Research

John O'Donnell provides a number of points in response to CSIRO findings on fuel loads, prescribed burning, climate change and forest fire activity in Australia over the last three decades.

The 2021 Population Statement looks at population change over the past year and includes projections of the population over the next decade. It describes and analyses the role of the different drivers of population change – overseas migration, natural increase and internal migration. The analysis spans states and territories, capital cities and rest of state areas, age and gender.

Scientists are checking birds’ regurgitated ‘pellets’ for bee wings in the latest efforts to protect Australian bee populations from threats. The work – which takes place in the Northern Territory, Brisbane and Townsville – involves teams locating Rainbow Bee-eaters, who typically roost in large numbers at the same sites each night, between March and November each year.

The National Farmers Federation is celebrating the environmental credentials of Queensland beef producers ... The 2019 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report shows growth of forest area of about 160,000 hectares since 2008. Australia’s latest State of the Forests Report also confirms steady forest growth during the previous five-year period.

Planned burning is one of the most utilised fuel management activities, but the safe and effective application of this method is likely to be hindered by climate change (e.g. shrinking and shifting windows of opportunity) and potential adverse societal outcomes (e.g. smoke impact, risk of fire escape). For this reason, fire managers need access to detailed information to help them make informed decisions and select a fuel management strategy that is compatible with a range of factors.

Australian farmland returns continued to outperform, coming in at 12.72% in the 12 months to the end of September, boosted by very strong annual crop farmland numbers. According to the latest quarterly Australian Farmland Index compiled by the Asian Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles, income contributed 6.06% and appreciation return 6.38% to the result.

Bushfire risk is likely to increase in the future due to the combined impacts of climate change and urban sprawl. This report presents the results of an analysis combining the outputs from stakeholder consultation with those from the Unified Natural Hazard Risk Mitigation Exploratory Decision Support System (UNHaRMED) to quantify increases in bushfire risk due to different population growth and climate change scenarios in four areas of emerging bushfire risk in Western Australia.

Community Landcare representative organisation, National Landcare Network, is pleased to announce it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading agricultural research, education and advocacy organisation, the Mulloon Institute. The MoU will deliver ‘Catchment Scale Restoration and Rehydration Pilots’ across the country.

Australian farmers are predicting the “magic combination” of high commodity prices, low interest rates and good seasonal conditions will continue in the year ahead – sustaining a continued high level of confidence across the sector.

Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and the NSW Rural Fire Service have released Australia’s most advanced model for predicting the speed and behaviour of eucalypt forest fires, helping to save lives and property during bushfires.

Allowing people to “safely” experience a raging bushfire from a 3D headset has exposed some harsh truths about Australians living in high-risk fire zones: most are woefully unprepared. By replicating a computer-generated bushfire using virtual reality, University of South Australia researchers studied the responses of 400 people in an Australian-first experiment, with some interesting results.

Gabrielle Duykers. A team of researchers descended upon the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange last week, as part of a national investigation into the social value of saleyards to rural communities. The research project was commissioned by the Australian Livestock Markets Association (ALMA) after noticing the need for such a study, with almost all existing research into livestock exchange facilities focusing solely on their economic value.

Founder of agritech forecasting software, myFARMSMART, Lucy Anderton is empowering farmers to take a calculated approach to business and ‘have more fun’. By using integrated science-based algorithms with individual farm data, this predictive tool is helping WA farmers better manage change and increase profitability – and is now seeking investment to scale operations.

“Plants and livestock will be more resilient to the challenges of drought, frost and salinity, as well as more resistant to pests and disease thanks to the research coming out of our new Advanced Gene Technology Centre”: NSW Minister for Agriculture, Adam Marshall.

Hard work and a willingness to adopt new technology and practices are behind the positive results in an ABARES survey of sugarcane farms according to peak grower group CANEGROWERS.

The ABARES Financial performance of sugarcane farms 2020–21 to 2021–22 survey finds Australian sugarcane farm cash income was 91 per cent higher compared to 2013-14, reaching an average around $190,800 in 2020-21. ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville said the the improved financial performance of sugarcane farms since the previous survey in 2013-14 is due to adjustment in the industry, increased sugarcane production per farm and higher average yields.

Dr Canadell said in response to my comment: “Our study doesn’t discuss forest management.” This statement is Not True ... Dr Canadell and his colleagues failed to consider critical evidence which demolishes the CSIRO argument.

New technology developed by the University of South Australia may put an end to predatory cat behaviours in native environments and help control Australia’s feral felines. sing polymer chemistry principles, researchers at UniSA’s Applied Chemistry and Translational Biomaterials Group have created novel Population Protecting Implants (PPIs) to provide a targeted method for controlling invasive and problem feral cats.

Since  the Black Summer bushfires,  there has been fierce debate over the role hazard reduction burns  played in the severity of the fires, but Dr Canadell says  prescribed burning has not actually changed ... Dr. Canadell was absolutely correct in saying we’re burning a really small amount. I wonder why, then, he finds it difficult to imagine that fuel loads are driving megafires ...

New research by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, shows climate change has driven a significant increase in Australia’s forest fire activity over the last three decades. A lengthening of the fire season towards Autumn and Winter were also identified, along with an increase in fire activity in cooler and warmer regions including alpine forests in Tasmania and tropical rainforests in Queensland.