Land & environment

150 new species have been named in the past year by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and its partners. They include tributes to RuPaul and Pokemon to help Australians understand, protect and benefit from our nation’s biodiversity.

“For over a century, CSIRO has been working with farmers and governments to improve life on this great land – but today we’re bringing all of our newest science and technology, from Artificial Intelligence to genetics and smart materials, to bear on overcoming our oldest national challenge – drought,” CSIRO chief executive Dr Larry Marshall said.

Kendall Jennings. Koondrook Barham was graced with a visit by the paddlesteamer Emmylou on Tuesday afternoon, September 14. Built in Barham in the 1980s and named after American country singer Emmylou Harris, the vessel is a small motel catering for 16 passengers and a small crew of three or four. This was the first visit from PS Emmylou in 38 years and was shadowed by the Pride of the Murray on its Echuca return leg. The Pride of the Murray is returning from Swan Hill, where it was in the dry dock for maintenance.

Mice have been a reoccurring theme for Darcy Hare in this year’s canola crop. “This will be our fifth treatment, four from the ground and a fifth from the air,” said Mr Hare. The Hare family have 290 hectares of canola planted and the mice have damaged 60% of their crops reducing yield by an estimated 15-25%.

Through grant funding provided via the Commonwealth Government's Drought Communities Programme (DCP) Extension new water standpipes have been installed in Eden Valley, Moculta and Mount Pleasant. The standpipes will support those within the council area who do not have access to reticulated water supplies and may have limited access via other sources due to ongoing drought conditions.

I took barely two steps from my car and a magpie slammed into the side of my face. I clutched my camera as I ran across the road. “I didn’t expect that,” I said breathless to the waiting residents. Happens all the time, they said. The group of six stood with umbrellas opened above their heads. It was a bright sunny day. The umbrellas were essential to deter the magpie if any of them stepped out of their units ... Marlene has lived on Pratt St for 11 years and the past five had been dominated by the magpie.

Geoff Helisma. After many years of secret negotiations between Clarence Valley Council and Essential Energy, Coffs Harbour City Council and CVC will each hold a 50 per cent share of “the disused Nymboida Hydro Power Scheme and associated water licences” once the deal is settled ... However, it seems that recommissioning the hydro infrastructure to generate electricity is unlikely to proceed.

Emma Pritchard. Grafton Fire Station is among 30 across the state outlined in a proposal by Fire and Rescue NSW to be temporarily taken offline in the event of staff shortages ... If implemented, Grafton Fire and Rescue 306 Station Deputy Captain Chris Rumpf said the proposal could jeopardise the safety of residents who rely on the service.

Precautionary fishing restrictions in waters immediately adjacent to Port Pirie have been extended for a further 12 months ... Put in place in September 2020 after the release of a scientific study into heavy metals in sediment in the area, the restrictions have been extended for another year while SA Health complete an in-depth analysis of sample results and consider the public health implications.

I’m all for saving forests. Unlike the climate change enthusiasts, I learnt how to do it by working as a forester. Forty years ago, after I’d started working in the bush, Neville Wran commenced what has become a tradition amongst Labor Premiers by saving NSW’s rainforests. They were actually quite safe then. Some were selectively logged and regenerated, some were preserved in Flora Reserves. All were protected from wildfire by the clean, open, grassy eucalypt forests around them – maintained by mild burning ... Now Mark McGowan has saved the forests  of the Southwest ...

With bumper crops on the horizon for much of the state, Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall has today urged landholders to be on the lookout for locust activity this spring and report any sightings immediately.

One of the Sunshine Coast’s most picturesque locations is in the spotlight with Sunshine Coast Council embarking on a study to understand how much we love the area and how we use it.

Three major new missions from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, will grow Australia’s agriculture and food sectors targeting $20 billion by 2030. The $150 million investment from CSIRO, government and industry will tackle drought, the food export market and growing the protein market.

New artwork and informative signage has been revealed at Robert Dixon Park at Kingscliff to draw attention to the rare Glossy black-cockatoo. The Glossy black-cockatoo, also affectionately known as Glossies, is listed as vulnerable in NSW. The Tweed is lucky enough to be home to both the Glossy black-cockatoo and the Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo however, there isn’t enough reliable data to confirm Glossy black-cockatoo numbers.

A flood is coming. The forecast flow downstream of Yarrawonga is estimated to reach 50–60,000 megalitres per day (split between Tuppal and Bullatale Creeks and the Murray River) and the Goulburn has had minor flooding, with flows of 21,000 megalitres a day ... Our food producers now face what is an allocation drought during a flood event.

Blaming bushfires on forestry is just another attempt from those ideologically opposed to forestry to shut down an industry they fundamentally disagree with. There is a constant pattern of behaviour from the those who disagree with the forestry industry of using misinformation and cherry picking from report and science to support their claim. As we currently stand there is no unequivocal or generally accepted evidence that forestry operations increase fire risk.

“The IFA/AFG is concerned that professional forest scientists, researchers and managers do not appear to have been consulted to inform this decision, and also questions whether the views and aspirations of Traditional Owners have been considered,” IFA/ AFG VP Dr Freeman said. “This thought-bubble policy is out of step with the rest of the world, which views well-regulated, sustainable native forest management and biodiverse plantings as the preferred source of timber, because of their positive contribution to climate change mitigation, biodiversity and forest resilience."