiative will see Forestry Corporation of NSW deliver around 270,000 tonnes of sawlog timber to Tumut and Tumbarumba processors over the next three years. This timber was initially set for export, however the impact of the Black Summer bushfires and local timber shortage have meant Australian timber mills have been given priority.

The Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-Operative faces losing one third of its annual income due to the ban on commercial fishing in the Clarence River following the detection of the white spot virus at Palmers Island prawn farms ... On Monday April 17, Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan and State Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson called on the Federal and State Labor Governments to provide immediate financial assistance to the Clarence commercial fishing and aquaculture industry.

For months protesters have been fighting for logging to be halted in  Doubleduke  State Forest in Bungawalbin. NSW Environmental Authority announced the decision to stop logging on April 16 ... “The inspection identified that Forestry Corporation of NSW had not mapped two giant trees in accordance with the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval and Protocols,” EPA regulatory operations director Steve Orr said.

Rockhampton Regional Council has adopted an Urban Greening Policy which will work towards increasing tree canopy and vegetation across the region. Parks, Sport and Public Spaces Councillor Cherie Rutherford said the policy plays an essential part in shaping the liveability of our community by improving urban greening.

The biennial Northern Australia Food Futures Conference, organised by NT Farmers Association, is now in its 5th  year. The conference was established to promote the development of agriculture across northern Australia and to raise the profile of northern region at a national level.  

An innovative solution to waste management that will see household rubbish and biomass turned into useful products instead of ending up in landfill is set to be demonstrated in Western Australia ... The plant, which was built using a patented design and uses technology developed in WA by Renergi, is the first of its kind and positions Collie as a pioneer in the negative-emission bio-based circular economy.

Katter’s Australian Party leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter is calling on the state government to lodge an enquiry into their aggressive reach to obtain more land for under resourced national parks. This comes following a blaze that became out of control on White Mountains National Park in recent days, destroying valuable pastures on adjoining stations ... “These national parks are quite literally out of control."

Gavin Butcher. When the WA Premier announced it was changing direction in the management of native forests to one guided by improving forest health and climate resilience he was on a potential winner ... Here was a unique opportunity to end the forest wars and set up a sustainable future for all. Alas the government has fluffed it.

Helping spot fires is the job of dreams for Parks and Wildlife Service Senior Spotter Pilot Bronwen Prinsloo. This Manjimup-based pilot loves taking to the skies to spot and report on fires, monitor prescribed burns and do her bit to help keep our communities safe.

Water allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin are likely to remain low for a fourth consecutive year, according to the latest ABARES Water Market Outlook ... ABARES considers the average scenario to be the most likely, with prices expected to increase to $80 per ML across the southern basin in 2023–24, up from $29 per ML in 2022 23.

Pastoralists and land managers can have complete confidence the information they record about wild dog activity, control and livestock attacks entered on FeralScan ® (including WildDogScan ®) is kept confidential and managed securely.

A leather mask made in a studio in Kyogle has won a second place ribbon at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Artist Mario Sanchez Huertas placed second in two categories – art picture category and creative design and won two ribbons.

Robbie Kerwin says, 'I started doing art when I was a kid ... I learnt a lot from Nana Jessie Kerwin and Aunty Elsie Jones' ... Vicki Dutton says, 'When I was a kid I loved going down to the river with my family, going fishing and hunting. I'd sit down with pencil and paper and draw from the Darling River, everything I'd see.'

Allora Landcare Group (ALG) is delighted to announce the 2nd edition of their book "A Pictorial Guide to the Birds of Allora Mountain Flora and Fauna Reserve" is now available. Since the success of the first edition in 2020 more species of bird have been identified on the Mountain with now well over 100 which suggests the Mountain's ecosystems are richer and more diverse than originally thought.

Visitors to Yamba this Easter may be greeted with the same inquisitive looks that have been exciting locals over the past couple of months from a Coastal Emu that has taken up residence in paddocks near Wynyabbie House at Palmers Channel. Social media has been abuzz with sightings and photos of the critically endangered, world’s second tallest bird, which is only found on the NSW North Coast.

At the heart of "Our Dangerous Friend" is author David Jefford Ward’s belief that traditional Noongar knowledge should be a respected source of bushfire philosophy, ecology and management in south west Australia. In fact Ward, who started as a workman in the then Forests Department, places more value on Noongar bushfire knowledge than some refereed scientific papers.

Richmond Landcare has set an inspiring precedent for reconciliation by being the first Landcare group in NSW to have its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. The Reflect RAP outlines the group’s dedication to increasing cultural awareness and knowledge, promoting engagement strategies, and building collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Farmers are on the lookout for increased mouse activity with reports of increasing damage to crops and fodder across the state. Two years after a mouse plague saw vehicles, buildings and towns infested while crops were destroyed, NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin is urging growers to be extra-vigilant about mouse activity.