Land & environment

A record number of 25 exhibitors showcased the resources that are available to communities before, during and after an emergency at the North East Emergency Expo in Corryong on Saturday.

Over a hundred people gathered at the Narrandera Flora and Fauna Reserve recently to attend the annual Koala Count event ... "These magnificent creatures have since spread far and wide, and the community are determined to uncover the full extent of their reach. It is reported that 25 koalas were counted this year, with five of them accompanied by their adorable little joeys, bringing the total tally to 30."

Leeton Shire Mayor Tony Reneker said the Federal Government’s Bill to rewrite the 2012 Murray-Darling Basin Plan endangers the future of businesses and communities in the Murrumbidgee Valley ... Leeton Shire Council, along with Murray Darling Association Region 9 members and key commodity groups in the MIA (such as citrus and rice), urge Murray Darling Association (MDA) members to oppose expanded buybacks and removal of socio-economic protections.

Meet Lionel Marr, a proud Bunuba man, who always felt a calling to return from the city back to his childhood home of Fitzroy Crossing. He wanted to know more about his country, his people and his culture and became a trainee ranger with the Parks and Wildlife Service, earning a coxswain skippers ticket. Lionel’s efforts during the Kimberley floods of January 2023, despite losing his family home, and his commitment to his job, earned him special recognition.

A ground-breaking replanting program has seen more than 40-million seedlings planted in New South Wales pine forests since the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. Almost three years on from the state’s bushfire emergency and the recovery effort in Forestry Corporation’s softwood plantations continues.  

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has welcomed yesterday’s release of the new Queensland Water Strategy by the Queensland Government. The release of the strategy, which marked the commencement of National Water Week 2023, aims to outline how government will deliver a sustainable and more secure water system for Queensland.

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.

Wimmera farmers have provided a valuable insight into changes in farming practices, future priorities and key challenges in Australia’s longest running research project of its type.

Peer-reviewed research published in the Australian Forestry journal has confirmed something that forest firefighters have long known: if forests are left unburned for many years, they still carry heavy bushfire fuels, making firefighting difficult and dangerous. The new research demolishes the theory that if forests are left unburnt, they become non-flammable ... the scientists measured and analysed fuels in karri forests that ranged from 1 to 92 years since last being burned.

The Rural Bank Australian Farmland Values Report has tracked every farmland sale annually for almost three decades and is the longest running analysis of the farmland market in Australia. This special edition, supplemented by farmland sales data from DAS (Digital Agriculture Services), is a mid-year market update to inform vendors and purchasers about movements in transaction volumes and sale prices around Australia since the issue of the annual edition in May 2023.

Richmond Landcare, in collaboration with Border Ranges, Richmond Valley Landcare Network, and the Department of Planning and Environment, is proud to announce the release of a compelling video documenting the Environmental Impacts of the 2022 Flood Disaster on the Richmond River Catchment. The video aims to raise awareness and promote sustainable land management, by showcasing the devastating ecological consequences of the 2022 floods in the region.

Who would have thought that buying a ticket in a raffle would turn a woman’s life around? Eight years ago, Kerry Turpin bought that ticket from Kirra Hartland, a volunteer with Evans Head Marine Rescue. Kirra is “very persuasive”, Kerry said. And that’s how Kerry became a volunteer.

The smell of smoke from the Bean Creek fire sat heavy in the morning air at Mallanganee as the local RFS unit mourned the loss of one of its members. The NSW Rural Fire Service said the RFS “suffered a great loss with the tragic passing of senior deputy captain John Holmes”. John was battling the Bean Creek Fire, about 15km north of Bonalbo, when he had a heart attack...

Kidney-leaf mud plantain (Heteranthera reniformis) is an aquatic weed that was brought to Australia as a decorative pond plant. It has since washed into our freshwater waterways where it slows the movement of water, impedes the growth of native water plants, and reduces the food supply for aquatic life.

Timber harvesting was not a concern of Gippsland Indigenous groups, who overwhelmingly want to be involved in direct management of forests before, during and after bushfires, the RFA Major Event Review of the 2019-20 bushfires found ... “Traditional Owners seek to be managing fire directly, with their own crews and equipment. They see themselves as fire givers, not firefighters.”

Australian sugar, barley and feed grain prices were stronger in September, in contrast to cattle prices which have reached their lowest levels since late 2014, according to NAB’s October Rural Commodities Wrap ... the Wrap reports the NAB Rural Commodities Index* fell 4.6% in September and is now 34% below the peak in rural prices back in June 2022.

Seen our new celebrity bird of the year the Swift Parrot flapping around? Now it’s time to celebrate our feathered friends by participating in the Aussie Bird Count ... This year celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Aussie Bird Count, BirdLife Australia is proud to be the voice for Australia's birds for over a century.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) met on 11 October in person on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) ... Having returned from a 4-day listening tour of the lower Murray across South Australia and Victoria, Sir Angus shared reflections from farmers, local governments, First Nations, and communities impacted by the 2022 and 2023 floods who now face the prospect of hot and drying conditions.

Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt and Victorian Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence announced the Drought Resilience Plans for the Gippsland, Goulburn and Wimmera Southern Mallee regions have been finalised. These are the first of nine regional communities across the state to develop community-led Regional Drought Resilience Plans through the Future Drought Fund’s Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program, jointly funded by the Albanese and Allan Governments.

Not to be missed this Sunday (15 October) is the Maldon & Baringhup Agricultural Show, which runs from 9am to 4pm (with free entertainment for the children starting at 10am) at the Maldon racecourse ... The [Tarrangower] Times caught up with Kristina Forbes last weekend, who was in the process of finalising arrangements for entries into six (that’s right, six!) categories of the floral art section of the Show.

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.

Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) is stronger than ever ahead of the upcoming bushfire season with a significant boost to its workforce and rapid response capability. Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos announced the Allan Labor Government has bolstered crew numbers to combat bushfires – investing $21.7 million to create 100 ongoing and 54 fixed term Forest Fire Operations Officer positions, adding to the 550 seasonal firefighters recruited to work with FFMVic this season.