Common-sense prevails in Federal Court decision on Regional Forest Agreements: Forestry Australia
Forestry Australia President Dr Michelle Freeman has today welcomed the Federal Court’s decision to uphold a Regional Forest Agreement in New South Wales ... “Forest managers, growers, scientists and workers will breathe a sigh of relief that the challenge by the North East Forest Alliance to the Regional Forest Agreement covering North Coast NSW native timber harvesting operations has been dismissed."
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.
More disaster assistance rolls out for SEQ: Miles, Boyd
The Albanese and Miles Governments are delivering further disaster assistance to help South East Queensland recover from recent severe storms ... announcement will support local clean-up efforts, invest in specialised recovery staff and provide grants to primary producers, small business owners and non-profit organisations...
Triple measure to cut shark attacks
Michelle Daw. A shark behaviour specialist believes a three-pronged approach is needed to reduce the likelihood and impact of shark attacks. Professor Charlie Huveneers is a marine ecologist at Flinders University and a keen surfer.
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.
End of an era for timber harvesting
Gippsland's hardwood industry is now largely gone, with harvesting of timber from native forests on Crown land no longer permitted. Gippsland's native forest is part of the vast swathe of forest that stretches along the Great Dividing Range from the Dandenongs to behind Brisbane. It’s integral to Australia having the seventh biggest forest estate in the world ...
Helicopter winch operations
Suzie Christensen. The first summer helicopter winch operation has concluded, with the Helitreck helicopter departing the Island Sunday, 10 December ... LHIB staff and external contractors successfully completed over 2,000 person hours of priority Weed Eradication Program...
Orchid for December
Ian Hutton. This month’s orchid is aptly named the Christmas orchid because its flowers are often out around Christmas ... Calanthe australasica is a tall evergreen herbaceous plant, with a rosette of four to nine dark green leaves...
Lord Howe Island Tourism Association News
Pia Funch & Trina Shepherd. It has been a busy year for Lord Howe Tourism! Lord Howe Island received a lot of media coverage through our familiarisation program in 2023.
On the lookout for fires
On days of high fire danger, you’ll find Rob Howe in the cabin on top of the Mount Tarrengower tower, on the lookout for fires. This is his first year as the designated tower operator on top of Mount Tarrengower.
“No long-term plan”
How do we fix Naracoorte’s drainage problems? This is the question we asked former mayor David Hood, as the recent rain event put the township’s drainage systems under immense pressure. Mr Hood claims the “drainage problems” had been expanded through the years by the Corporation of Naracoorte...
Hour of horror
It was an hour of horror. That’s how many have described the severe storm that hit the western edge of Millicent ... In an hour’s time, the storm had uprooted trees, tore down power lines, blown roofs off, and caused widespread devastation...
Forests, fires and burns – still no consensus
Is this really how harvested forests are left? Australian Rural & Regional News looks into recent statements that highlight continuing conflicting and confusing information in the public domain about connections between forestry operations and bushfires and whether prescribed burns reduce bushfire risk.
Carbon farming a growth industry
Denmark cattle farmers Michael and Laura Sinclair will make their operations more sustainable and profi table through carbon farming. They are among 43 landowners, including three Aboriginal enterprise properties, seeking Carbon for Farmers Vouchers of up to $15,000 so they can gain advice and develop carbon-farming plans.
Florence gets on the move
A tunnel boring machine (TBM) working on the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project is operational again, 12 months after getting stuck in soft ground creating a large sinkhole above it.
The jury’s in: Fresh lakes a death sentence for Murray-Darling Basin
Goolwa South Australian resident, Ken Jury, sees a better way forward for the basin and believes that governments are risking the viability of the whole basin. Ken, an investigative journalist with a passion for marine and aquatic ecology ... is an expert on the South Australian Lower Lakes and Coorong ...
Community advocates tour with Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
Currently, 4,622 gigalitres of entitlements is held by government as environmental water, and Australia’s largest irrigator, Dr Simon Banks, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, was joined by Central Murray Environmental Floodplain Group, community representatives and Paul Madden OAM of Arbuthnot Sawmills for a tour of local farms and forests. John Toll farms at Gunbower ...
The government wants your soil
The thing that should be worrying farmers is not just the fact that the government has claimed the credit (and credits) for itself of not allowing landholders to clear land to help make the 2030 target, but they are now banking on farmers burying the emissions of the rest of the nation in their soil to help reach the unachievable 2050 target ... don’t sign up to any soil carbon contract until you are sure you won’t need those credits yourself when the inevitable carbon taxes arrive.
Managing floodwater associated food safety risks in melon production and postharvest handling
Sukhvinder Pal (SP) Singh. Floodwater is known to be a carrier of biological, chemical and physical hazards affecting food safety during production and processing of fresh horticultural produce. Runoff from livestock, industrial, residential and sewage treatment areas into waterways and their overflow can contaminate water sources, production fields and postharvest processing facilities.
Rare visitors to Nhill
Clive Crouch. Over the past few days, a group of Little Red Flying Foxes have been roosting in trees near Nhill Lake. Little Red Flying Foxes are widespread throughout eastern and northern Australia, and they sometimes venture further inland but rarely come this far west.
Fear for flooding – West Terrace residents call for stormwater maintenance
Will Hunter. Residents on West Terrace, Kadina, are pleading with Copper Coast Council for improvements to surrounding stormwater facilities before further rain. Two recent events, including almost 98 millimetres of rain in Kadina over four days at the start of December, have put residents on flood watch.
Royal Commission’s 15 recommendations for better preparation for disasters are complete
In response to the extreme bushfire season of 2019-2020, the Royal Commission made 15 recommendations. The recommendations were released in October 2020. The 15 recommendations fell under Federal Government responsibility. They have all been implemented and completed.
