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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
Stop oil & gas exploration near Kangaroo Island

From Senator Penny Wright, Australian Greens

Minister Burke soon to decide whether or not to approve oil & gas exploration near Kangaroo Island. More than 20,000 people have already said NO but we need to keep the pressure on. Please share this with friends & send a tweet to @Tony_Burke telling him that KI is too precious to lose!

 www.youtube.com


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THURSDAY, 28TH MARCH 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The District Council of Yorke Peninsula has unanimously rejected a development application to build a $1.3 billion wind farm in the region. The Ceres project, with 199 wind turbines, would be the biggest in Australia and would help drive down electricity prices, developer REpower said earlier this year. But, at a special meeting last night, the council rejected the plan. 
www.adelaidenow.com.au

 Giant cuttlefish decline prompts catch ban parts of South Australia's Spencer Gulf

In a bizarre set of what is hoped are coincidences, four dolphin mortalities have been reported in the past week on Kangaroo Island beaches.
It took a century to reach agreement on the management of the Murray-Darling Basin but it's now feared the implementation of the plan might be faltering just as it begins.

New discoveries of graphite on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula indicate the region could be a potential world-class supplier of the mineral.

A build-up of seaweed along Glenelg beach could be linked to the deaths of thousands of fish, the South Australian Environment Department says.

Thousands of corellas invade Norfolk Island Pines at North Haven

It's time to go with the flow as $1.8b Adelaide Desalination Plant opens
New research looking into the saline effects of recycled water on South Australia's horticultural and wine crops is about to get underway.

A survey has revealed that most people believe the carbon tax is hitting their hip pockets far harder than official analysis suggests is actually the case.

Conservation Council SA is proud to launch the Green Hubs Energy Efficiency Program, an initiative designed to assist community organisations to lower their energy costs and become more environmentally sustainable.

New signs have been erected at sites near Parham, Thompson Beach, Port Prime and Light Beach to protect the region’s samphire vegetation.

River Murray Minister Ian Hunter says he has no desire to make proposed no wash zones enforceable in the future.

The SA glossy black cockatoo has disappeared from the mainland and is now only found on Kangaroo Island. A recovery program was established in 1996 to help increase the population from less than 200 birds to its current estimate of about 350 birds.

Research by SARDI into the nutritional value of Australia's 20 key commercial wild and farmed seafood species confirms that Australian seafood really is 'super.'

New research to expand the use of water recycling for irrigating South Australia's food and wine crops has been initiated by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence. Led by SARDI and co-funded by the Goyder Institute for Water Research, the project is collaborating with local viticulture and horticulture businesses and the University of Adelaide, to demonstrate the economic and environmental value of water recycling to Australia's agri-food industry.

An Australian community group has launched a solar leasing initiative aimed at helping consumers avoid the often hefty upfront costs of converting to solar energy.

A Fight the Bite community feedback session. Getting feedback from the Riverland community about advertising materials designed to inform people about protecting themselves against mosquito bite and mosquito borne disease, 9th April Berri

In a one-off, the Border Track will re-open before the end of the month and allow visitors access to the Mallee attraction over the Easter break in 2013.

With Easter and the school holidays coming up, holidaymakers are being asked not to feed wild native birds and animals.

Making cuttlefish hand puppets helped to remind Wangary Primary School Reception and Year One students that plastic is often mistaken for cuttlefish, and other prey, by marine animals. Plastics have an impact on seabirds, seals, dolphins, whales and turtles.

Residents are being urged to properly care for the region's wildlife, following reports some of the country’s most iconic animals are being impacted on by the inappropriate behaviour of a few Whyalla individuals.

NRM Volunteer Small Grant funding of up to $1,000 for natural resources management projects in the SA MDB NRM region is available for community groups wanting to make a difference. 


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SATURDAY, 23RD MARCH 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Thousands of dead fish wash up on Adelaide's southern suburb beaches.

Researchers aim to genetically engineer carp so they no longer produce female offspring.

Scientists estimate that the 15 million or more feral cats in Australia kill a minimum of 75 million native animals a night.

An Australian climate expert says the science is now clear and that the section of the population in Australia that is most likely to be hit by climate change is farmers.

The government says it's cutting back on giving handouts to farmers once droughts hit. Drought is now considered an inevitable part of farming and preparedness is the new buzzword.

The Commonwealth has decided it won't be trading any of its water on the temporary market this season. Late last year, it announced it would use the markets across the Murray-Darling Basin to balance environmental returns across the system.

Parliament this week passed the Wilderness Protection (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2012 which will help to ensure the ongoing protection of wilderness in South Australia.

If the computer models are right, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (2,750 gigalitres) and related legislation (450 gigalitres) will provide enough water for the Coorong and Lower Lakes to survive a repeat of the Millennium drought.

Diane Bell is a renowned academic and a member of the Wilderness Society's South Australian Committee of Management. Here, she offers her analysis of the Murray Darling Basin Plan to date.

Monarto Zoo performs first ever hyena caesarean in Australia.

Three men are likely to face charges for illegally taking a commercial quantity of Greenlip Abalone from an area near Balgowan.

Silent army moves on noxious pest.

Supporters of the belief that wind farms could cause health issues have hit back at research that suggests the problems could be the result of anti-wind farm lobbying.

People who expect to be affected by sub-audible "infrasound" are indeed more likely to be affected - even when the sound isn't present.

Gawler residents star in a new film on their fight to protect the Gawler River corridor. 'Reparing our rivers' shows community effort to restore rabbit-infested thickets of boxthorn and prickly pear into a diverse indigenous ecosystem.

“Railway Terrace (Ascot Park) will be transformed into a people-friendly street that promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging walking and cycling and use of public transport while accommodating the needs of motorists.”

Check out the latest KESAB Road Watch Newsletter.

Dare to save the world, join Earth Hour TODAY (Saturday) at 8:30 pm.
www.earthhour.org
 Attention Students: 2013 Conservation Biology Grant Round now open!
www.ncssa.asn.au

 April’s ATA meeting features another home design and build and the owners’ experiences of living in an energy efficient home.

The SA Arid Lands (SAAL) Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board has released its draft strategy, Everybody’s land: A strategy for Aboriginal Partnerships in the SA Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Region, and is calling for feedback from the community by 15 April

AUSTRALIA

 Aboriginal traditional owners from Queensland's Cape York are in Canberra this week, pleading their case for the area's World Heritage nomination.

The Queensland Government has announced changes to vegetation management laws, to allow for the development of new agricultural areas.

The anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd has come back to dock in Australia hailing its three month operation in the Southern Ocean a success. The group's spokesman, Bob Brown, says it saved 800 whales from Japan's fleet.

The government has admirably resisted sustained pressure from vested interests in accepting the recommendations of the CCA's review into Australia's Renewable Energy Target.

Bendigo kangaroo killer convicted

Animal rights activists say demonstrations yesterday that involved branding people with cattle irons was a success despite some of the events being disrupted by police.

Parks Victoria says high levels of blue-green algae in two Mallee lakes are a natural but dangerous occurrence.

The Victorian State Government has defended tough new on-the-spot fines for logging protesters saying they are about public safety, not a response to complaints from the timber industry.

The WA Wilderness Society says it fears an "inexperienced" new Environment Minister will end up the Premier's puppet on issues like the Kimberley gas hub.

The company at the centre of an animal cruelty scandal says it will install video cameras in its Sydney processing plant as soon as possible.

Historic elm trees throughout Tasmania are facing increased attack from the Elm Leaf Beetle.

Researchers are turning food waste and cow dung into biogas which could help power households in small rural and regional communities.

Waste from grain crops at Coleambally in the states south-west will soon be turned into biofuel.

Melbourne Electric Vehicle Expo, April 13

Queensland researchers say they are surprised by how far flying foxes travel in search of food.

Mountain Pygmy Possum numbers at Mount Buller have been disappearing at an alarming rate. In less than ten years numbers dropped from more than 300 animals to less than 30, mostly females, and just one lonely male.

Queensland researchers have become the first in the world to successfully breed captive jungle perch fingerlings.

INTERNATIONAL

Drilling Companies Agree to Settle Fracking Contamination Case for $750,000

Pacific Island ministers and development experts have called on governments to ensure mining companies respect the environment and comply with international transparency standards.

Four months after the Doha climate summit, and the World Bank says it's worrying to see little global effort being made in tackling climate change. It says the "business as usual" approach is undermining any effort the bank has made in addressing global poverty.

The operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant says a rat is probably to blame for a short-circuit which took out cooling systems at the plant.

A drought has struck what is usually one of the wettest parts of New Zealand. The president of the New Zealand's Farmers Federation says the dry spell is so unusual it's about as likely as having a snowstorm in Darwin.

Millions of small prawns have washed up on beaches in southern Chile in a case which has experts scratching their heads.

Scientists shocked to find the world's giant squid all belong to one species - not 21 species as had been thought.

Apple now uses renewable energy for 75% of its needs

Honda tests congestion minimization technology on public roads in Indonesia, finds >20% improvement in fuel efficiency


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BLOG UPDATE - Month Three

It has been three months since my first news post on this blog.

If you have ANY feedback I would love to hear it. 'Comment' on this post or send me an email: johnrm26466@hotmail.com

Activity over the past three months...for those that care!

3,215 views 

which includes 1,317 views in Australia, 1,329 in U.S., 128 in Germany, 69 in France and 63 in U.K.

and small amounts of views in South Korea, Malaysia, Ukraine, Canada, South Africa, Ecuador, China, Dominican Republic, France, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Sweden, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Japan, India, Singapore, Cote d'ivoire, Taiwan, Costa Rica, Ghana, Indonesia, Romania, Venezuela and Kazakhstan.

90 posts

Average 34 views per day. This average has dropped by a small amount, due to the fact I believe that I have not posted every day.

Best day yet was 124 views in February.

If I keep getting views I will keep doing this blog. Environment groups are receiving extra web site traffic through this blog and for me that is mission accomplished, just need to multiply! Please help me by sharing this blog with your friends and acquaintances.

Thanks to the professionals and groups that write and produce all these stories, great work!

 Thanks to Google and Blogger.com for making this possible at all.

Cheers!
John 
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WEDNESDAY, 20TH MARCH 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Cuttlefish Country's director Dan Monceaux calls for urgent support for protection of the Giant Australian Cuttlefish in Northern Spencer Gulf's waters. Population estimates suggest the unique breeding aggregation could be lost by 2015.

Murray Darling Basin Plan now a reality.

Great whites bite more often than thought.

The community on Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia, say numbers of feral peacocks are getting out of control.

Researchers have headed to Leigh Creek in South Australia's north to investigate reports of European carp in the area.

Southern Blue Fin Tuna are at risk of being just as overfished as their northern relatives.

With sightings of feral pigs now confirmed, the Department of Water, Environment and Natural Resources (or DEWNR) is working with landholders to make sure these pests don't become part of the wetlands.

River Murray wetlands disconnected from water at the height of the drought are enjoying a resurgence of flora and fauna.

The Barbara Hardy Institute presents Distinguished Lecturer Professor Robert Costanza to discuss "Solutions for a Sustainable and Desirable Future" in April.

Brookfield Conservation Park - a model for community management of public land.

A new publication, Innovation for 21st Century Conservation, has been released which provides examples of ways to achieve ecosystem and species conservation through creating new partnerships and models for establishment of protected areas.

Seeing as though the animals of Arid Recovery are nocturnal and quite elusive, the use of heat censored remote cameras are ideal as they are relatively non-intrusive, do not appear to affect animal behaviour, and provide large quantities of data while minimising the time spent in the field by staff.

Baby wallabies start doing the "Australian crawl" while still in their mother's womb, high-resolution ultrasounds reveal for the first time.


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Due to other commitments my next post will be on Wednesday 20th March.


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SATURDAY, 16TH MARCH 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Protect sea lions, sharks and whales and reject oil and gas off Kangaroo Island

Ecologists fear Australia is on the brink of another wave of mammalian extinction, on a scale not seen since European arrival. But research indicates that the much maligned dingo can help—killing and scaring off feral cats that threaten native animals.

South Australia along with New South Wales has cut funding to the Murray Darling Basin Authority, a move which the Authority head Craig Knowles says imperils the future of managing and understanding the river.

After floods severely eroded river banks along the Upper Murray, local farmers are voicing concern about the impact of flows from Snowy Hydro.

The battle against a wind farm on Yorke Peninsula has been taken to Adelaide's Parliament House, with opponents saying there is growing recognition of the wind farm's threat to local agriculture.
3,470 citizens from 68 nations have signed our petition thus far, calling for protection for the Giant Australian Cuttlefish of Northern Spencer Gulf and their habitat.

Plovers in the hood! Results are already coming in from the recent hooded plover banding.

Don’t let mother nature wash your farm down the creek

The community is invited to have a say and help develop priorities at an upcoming Weed and Vermin Forum.
Imagine dedicating your life to finding the gems of biodiversity in regurgitated owl pellets? That’s what our Honorary Research Associate Graham Medlin has done.

The Adelaide Activist Skillshare...2 days left to register
adelaideskillshare.weebly.com

 Who's keen for some fun in the sun and maybe a run? Come along to Horseshoe Bay (Port Elliot) at 5pm on Sunday afternoon and join your local Responsible Runners Ambassador, Clancy, for a quick 30-minute cleanup.


AUSTRALIA
Hundreds of Newcastle residents will rally tomorrow to defend their communities against the damage inflicted by coal.
www.greenpeace.org

 Jeffrey Lee’s vision to remove the threat of uranium mining from his country has finally been realised. His land at Koongarra has been incorporated into the surrounding World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park and permanently protected from mining.

The operators of the Savage River iron ore mine on Tasmania's west coast are trying to stop a leak from its tailings dam.

The Federal Government will go to trial in Brisbane to defend accusations it improperly banned a Dutch super trawler from operating in Australian waters.

It is hoped research being carried out on a specially modified Rio Tinto bauxite ship will help increase understanding about ocean acidification in the Great Barrier Reef.

An international study has found the mass stranding of pilot whales may not be driven by family relationships, as first thought.

A monster saltwater crocodile that had attacked a horse has been caught at Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

Help stop horse abuse at Australian knackeries

Surprise finding: Dog baiting increases stock loss

Survey about Ocean-users and sharks in Western Australia


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THURSDAY, 14TH MARCH 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Kangaroo Island is one of our most significant wilderness places and home to a thriving, close-knit community ... and it is under threat from offshore oil & gas. Check out the video by the Australian Greens, we only have a few days to register our concern.

Adelaide University research has ascertained overgrazing and invasive weeds are the likely key contributors for wombat deaths in the Murraylands.

The first major review of South Australia's list of declared weeds in more than two decades is due for completion early next year.

A group of islanders have come together to express its concern about the survival of the Little Penguin colonies on Kangaroo Island.

A rare fish species has been sighted at False Bay, near Whyalla in South Australia, a long way from its other known habitat.

A Senate inquiry into the health effects of air pollution will see Port Augusta’s coal-fired power stations take the spotlight later this month.

Flinders University hopes to convert seaweed into a range of high-value products including food, cosmetics and medicinal compounds in a new partnership with a Chinese corporation.

Elliston is set to spend more than $1.7 million significantly upgrading its coastal trails, making them a valuable recreation and tourism asset for the region.

Record dry conditions across the South Australian interior

Activist Skillshare program announced- time to get excited!
adelaideskillshare.weebly.com

 Sea Shepherd Adelaide is doing a fresh food run to the ships next week. Please email
adelaide@seashepherd.org.au if you are able to donate food or money.

Southern Australia is home to some of the most biodiverse and endemic temperate marine life in the world, including the leafy sea dragon. Specimens, images and a marine biologist will contribute to an enlightening experience at Normanville, 13th and 14th April..

This month Trees for Life want you to send in your water saving tips to win a copy of SA Water's 'Captain Plop Water Saving Mission' books and 'Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden' from Urban Forests.

Mount Gambier's Bailee Caldwell became a Facebook sensation in recent weeks when she used her sixth birthday celebrations to raise a staggering three weeks worth of dog and cat food for the city's animal shelter.

Hitch hiking is a fun way to travel, meet people while working to save the environment according to two young people travelling through Murray Bridge last week.


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KANGAROO ISLAND AT RISK

Kangaroo Island is one of our most significant wilderness places and home to a thriving, close-knit community ... and it is under threat from offshore oil & gas. Check out the video we produced for the Australian Greens. We only have a few days left to register our concern.

www.youtube.com



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WEDNESDAY, 13TH MARCH 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Protect sea lions, sharks, dolphins and whales off Kangaroo Island.

A group of dedicated wildlife volunteers in South Australia has taken on the huge task of rescuing and caring for a growing number of sick and injured koalas.

Tiger Pipefish (Filicampus tigris) recorded in False Bay by Cuttlefish Country crew.

A bus powered by electricity and diesel fuel is on trial in the Adelaide CBD.

Nature Foundation SA welcomes Ian Atkinson as their new Chief Executive Officer. Ian Atkinson has over thirty years’ experience in agriculture and natural resource management.

Combining chicken poo with biochar could be the next up and coming alternative fertiliser for farmers. Biochar is a type of charcoal which is made out of agricultural residue or organic waste and can be used as a slow release fertiliser.

Biosecurity SA is urging South Australian sheep and cattle owners or managers to make their opinions known on improved national on-farm animal welfare standards which were released yesterday for consultation.

SARDI Sustainable Systems has received funding to look at ways to reduce sheep and cow "burps," the source of much of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.

Mount Gambier City Council has flagged the immediate removal of 23 towering mature trees in the Valley Lake and Vansittart Park playground recreational areas to reduce the risk of heavy limbs falling on children or vehicles.

PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is urging fishers to brush up on the rules related to Rocklobster fishing, after Limestone Coast Fisheries Officers detected several serious offences in recent weeks.

A report has been released into an assessment of four River Murray sites considered to be at high risk of riverbank collapse.

The Alwin Clements Prize in Natural History grant is available for students wishing to undertake PhD studies in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Adelaide in research directly related to the conservation, preservation or ecology of Australian native flora or fauna.

Eyre Peninsula’s land, water, coast and marine managers are now being invited to submit NRM project proposals to access funding opportunities should they become available. This includes individuals as well as local government, community, volunteer and agricultural groups.

Upper Eyre Peninsula farmers have reported an outbreak of one of agriculture's worst noxious weeds.

Read the latest beautiful edition of ReLeaf from Trees For Life


AUSTRALIA
About a dozen objections to Tasmania's World Heritage Area nomination have been sent to the UNESCO committee in Paris.

The chairman of a Central West Farmers Association council has told the Premier Barry O'Farrell to stay out of pest management issues. The state government has put on a hold a plan to allow hunting in nearly 80 parks across New South Wales.

Vaccine for Tasmanian Devil facial tumour one step closer.

Australia could be fuelling aeroplanes with waste from crops and plantation timber within three to five years according to a key research institute.

Senator Waters spoke to the media in response to Minister Burke's announcement for reforms to the environment laws around CSG.

THE federal government's expert scientific panel has raised the alarm about the cumulative impact of Queensland's $40 billion coal-seam gas developments on underground water supplies.

Right now, all around this mighty continent, the people are rising. We have united together in the greatest social movement this country has ever seen, and we are ready to stand up and fight for the future of this great big backyard of ours.

Upper Plenty (Victoria) residents offer reward in hunt for hillbilly kangaroo killers.

A watering hole in the Murray Sunset National Park has been restored several months after environmental authorities filled it in.

Rare plants and sea-birds are starting to re-establish on a remote island off the coast of Port Stephens NSW, after a successful long-term pest eradication program.

A risk assessment of erosion-control measures in Byron Bay has identified privately constructed walls on the Belongil Spit as having the greatest impact on coastal processes.

Turtles are among the most endangered vertebrates on Earth: roughly half of the world's 300 species are threatened with extinction.

The Rainbow Warrior is an icon of non-violent direct action for a green and peaceful future -- a beacon of hope for millions of people around the world. She’ll be here within days to help save the Great Barrier Reef from the reckless expansion of the coal industry.

Why Do People Commit To Behavior Which Consistently Lacks Moral or Ethical Principles

A giant exotic snail has been humanely destroyed after being found crawling across the concrete at a Brisbane container yard.

South west Queensland graziers taking part in a new pig baiting trial say they have had disappointing results.
www.abc.net.au
INTERNATIONAL
Scientists say they have discovered one of the wonders of the natural world in Papua New Guinea. The scientists spent four weeks surveying the Hindenburg Wall - a 50-kilometre stretch of spectacular limestone escarpments in the far west.

Lemon sharks are able to make and maintain social networks, despite the lack of Facebook and Twitter—and learn from their interactions, according to recent research.

Five shark species win protection against finning trade

Radiation from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant disaster in Japan is now actively in the ecosystem all along the North American west coast.

Indian coal power plants kill 120,000 people a year and could cause a staggering 20 million new asthma cases.

The Associated Press has a breaking investigative story out today revealing that the Obama Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency censored a smoking gun scientific report in March 2012 that ... would have explicitly linked methane migration to hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in Weatherford, a city with 25,000+ citizens.

The atmospheric observation station at Mauna Loa in Hawaii has recorded the highest ever amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, and the evidence suggests that the rate of CO2 input is increasing

Japan says it has successfully extracted methane hydrate, known as "fire ice", from its seabed, possibly unlocking many years worth of gas for the country.

The small, landlocked country of Bhutan is aiming to increase its national happiness by becoming the first country in the world to completely shift to organic farming. About 80 per cent of Bhutan's 800,000 residents depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

The United States government's US Agency for International Development has launched a series of climate change projects in the Pacific.

A UK cycling expert says city planners need to consider more than car commuters when solving transport problems.

Experts from the University of Lincoln and the University of Exeter have warned that climate change could cause dozens of lizard species to become extinct within the next 50 years.




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