Land & environment

Following the release of the State of the Environment report, the peak national organisation representing over 1,000 forest scientists and professionals in Australia has joined in supporting Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek’s calls for more reform in the area of environmental law ... “The current approaches to management of Australia’s forests are not working – we believe we need to reform our philosophy of land management, our approach to conservation and how we manage our forests,” Forestry Australia President Bob Gordon.

Outgoing NSW Farmers President James Jackson says there is a great future ahead for Australian agriculture if governments and the public support the vital sector ... “Australia as a nation lags behind on backing farmers, with a government paper on food security this week revealing we have one of the lowest levels of agricultural support across the 37 OECD member countries – and when compared to major emerging economies."

Expected but also dreaded, the Varroa mite that has decimated hives overseas has been detected in Australia ... If it turns out that the mite is here to stay and we have to live in a ‘new normal’, as our counterparts overseas have had to do, it will be a sad time for beekeeping in Australia ... Lindsay Callaway, of Warral Maldon ... is receiving daily updates on the situation from those on the front line.

The sixth annual Gomaren & Doctors Creek Catchment Landcare Group ‘Focus on Farms’ photography competition is underway with a wide range of categories for people of all ages. A key component of the competition is that all photos must be taken in the Darling Downs, defined as the Toowoomba, Southern Downs, Western Downs and Goondiwindi regions.

Patricia Gill. The Denmark Environment Centre is lobbying to block the building of a network of nine mountain bike trails in 68ha of Mt Hallowell’s lower south eastern slopes ... Speaking on behalf of DEC, Murdoch University sustainability lecturer Nicole Hodgson says the high physical impact of building mountain bike trails is not compatible with sustaining the conservation and cultural values of a precious Class A Reserve.

It’s been seven weeks since the election in which Labor promised it would deliver the basin plan in full. Last week, a private jet jaunt around selected parts of the basin saw Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek doubling down on the promise ... Once again, the plan rolls on with decisions made on high and an attitude of propaganda rather than collaboration and information sharing. I suppose when one body implements, oversees, reviews and funds the science, it would be hard to get any outcome other than the one they seek.

Kendall Jennings. Barham-built PS Emmylou has been awarded the Tripadvisor ‘2022 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award’ ... “Our PS Emmylou overnight cruises have been very popular with domestic visitors over the past 12 months, with many visitors having never considered an Australian river cruise before": Director of Murray River Paddlesteamers, Craig Burgess.

Farmers are finding caravans, gas cylinders, washing machines and even a swimming pool washed into their fields since the floods. Fire and Rescue NSW crews are using drones to help spot and clear this leftover flood debris in cane fields.

Rodney Stevens. It was standing room only at Yamba's Wooli Street hall on Saturday as Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann joined concerned residents at a public meeting convened by Valley Watch to illustrate concerning developments on the floodplain. Attendees learned of Valley Watch's activities, raising awareness of development on the West Yamba floodplain since it first became an issue under the former Maclean Shire Council in 1995.

Key members of the rural sector joined the NSW Government at Sydney International Airport to send a message to travellers to do their bit to keep the highly contagious Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) out of Australia.

The Nationals Leader, Shadow Agriculture Minister and Member for Maranoa, the Hon David Littleproud MP has claimed the Federal Labor Government’s response last Thursday to foot and mouth disease (FMD) is inadequate and leaves Australia vulnerable. Following a briefing from the Department of Agriculture, Mr Littleproud said Labor’s new protocols to respond to the threat of FMD failed to go far enough to protect against a disease that could cost the nation almost as much as JobKeeper.

Following the recent article in the Allora Advertiser about the state of Kital Road Bridge, the Southern Downs Regional Council was questioned on when repair work would be undertaken. A reply has been received from a Council spokesperson.

Emma Pritchard. Aussie Hay Runners have partnered with Feed for Friends and the Rotary Club of Melton to transport 1000 bales of hay and several pallets of hard feed from rural Victoria to the Clarence Valley in support of local producers and small hobby farmers who have been adversely affected by the unprecedented flooding which devastated communities throughout Northern NSW earlier this year. A convoy of 31 trucks arrived in Grafton over the weekend.

A new project is underway to assist Western Australian sheep enterprises to adapt to a changing climate and build more resilient and sustainable businesses ... The three year project will assess the impact of projected climate scenarios for 2030 and 2050 on the productivity of key WA sheep producing regions, including Bruce Rock, Kojonup and Wagin.

Making more out of the recent wet conditions and strengthening the resilience of the Murray–Darling Basin's ecosystems is the focus of this year's Annual Basin Environmental Watering Priorities ... MDBA's General Manager of Applied Science, Dr Matt Coleman said with more water in rivers and storages now was the time to capitalise on the fantastic fish and bird breeding events that have occurred and set our plants and animals up for even greater success.

Part 2 of a three part series of reports from the conference by Philip Hopkins ... “It’s time for the fire management sector to band together and argue the case for a massive increase in the budget across fire research. Up to 97 per cent of spending is on response and rebuilding during and after events, and only three per cent on preparation and mitigation. That mismatch needs to be turned around but not at the expense of insufficient current operational budgets”: Climate Councillor, Greg Mullins.

Casey Dunn. Australian agritech startup, Bee Innovative is revolutionising the centuries-old practice of commercial pollination. Its groundbreaking technology gives growers a real-time insight into how well bees are pollinating a crop, enabling interventions that boost yield, quality and profitability ... And the recent detection of Varroa ... further demonstrates the importance of cutting-edge technology in the early detection, tracking, and eradication of incursions ... BeeID utilises advanced facial recognition technology ...

A team of researchers have come across a female cassowary in a remote section of northern Cape York, making it only the second confirmed sighting of its species in the area in four years. The encounter happened on the first day of a six-day survey that was being conducted by Ipima Ikaya Country Traditional Owners and consultant Wren McLean, facilitated by Cape York NRM.

Central Highlands Regional Council are continuing to zoom in on flood management in the Gemfields with the installation of a new flood and camera gauge – Graves Hill ALERT. Located upstream of Graves Hill, the new automated river gauge includes an infrared camera which  enables visibility of flood waters day and night.  

Pilot trials to enhance bushfire resilience in regional communities through bushfire prediction, bushfire detection, aerial operations and uncrewed firefighting solutions were launched on the Sunshine Coast. The technology innovation has been championed under a new bushfire resilience partnership between Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Noosa Shire Council and FireTech Connect.