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We gather and publish a wide range of links to nature related news from 400 sources, including government, councils, environmental groups, companies and media outlets. We cover many nature related topics including; conservation, rejuvenation, wildlife, agriculture and food, energy and mining, climate change, business, politics, transport, weather, technology, science, health, education, art and more. You can 'Follow by Email' to receive a daily update in your inbox, or 'Like' us on Facebook. If you have an idea for a story please let us know. johnrm26466@hotmail.com
MONDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 The Coalition has defended its plan to slow spending on the Murray-Darling Basin water buyback scheme, spreading the funds over six years instead of four.

A South Australian man has been convicted and fined $2,000 for riding his jet ski too close to a protected species of whale.

The 'River Murray and associated wetlands, floodplains and groundwater systems, from the junction with the Darling River to the sea' has been listed as acritically endangered ecological community.

Giant cuttlefish numbers rapidly declining.

An action plan to develop and expand South Australia’s food and wine industry, locally, interstate and in key markets overseas has been released.

Nearly 700 hectares of wetlands at Banrock Station are being artificially flooded. It is the first time in five years the area near Kingston-on-Murray has seen flooding.

Researchers will try to teach native animals to fear feral predators in the outback.

National action plan launched against wild dogs

Over 200 school children and community members of the Lower-Mid North District are expected to attend the annual Yacka Moorundie Landcare Education Day. 

A plant giveaway for Adelaide Hills’ residents and landowners is part of a push to bring back habitat for the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo.

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MONDAY 29TH JULY 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 MOUNT Gambier wildlife rescuer Jill Rowley says the issue of koalas being killed or injured in plantations has reached flashpoint and has called for independent regulation on the issue.
www.borderwatch.com.au

The continual decline in penguin numbers along South Australia's coast has prompted one operator to stop tours. He says the numbers have dropped so dramatically at Kangaroo Island over recent years that he's been left with no choice, and the problem isn't just confined to the Island.

Despite political uncertainty, the latest research indicates that Australia has managed to reduce greenhouse emissions levels to zero growth over the past decade.

Conservation Council of South Australia Chief Executive Tim Kelly is calling whichever party wins government in the federal election to do more to start replacing Port Augusta's coal-fired power stations with a large-scale Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) power plant with energy storage.

The last farmer on the Murray before the river meets the sea believes it is time for all states to get on board with the Intergovernmental Agreement which will fund the Basin Plan.

The scheduled 2014 revision of the Far North Prescribed Wells Area water allocation plan will benefit from new scientific research that shines a light on the Great Artesian Basin’s vast water resource and the ancient mound springs located along the western margin in South Australia.

A water monitoring system operated by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board has been recognised with a High Commendation in the 2013 Smart Water Awards.

The Conservation Council South Australia welcomes The Greens' Connecting Clean Energy plan, and believes that their ideas can add value to the state's Renewable Energy Plan.

Commercial fisheries voluntary catch/effort reduction program begins

Branched broomrape quarantine restrictions in the Mallee have been lifted and a new best practice guide for controlling the parasitic weed has been released.

A volunteer ‘Plant-a-Feast' day at Anstey Hill Recreation Park (in May) hopes to give new-born Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo chicks an easier start in life.

Thursday, 1st August at 6 pm Citizen Science: Bringing Science into your back yard featuring Professor Chris Daniels Director, Barbara Hardy Institute and Presiding Member, Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges NRM Board 

The Natural History Society of South Australia has a great new website.

Native Seedlings now available for sale from 50c each


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TUESDAY 2nd JULY 2013


SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 South Australia has become the second state to sign up to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Intergovernmental Agreement.

Parts of South Australia's Upper North has received record rainfall for the month of June.

PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is extending the Port River Mud Cockle fishing closure for another year, in response to continuing concerns about the sustainability of local fish stocks.

From July, SA Water customers who are not able to be supplied with water from the River Murray will no longer pay the ‘Save the River Murray’ levy.

South Australians are becoming increasingly fed up that their views are ignored when it comes to planning in both urban and regional South Australia. In response to community anger, the government has agreed to review its planning framework.

Granite Island’s Penguin Centre has confirmed its staff have been forced to destroy eggs of rescued penguins for the past five years. The manager said it is heartbreaking, but her hands are tied by the restrictions of a government permit.

Two university scientists have released a report paper that identified there is little hope of saving roadside trees affected by the disorder known as Mundulla Yellows.

As numbers of whales along the Far West Coast continue to climb, avid whale watchers will be coming to the region to witness the annual migration.

With the winter weather well and truly here many people are enjoying curling up near a fire to keep warm but Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula are warning people to be careful where they are taking their wood from. They are urging the community to carefully consider where they source their fire wood from to minimise their impact on the environment.

The Eastern Eyre Peninsula continues its battle against Fountain Grass as it becomes a fast growing problem, this time taking control at Mangalo Creek. Control work targeting a large infestation of fountain grass in the area near Cleve has proved successful and has achieved almost total eradication of the pest plant.

Recently returned from 20 days exploring deep waters of the Bight – the first voyage supporting our recently announced science collaboration with BP and Marine Innovation Southern Australia

An Expert Panel on Planning Reform has been established to review the State's planning system, and in particular the Development Act.

The discovery of ancient fishes with rippling abdominal muscles shows that palaeontology still holds an important role in modern science, according to Flinders University’s Professor John Long.

District Council of Elliston are rejoicing after they were successful in obtaining funding from Round Four of the Regional Development Australia Fund for their Coastal Trail plan.

A group of Lyndoch Primary School year six and seven students have started a new Environment Project Group to learn and share their acquired knowledge with fellow students and the Lyndoch community from their time spent recycling, planting and growing.

Gaining a better understanding of how natural resources are managed on public lands was the purpose for the recent visit to Kangaroo Island National Parks by six Kangaroo Island NRM Board members.

The Office for Volunteers Youth Volunteer Scholarship Awards reward young South Australians, aged 25 years and under, who volunteer their time and talents to help others in the community.

Natural Resources SA Arid Lands is using the release of a new booklet to encourage land managers to utilise volunteer support for land management activities on their properties – and to send in ‘expressions of interest’ for using volunteers by 30 October.

JOINT GENERAL MEETING NCSSA & BSSA Thursday, 1st August at 6 pm Citizen Science: Bringing Science into your back yard featuring Professor Chris Daniels Director, Barbara Hardy Institute and Presiding Member, Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges NRM Board 

WITCHELINA WORKING BEE
Thursday 1st August – Monday 5th August
The second running of the working bee will allow visitors to view our unique arid land system on the property. Everyone will have the opportunity to participate in a host of conservation and maintenance upgrades organised by NFSA.


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The Nullarbor has been proclaimed a Wilderness Protection Area by the Governor and is now law. “The Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area will cover 900,000ha, the same size as the famous Yellowstone National Park in the USA, making this a grand initiative.”


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WEDNESDAY, 12th JUNE 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 The State Budget has ignored climate change and the environment, according to the Conservation Council of South Australia, the state's peak body for conservation.
While the rest of the world is looking at ways to stop waste, the South Australian Goverment is closing down Zero Waste SA, the award winning, world leader in waste reduction, based here in South Australia.
It was the South Australian town Tony Abbott warned would be wiped out by the carbon tax. But almost a year since the tax began, it's Whyalla's renewable energy plans that's taken a hit, with the Commonwealth withdrawing funding for a solar thermal power plant.
A group of Port Augusta residents will today make their case before a South Australian Government enquiry for the building of a solar thermal plant in the city.
South Australia's rural landscape is on the brink of massive change as the world scrambles for new sources of petroleum. And with an estimated 396 trillion cubic feet of natural gas sitting untapped beneath the surface, the State Government is eager to deliver.
The South Australian Government says it is only days away from signing up to a funding agreement for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
A decision on whether a proposed wind farm between the Barossa Valley and Mid Murray regions will go ahead is now with the Planning Minister.
www.abc.net.au
Figures in a government report show the Green Triangle region has reduced its dependence on the forestry industry for employment.
A new daily passenger ferry service for Kangaroo Island is planned to start late next year. The Makris Group, headed by property developer Con Makris, has been planning the new ferry service from Glenelg to Kingscote for several years and has engaged Caj Amadio as project co-ordinator.
Monarto Zoo is pleased to announce it has one male and two female lion cubs, which was confirmed during the cubs' first vet check on the morning of Wednesday 5 June.
An area almost 80 times the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground will be planted with native seedlings, shrubs, and grasses in one of Australia’s most important wetlands during the next three months. The plantings are underway in South Australia’s iconic Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region.
www.environment.sa.gov.au

 Bianca Amato, Arid Recovery intern, writes about her thoughts on Australia’s current conservation crisis.

Great Australian Bight Marine Park is now closed for all boats due to the start of the southern right whale breeding season.
Nature Foundation SA's annual Walk for Nature is held in the Mount Lofty Ranges, meandering along the Heysen Trail through Mount George Conservation Park. Check out the video from last year.
www.youtube.com

 Friends of Para Wirra Recreation Park - Join the Friends for a morning of weeding followed by lunch then settle in for a talk. Saturday June 15th meet at 9am, shared lunch 12pm, talk to follow at 1pm.


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THURSDAY, 6th JUNE 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 World-renowned natural historian and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has been forced to cancel his Australian tour to undergo emergency heart surgery.

It is the hidden, horrible secret of Orroroo - a water supply that wrecks pipes, toilets, showers and hot-water systems. And, to add insult to injury, residents are paying a River Murray Levy for the bore water that is pumped to their homes from just outside the town.

Rex Minerals is close to securing a $565 million investment for its proposed copper and gold project near Ardrossan on Yorke Peninsula.

Kangaroo Island Council again commends Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke for his decision to conduct a full federal environmental assessment of the seismic survey proposed 100km west of Kangaroo Island as part of petroleum exploration. 

While South Australia's farmers are still basking in the happiness of last weekend's rain, climatologists haven't stopped talking about it either.

A new report has found that the profits of the world's biggest miners have slumped by nearly half since 2011 as the mining boom peaks.

A leading Australian academic says there is no credible evidence to support the theory that wind turbines cause disease.

The wind-farm industry received another boost today with a peer reviewed science paper debunking claims that living near wind turbines can make you sick. 

A study shows that Australia is sitting on vast resources of shale gas, but better regulation and lower infrastructure costs will be needed to develop a large-scale industry.

Almost 4 million Australian homes now powered by renewable energy.

The Opposition's attempt to kill off management plans for the new Commonwealth marine park network failed last night in the House of Representatives.

A row has broken out between animal rights groups and farmers over Coles supermarkets promoting a campaign against factory farming.

Regional dairy farming leaders have claimed the nation was on the cusp of a “dining boom” in Asia and farmgate prices were expected to lift next financial year, which could stimulate the embattled industry.

The new National Curriculum is a great opportunity to put agriculture and food issues into Australian classrooms, but getting all students to study a subject called 'agriculture' is unrealistic.

An aquaculture industry beach monitoring and cleanup program has collected more than 12,000 kg of debris in its first year and is now looking to expand. The Adopt a Beach program was created to address concerns from the Eyre Peninsula community about aquaculture-related marine debris.

Bird watcher Ken McPhee said he believed Peacocks were behind the disappearance of baby curlews at the Bordertown Wildlife Park and an expert backed his claim.

The Adelaide Hills Council is considering adopting a Tree Management Policy. The Policy will outline the Council's position on a number of tree related matters, including its powers, duties and functions under the Local Government Act 1999.

SARDI soil diagnostics has made national headlines with Research Chief Dr Kathy Ophel Keller winning the 2013 AUSVEG Researcher of the Year Award. 

The Waite Research Institute, GRDC, and Australian Society of Soil Science Inc are presenting a workshop on ‘Chemistry, amelioration and management of alkaline soils’ at the Waite Campus on Thursday, 27th of June.

Wednesday, 19th. COOTS Workshop A look at the introduced weeds that are threatening native plants.

Read the Winter Edition of ReLeaf from Trees For Life


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TUESDAY, 4TH JUNE 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 A campaign has reached Australia, with the founder, US environmentalist Bill McKibben, on a tour trying to convince community groups, universities and churches to stop investing in fossil fuel companies. 
www.abc.net.au

 A new industry push to have seismic testing recognised as a threat to marine environments demonstrates the need to protect Kangaroo Island’s unique wildlife from oil and gas exploration, says SA Australian Greens Senator Penny Wright.
Accusations of cover-ups and misrepresentations have emerged on both sides of the debate about oil exploration off the west of Kangaroo Island.
A theory that suggests banned aerosol gases are to blame for global warming, not carbon dioxide, has been questioned by climate scientists.

Some pastoralists in South Australia's north are reporting drought breaking rains and the best start to winter for several decades.

South Australian irrigators will receive their full allocation of water in 2012/13. Despite the dry conditions experienced over the past six months, South Australia will get the full River Murray Entitlement Flow of 1850 gigalitres.
A Government taskforce says an increase in water temperatures, a harmful algal bloom and a virus resulted in a mass fish death and also dolphin deaths in local waters.

Recreational fishers will work with the South Australian Government on a survey to see whether catfish numbers in the River Murray have recovered.

Coles has created a social media controversy by running a campaign for the lobby group Animals Australia.

Conservationists are raising concerns about the Government's handling of a 240,000 litre oil spill in the state's south-west. The oil leaked from a Santos project in the Cooper Basin, near the floodplains that feed Lake Eyre.

A BIKE trail through nine of Mitcham's reserves will result in tourism and health benefits, local cyclists and the CEO of BikeSA say.

Measures have been taken to support native fish numbers in the wetlands near the River Torrens outlet in Adelaide's western suburbs.


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THURSDAY, 30TH MAY 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 In 10 years, the Encounter Bay area including Granite Island has lost more than 5000 penguins. The issue has become dire for the Little Penguins on Granite Island, as the last census in August 2012 found 26 penguins in the district. That compares to about 100 the year before, and about 2000 penguins in 2001.

Billions of dollars worth of investments in the clean energy sector are at stake if the Coalition wins the federal election in September.

BHP Billiton has all but ruled out new coal projects and says it is selling assets because of a weak coal price outlook.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has been advised by Shell Australia (Shell) and its environmental consultant URS Australia (URS) that it will be undertaking further assessment of groundwater contamination, within the vicinity of the Coles Express Service Station, located on the corner of Adelaide Road and Charles Street, Murray Bridge.

The nation's largest irrigator, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, (CEWH) has told a Senate Estimates hearing it has delivered 2,359 gigalitres of water to the environment in its first five years of operation.

A member of the Windfarm Select Committee slept under a turbine at the Waterloo wind farm last night to experience the conditions that local residents face.

A farmer from South Australia's Yorke Peninsula has ploughed a life size wind turbine into his paddock to highlight his concerns about a nearby proposed wind farm.

A Yorke Peninsula council has been fined more than $30,000 for illegally dumping septic waste at Moonta for eight years.

Several South Australian Riverland and Mallee organisations will share in federal funding for landcare and sustainability projects.

The Parndana Progress Association has been awarded six state NRM Community Grants since 2009 gaining almost $60,000 for its projects. In return it has provided over 700 hours of volunteer time. The aim of these projects is a challenging one—to eradicate all feral plants from the natural bushland in and around Parndana and plant more appropriate plants around the town.

RM Awards and the Landcare Awards has nine categories encompassing a range of natural resources projects and themes including sustainable farming, building partnerships, research and leadership.

The Eyre Peninsula’s Natural Resources Management Board is undertaking a review of the region’s Natural Resources Management Plan.

Scientists in the Simpson Desert have harnessed the support of volunteers to help count one of Australia's rarest trees.

It’s even easier to Eat Local in South Australia with a new app and mobile phone website released to help foodies and travelers access Eat Local venues.

The Mid North region of South Australia holds some of the most beautiful scenes in all the country and Paul Morton of Clare spends his time recording them.

Get your binoculars and long lens cameras out and head to the sea, as there have been lots of whales across the south coast this week.

Posters for feral cat month have been put together so that you can help us promote awareness of the impact of feral cats around Australia.


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March Against Monsanto
25th, May 2013
Adelaide, South Australia

www.youtube.com



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WEDNESDAY, 22ND MAY 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Trees For Life has been named as the only South Australian finalist in this year’s United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) World Environment Day Awards.

In the face of estimations that up to 70 per cent of southern hairy-nosed wombats in the Murraylands have been lost to disease and starvation, the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation says the condition is not widespread. Last week Minister Ian Hunter answered questions asked of him by Greens MLC Tammy Franks in October 2011 regarding the local wombat population.

Despite the recent recuperation of the Coorong after years of drought, the region has been labelled a critically endangered eco-system in a scientific report.

Santos says it will begin assessing environmental damage from an oil leak in Queensland's far south-west.

Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Tom Koutsantonis has welcomed the release of draft Commonwealth legislation that will enable the development of an estimated $35 billion of mineral resources in the Woomera Prohibited Area.

Estimated populations of South Australia's giant cuttlefish have fallen from 180,000 to just 20,000, with the University of Adelaide undertaking research to find what is causing the drastic fall.

The National Irrigators Council is concerned that having invested millions of dollars in recovering water for the Murray-Darling environment, the Federal Government isn't investing enough in the body responsible for making it happen.

Flows into the River Murray system last month were half the long-term monthly average.

Water banking -- storing floodwater in depleted underground aquifers for later use -- has upsides for farmers and the environment, is technically feasible and could be the next step in water management in the Murray Darling Basin.

New technology has been developed by South Australian scientists in China to turn pig waste into biogas and biochar.

Inonge Mubanga Samboko hopes the trip of a lifetime to South Australia to study agriculture will help lead to a better life for the people of her village in Zambia.

Kingston microbats are currently in a feeding frenzy as they fatten up on insects to see them through the coming winter.

During Feral Cat month we have highlighted the impacts that feral cats have on our native wildlife, but what about responsible cat ownership? Should domestic cats be treated in the same way as domestic dogs, with restrictions on their movements and laws to ensure they are registered or desexed?

AUSTRALIA

A biology professor says changes to Queensland's land clearing laws are a backward step.

Cattle have not only been grazing in national parks for years, but it's been a handy revenue raiser for government, according to a cattleman and former Cape York mayor.

A decade-old goal to increase the amount of native vegetation across Victoria will be dropped as part of sweeping changes to the state's land clearing laws.

Environmentalists are worried the arrival of cane toads in the Kimberley region of WA could wipe out local native species.

Environmentalists have launched Supreme Court action suing the state government over a failure to draw up plans for the survival of threatened species.

An organisation which removes abandoned fishing nets from oceans will shut down at the end of June because of a lack of funding.

THE Australian Greens have announced policy to empower landholders to say no to coal seam gas (CSG) on their land.

A new invention that looks like a big blue shipping container could solve two of Australia's biggest environmental problems in one hit.

The “recycling wars” between Coca-Cola and Greenpeace have spilt into cyberspace, with the beverage giant buying the top advertising slot for searches of the environmental group's name.

A new report says the planet may be warming slower in the short-term than had been previously projected.

At first glance, grader driver Darryl Hill may not be an obvious advocate for soil conservation. But the Katherine-based instructor travels all over the country teaching pastoralists how to design and construct roads to minimise erosion.

Authorities say it is unclear why the population of an endangered marsupial appears to have doubled in central Victoria this year.

A New South Wales zoo is celebrating the birth of a white rhino calf.


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