Wildlife

NSW Farmers CEO Pete Arkle has criticised environmental politics holding up rebuilding efforts across the state, saying we need less talk, more action ... Mr Arkle said the independent Natural Resources Commission described the new Private Native Forestry Codes as a significant improvement over the previous codes, with a number of additional environmental protections relating to koalas, unmapped streams and harvesting intensity limits.

Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis has welcomed the certainty the Bill provides to the timber industry and the significant koala protections included. “Farm forestry is a vital component of the NSW timber industry, generating about $482 million and employing 835 people on the North Coast alone,” Mr Gulaptis said.

Key scientists, conservationists, wetland managers, birdwatchers and farmers from across Australia with a passion for the iconic Australasian Bittern will meet early next year for an Australasian Bittern Summit ... the Bringing Back the Bunyip Bird: Australasian Bittern Summit is the first time such a conference has been held where delegates can see and hear all things Bittern.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Victoria has found state-owned logger VicForests has logged illegally, and ruled for the first time that VicForests must protect threatened Gliders. Environment East Gippsland and Kinglake Friends of the Forest brought the case in 2021, to protect endangered Gliders in East Gippsland and the Central Highlands ... The groups are calling for the state Labor Government to end logging now, not in 8 years’ time.

The NSW national park estate is expanding with an additional 1,300 hectares of land added to permanently protect important habitat for threatened and endangered species. Minister for Environment James Griffin said the NSW Government’s commitment to conservation and biodiversity has seen more than 602,500 hectares secured for reservation since 2019.

A total of 19 species of flora and fauna have been recommended for interim protection relating to forestry operations, according to the Threatened Species and Communities Risk Assessment report. The next step will be to prepare action statements for each species based on the management needed to conserve them all.

This Funnel-web was found in a Goomburra Valley garden - so a word to the wise - watch out while pulling weeds ... The jury is still out - is it a Monteith funnel-web, found near Killarney or a Toowoomba Funnel-web, the most common species in South-east Queensland?

More than 8,200 hectares of former sheep station in Queensland’s south west will become a protected area, the Palaszczuk Government has announced. Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said in an agreement struck between the Palaszczuk Government and Paniri Ventures, the addition of Ardgour Station Nature Refuge, 120km south of Charleville would protect important wetlands and ecosystems that form part of the Wyandra-Cunnamulla Claypans Aggregation.

RVOTDS. Game Management Authority (GMA) (Vic) arranged a first-ever count of Stubble Quails in Victoria early this year, and the resultant report it assisted in drafting, has recently been published. The report’s authors have admitted only 101 birds were counted, yet the figure was extrapolated via complex methodologies up to an extraordinary estimate of 3.1 million.

Murdoch University sustainability lecturer Nicole Hodgson describes the central core of Mt Hallowell reserve as precious unlogged, long unburnt forest. This was mostly karri, jarrah, marri, sheoak, and more than 100 other plant species. Home to many animals and more than 70 bird species, some in the reserve were critically endangered like the Carnaby’s and Baudain’s cockatoos.

A local lizard lover has been keeping a watchful eye on a lounge of Cunningham Skinks in Muir Street at Allora. These lizards will remain safe from any harm as they disappear in a flash if danger comes close. So look but don’t try to touch!

Koala numbers at Yanchep National Park have fallen with only half the population there now compared with three years ago. Prior to the 2019 Yanchep bushfire there were eight koalas in the colony located in the national park’s enclosure. But a Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) spokeswoman said there were now four koalas left in the colony.

“Construction on 24 kilometres of specially-designed predator-free fencing will begin in December. Once complete, we’ll start working to eradicate every feral predator from within it, before releasing locally extinct and threatened species that were once abundant back into Nungatta": Minister for Environment James Griffin.

The GMA is conducting the annual helicopter survey across Victoria to monitor the abundance of game duck populations, to help improve our knowledge of waterfowl ecology. The aerial survey will be conducted by experienced wildlife biologists recording the presence, species and number of game ducks on waterbodies across Victoria.

Managing wild dogs is not easy work with community engagement simply not about the deployment of tools into the landscape by the people whose assets are threatened by incursions. According to Western Australian landholder Debbie Dowden, it requires human action, which means working within the complex dynamics of human nature.

This amazing photo was taken by Corie Ross of Long Neck Farm in Goomburra. “Two red bellied black snakes fighting for mating rights. A pretty rare sight but we got to enjoy it for nearly 20 minutes.” Corie said.

Nillumbik Friends of the Great Forest have followed with interest the developments in the native forest logging industry, in particular the decision by the Andrews government in 2019 to halt native forest logging in 2030. Victoria is well placed to transition to a 100 % plantation industry as we already have considerable areas of plantation ... The industry has every right to be upset with the government for withholding the funding for a fair and just transition ... ARR.News asks NFGF a few questions.

South Australian pastoralists inside the Dog Fence will continue to benefit from the services of wild dog trappers, with funding for the trapper program guaranteed for the next four years ... The wild dog trapping program is open to landowners or managers inside the Dog Fence who have baited and still experience impacts from wild dog attacks.

World Cassowary Day has arrived at a significant moment for the Ipima Ikaya Traditional Owner clans with the news that at least 10 Wadthuuny (cassowaries) have been discovered living on their Country in the remote section of the Cape York Northern Area Peninsula. The findings are part of the first formal Wadthuuny survey to be conducted on Gudang Yadhaykenu Country in the Ussher Point section of the newly renamed Apudthama National Park.

NSW Minister for Environment James Griffin said the landmark program is restoring koala habitat on private land, increasing biodiversity and providing an additional revenue stream for landholders through carbon farming ... ARR.News has asked a question of the Minister.

Back in May, NSW’s Natural Resources Commission and Department of Primary Industries, as well as three universities, quietly published a report about forest monitoring. It states that north coast koala populations have been stable for the last five years, despite 30 per cent of koala habitat being burnt by the disastrous Black Summer megafires ... NSW bureaucrats obviously know that the koala population wasn’t adversely affected by Black Summer. So, one wonders why they’re not shouting the good news from the rooftops.