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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
WEDNESDAY, 1ST MAY 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Pathologists say the marine virus which recently killed dolphins off the South Australian coast had not previously been reported in SA.

Landowners on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula are having to set traps as the feral cat population increases.

The operator of an electric car recharging point funded by the South Australian Government said it had only been used about six times in as many months.

University of South Australia students in partnership with OzHarvest SA, are hosting a community event to help improve awareness of food wastage, with proceedings going to the food rescue organisation. May 8.

This year we will be celebrating Grey Box Day on the 1st of June, 10am to 3pm, at the Main Pavilion at Belair National Park.

Would you like to volunteer at Humbug Scrub Wildlife Sanctuary, or perhaps you have something to donate, old birdcages, shade cloth etc....Contact the Sanctuary direct on (08) 8280 7246 to become a volunteer or donate.

The State Herbarium opens to the public on 4 and 5 May as part of SA's History Festival. The heritage-listed 1909 Tram Barn A once housed Adelaide's tram fleet. Now it houses over 1 million plant specimens.
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THURSDAY, 25TH APRIL 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 Two hundred people gathered at Port Noarlunga jetty last night to demand more answers about the mass death of marine life on Adelaide beaches.
Fossil Fuels are NOT the future, we clearly need to phase out these resources, but what does the SA government do? Rapidly expand the fossil fuel industry. 

Early testing indicates fungal pneumonia may be the cause of death for 26 dolphins washed up on state beaches this year.

New NASA satellite images confirm algal bloom caused fish kill

Fishing industry pleads for tougher controls on underwater seismic testing

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is using noise testing near a Clare Valley wind farm to determine whether local residents' claims about health impacts are valid.

A report advising farmers how to negotiate with mining and energy companies who want to use their land says farmers should group together to increase their negotiating power.

Greens' senators have met Port Augusta residents to find out what impact living near a coal-fired power station has had on their health.

Dry conditions in South Australia and Victoria are expected to continue with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting below average rainfall in south-eastern Australia over the next three months.

An extra 150 gigalitres of environmental water will flow through the River Murray over the next three months.

Tuesday 14th May 5:30pm - Alice Hungerford will be coming to Adelaide to launch 'UpRiver: the untold stories of the Franklin River Activist' book and we will be hosting a special celebration for 30 years since the Franklin was saved!!!

Save the Orange-bellied Parrot; May 18/19 winter surveys. Come along - every little bit helps. Murray Lakes-Coorong and south-east South Australia
Bob Green shriketit@bigpond.com

Come Walk the Walk! Discover the natural world of the Barossa Bushgardens. The Gawler Regional Natural Resource Centre and Barossa Bushgardens volunteers invite you to join them on Sunday 19 May from 10am to 2:30pm at the Barossa Bushgardens, Nuriootpa. RSVP by 15 May 2013
dewnr.amlrrsvp@sa.gov.au

Volunteer now for the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden Blitz! On Saturday 4 May from 8:30am to 12 noon the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide is hosting another Garden Blitz and are looking for helpers.


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SUNDAY, 21ST APRIL 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 A southern resident has called a community meeting next week to demand answers about the mass death of marine life on Adelaide beaches. Nigel Black, of Port Noarlunga, created a Facebook group yesterday called 'Investigations and Answers Now! For the Death of Gulf Marine Life' inviting residents to a meeting on Wednesday, April 24.

A diver says the lack of giant Australian cuttlefish bones on beaches near Whyalla proves their population is critically low.

Yorke Peninsula residents against plans to build what would be Australia's largest wind farm say it is not too late to dump the project.

More land has been acquired on Kangaroo Island to expand Flinders Chase National Park, at the island's western end.

A further 150 gigalitres of environmental water is on its way to South Australia and is expected to deliver key benefits for the River Murray channel, Coorong and Lower Lakes.

Port Augusta’s Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle program (OPAL) is making it easier for local families to grow their own food.

Feral animal species are the bane of many a landholder's daily existence, and we often hear of the problems caused by foxes, rabbits and goats.

A last ditch effort will be made to save Burnside Village's ailing tree. The centre's owners, The Cohen Group, issued a statement last week saying it would increase UV light levels and give the river red gum nutrient injections in a "final bid to retain the tree".

Over 100 landholders have responded to a survey to help improve our knowledge of the region’s groundwater resources. The valuable information is being used to update the State’s groundwater database.

The wife of the man responsible for creating Goog’s Track near Ceduna will give locals and beyond an insight into the history of the track and what went into making it.

Three dolphins have delighted onlookers at Garden Island with a playful display in the Port River.


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TUESDAY, 16TH APRIL 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 The South Australian Government insists it in not downplaying a statewide marine crisis after the discovery of thousands more dead fish and another three dolphin carcasses.
au.news.yahoo.com

 Seven dolphin carcasses - including three infants - have washed up on South Australian beaches in the past eight days.

Delegates from the Fujian Province in China have been in South Australia looking for products they can showcase back in their home country.
www.abc.net.au
A multi-species abattoir at Caboolture in Queensland is processing a record number of camels from the Northern Territory and northern South Australia.
After a huge positive response in 2012 from Gawler and surrounding communities the 2nd Understorey Project is on again.
The biggest global litter cleanup yet. We can all do our part to make this world a better place, so have fun enjoying nature and picking up litter at the same time. Every person counts, so remember to invite everyone on your friends list to this event! Spread this around the world.
AUSTRALIA

 Thousands of fish have been found dead in the Vasse Estuary at Wonnerup in the South West of WA.
The Warkworth mine extension was among the projects analysed in the NSW Nature Conservation report Economic assessment of environmentally damaging mining and gas developments in NSW. The report, released today found the economic benefits of the project had been exaggerated and its environmental impacts downplayed. 
They are so well hidden from public view that some people who live near them don't know they exist. New Google 3D maps provide stunning images of the ash dams of Lake Macquarie's two coal-fired power stations - Eraring in the west and Vales Point in the south.
The West Australian Premier Colin Barnett is warning the companies involved in the shelved Kimberley gas hub he is not giving any guarantees when it comes to new proposals to develop the Browse basin.
Police say they have increased their presence in north Queensland's coal ports ahead of a planned visit by Greenpeace.
Some of Melbourne's prime waterside suburbs, such as Southbank and Elwood, face hefty damage bills from rising sea-levels and severe flooding, with new modelling finding multimillion-dollar action should be considered to limit impacts.
www.theage.com.au
Animal welfare activists concede it's difficult to find and prosecute those responsible for vicious and sadistic attacks on kangaroos. There have been calls for tougher penalties after a spate of attacks in Victoria in the past fortnight.
Controversial amendments to the flying-fox control legislation are due to be discussed as part of general business in Queensland state Parliament on Tuesday.
Researchers are trying to find out if feeding nitrate to cattle as a supplement instead of urea will reduce methane gases.
Did you know, if you pick up a piece of rubbish in NSW it is 4 times more likely to be a beverage container than in SA?
Greenpeace Australia Pacific added 9 new photos to the albumRainbow Warrior visits Australia to save the Reef.
www.facebook.com
Wonderful to see Gypsea swimsuit, featuring our jolly roger logo, as part of this year's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia.
www.facebook.com
INTERNATIONAL

Russian officials are becoming increasingly concerned about polar bear poachers in their country using Canadian documents to disguise illegally hunted pelts.
Portugal’s electricity network operator announced that renewable energy supplied 70 percent of total consumption in the first quarter of this year.
Meet the tongue-eating isopod, Cymothoa exigua. This marine parasite feasts on a fish's tongue and then becomes its tongue. You'll never eat seafood again.
Secret Population of World's Rarest Orangutans Spotted. Conservationists have spotted a secret population of 200 of the world's rarest orangutans in the forests of the Borneo island.
A beautiful short film about mangroves...
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MONDAY 15TH APRIL 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 A firefighter has been taken to hospital after a failed attempt to rescue a koala at Toorak Gardens.
www.adelaidenow.com.au
The Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Centre says baiting remains the only available and viable option to control fox numbers across South Australia.
A new, expanded aquaculture zone has been introduced for South Australia's Lower Eyre Peninsula. About 7,500 hectares has been set aside for activities including mussel, abalone and tuna farming.
With the weather still be reasonably warm, now is the time to start thinking about rabbit control for property owners.
Applications are now open for a community grant of up to $10,000 for local projects that will help increase the recycling of beverage containers.
As the dry conditions continue, more livestock producers are looking to use winery waste as a feedstock source.
Kangaroo Island too good to spoil - No to offshore Oil and Gas mining activities along our coast. Please invite your friends to join the Hands Across the Sand event (Saturday 18th May)
The Australian Government is supporting local community groups to continue their work protecting our precious environment. Environment Minister Tony Burke today opened applications for Community Environment Grants program which offers small grants of between $5000 and $50 000 to help groups undertake on-the-ground activities and increase their skills and capacity to protect the natural environment.
Over $1.5 million will be rolled out to community groups and volunteers working across the state to protect natural resources. The money will be awarded in the form of NRM Community Grants and Volunteer Support Grants, to be administered jointly for the first time.
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Thursday, 11th April 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 It’s been an exciting couple of weeks for those invested in the survival of Northern Spencer Gulf’s Giant Australian cuttlefish population. The State has finally yielded and extended the protected area to cover the population’s entire range.
cuttlefishcountry.com

 Environmentalists say a study in the Great Australian Bight does not address the possibility of catastrophic oil spills in the event of drilling.

The second dolphin death in two weeks on the LeFevre Peninsula has sparked demands from experts for urgent answers over the mass death of marine life along Adelaide's coastline.

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has accused the South Australian Government of dragging its feet to organise an investigation into recent marine anomalies along the state's coastline.

Pollution causes more deaths in Australia each year than road accidents, a Senate inquiry has been told.

SANTOS is pushing ahead with its CSG projects in New South Wales despite tighter State Government regulations.

A new report warns some Australian premium wine regions could lose most of their established vineyards by 2050 due to climate change.

The world's largest supplier of wind energy technology says Australia's enormous land and wind resources are hugely under-utilised. The CEO of the Danish company Vestas says there are still hurdles facing the industry, but there's no medical evidence that living near wind farms makes people sick.

The Adelaide City Council has decided on the types of trees to be planted in Victoria Square after its first choice was rejected for safety reasons.

Koalas living in gum trees along the Noarlunga rail line at Marino will be rendered homeless if a wildlife corridor is removed to make way for the electrification of the train line, an animal advocate and residents say.

Scientists hope a discovery by fishers in Adelaide's Port River can confirm the existence of a separate species of marine creature in South Australian waters. Recreational fishers have captured what appears to be a magpie fiddler ray, an elusive species first identified about 60 years ago.

A South Australian oyster farmer says a gastroenteritis outbreak interstate should remind coastal communities of the need to stay vigilant over development.

Feral donkey numbers are on the rise across parts of outback South Australia. About 250 have been removed through an aerial cull, which was primarily targeting camels.

A kangaroo harvest trial will begin in the upper South East in the near future after the Coorong council gave its approval last month.

A study into red meat has thrown doubt on the belief that kangaroo is one of the healthiest red meats.

The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Animal Welfare has warned Tatiara people to let animals stay wild by not feeding them.

Indian national Bhargavi Dilipkumar has a message for BHP Billiton; to leave uranium underground for it has done more than enough damage to the environment.

A fossil dig site at Emu Bay which is world famous for uncovering finds of the first marine animals inhabiting the earth 530 million years ago (Cambrian period), has recently been visited by a professional scientific crew, accompanied by 22 eco-tourists.

The Coorong council has hired Adelaide-based engineering consultants Water and Waste Innovations to find out whether it would be feasible to harvest stormwater in Coonalpyn.

Entries are now open for the 2013 KESAB Sustainable Communities Program. Showcase your local community!
www.kesab.asn.au

 Volunteers have worked to upgrade and replace navigation markers and signage in Chambers Creek from Lake Bonney to the River Murray.

Mem Fox needs little reminder of the magic of her possum tale. Possum Magic is Australia's all-time best-selling picture book, amassing more than 4.5 million sales worldwide.


AUSTRALIA
Victorians heard yesterday that the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment will be merged with the Department of Primary Industries to form ‘DEPI’ – the Department of Environment and Primary Industries. According to the Age, it's agriculture eating the environment.
Why big mining is getting a $3.27 billion Aussie taxpayer handout this year.
www.acfonline.org.au

 The Greens MP Robin Chapple has described royalty concessions for magnetite iron ore miners as "a kick in the guts for farmers".

Hydro Tasmania has signed an agreement to look at wind farm projects over the next seven years which might be worth up to $1.6 billion.

A fight is brewing between the Queensland Government, graziers and traditional owners about a development proposal on Lake Eyre Basin.

Scientists have dressed up about 20 trees along a river bed on a Northern Territory cattle station in large silver jackets, all in the name of groundwater science.

Scientists from Flinders University are in the Northern Territory to conduct one of the largest arid zone groundwater studies ever undertaken in Australia.

Scientists working to remove ghost nets from the Gulf of Carpentaria in far north-west Queensland say there needs to be a national approach to deal with the problem.

A new research project designed to convert algae into fuel has been officially launched in Brisbane.

Original Australian archaeology serving astronomical purposes found in the Central Coast of NSW is both so numerous in number  and diverse in applications, the implications of this call into question many mistaken assumptions of Original prehistory.
wakeup-world.com

 A team of Australian scientists has made a major breakthrough in mapping the koala genome and stopping the spread of chlamydia that is crippling koala populations.

Rooftop honey: urban hives take off
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Tuesday, 9th April 2013

 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 An environmental expert is questioning the methodology used for tests to measure lead levels in children living near the Port Pirie smelter in South Australia.

Monsanto Australia has made a rare foray into the commentary on the moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops in South Australia, with its managing director calling for the ban to be lifted and farmers to make their own choices.

Researchers say they are weeks away from test results on the dead marine life which is washing up on South Australian beaches, which includes dolphins, penguins and hundreds of juvenile Leather Jacket fish.

A fall in the number of blue swimmer crabs is the latest marine mystery in South Australian coastal waters to be investigated.

Fishers affected by the new marine parks will be compensated if they surrender their licences under a draft Government plan.

A plan to save Adelaide beaches and marine life from ongoing environmental damage will aim to slash pollution flowing into Gulf St Vincent by more than half.

The Federal Government has announced a $30 million package for farmers and land managers as a part of the Carbon Farming Futures Action on the Ground Program.

A management plan for the Flinders Ranges National Park is coming together, with several papers released for public consultation. The park needs a new plan after a recent agreement between government and the Adnyamathanha people to jointly run the park.

More than 100 scientists and dozens of studies will be assembled for the largest research into the economic, social and environmental opportunities offered by the Great Australian Bight.

‘Eradicat’ – SBS Tuesday @ 8.30pm this week. About the role that both feral and domestic cats have in contributing to Australia having one of the worst mammal extinction rates in the world.www.sbs.com.au

 Flake is Shark. Sharks are being killed at 80,000,000 a year

"Our Land, Our Water, Our Future: Beyond Coal and Gas Gathering" It is a national event and people from all over Australia will be attending. Would be great to get a good contingent along from SA, particularly with the potential for such massive gas expansion here....

An environmental group is touring the South Australian outback this week to observe the impact of uranium mining on the environment.

Adelaide's parklands are the jewel in our crown. So where the bloody hell is everyone?

OSPREYS Oscar and Ophelia have spent the past 20 years returning to waters off Ceduna to breed on nests constructed by former oyster farmer Royce Hart.

AUSTRALIA

 Cracked: a key mystery surrounding the cancer which is pushing Tasmanian devils to extinction 

You've never seen footage like this before. The truth is you were never meant to… The Victorian Government has established an 'exclusion zone' around wetlands, to prevent duck rescuers from exposing footage like this to the public.

The Carbon Farming Initiative is about to provide incentives for dairy farmers to reduce emissions from their milking cows. Emissions will be reduced by changing the cows' diet.

Climate solutions think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions have today published a briefing paper on the use of gas as a fuel in buildings. The evidence shows that fossil gas' reputation as a clean, safe and cheap fuel needs to be re-considered.

Frackers Are Losing $1.5 Billion Yearly to Leaks

The Queensland Government is defending a plan to let coal-mining companies release more water into local rivers.

Debates about wind farms frequently revolve around the issue of sound. Yet this debate often occurs in a vacuum, seemingly forgetting the fact that to be alive is to be immersed in sound.

PLEASE HELP STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF 2000 AGILE WALLABIES AT MISSION BEACH

The CSIRO is hoping a new Australian study of native bearded dragons could lead to breakthroughs in medicine and the gathering solar energy.

The sounds of outback Queensland's Simpson Desert have been recorded for children around the world to hear.



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SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Thursday, 4th April 2013

 A top-level working group will investigate the mystery of mass marine deaths off our coastline, as the carcasses of dolphins, fish and penguins continue to wash up on the state's beaches.

Steve Waites and Lewis Beaumont don’t work for the government, but they have launched their own investigation into what has killed thousands of fish along the coast.

Conservationists say there has been no consultation in remote South Australia over plans to transport uranium from Western Australia.

Senator Penny Wright speaking about why Kangaroo Island's unique environment should be protected.

After years of drought and pain, the great exodus of farmers from along the mighty Murray-Darling has slowed. 

Community feedback has led to the scrapping of 28 proposed no wash zones along the River Murray.

The nation's top climate scientists and science bodies have for the first time endorsed a report that says the climate in Australia has already shifted. The peer reviewed assessment says there is "strong consensus" around its central finding and it notes that in some cases the weather has "changed for good".

Individuals living or working in South Australia and involved in land management or natural resources management can apply for the GREENHOUSE 2013 natural resources management scholarship.

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

Barossa to Fleurieu 'Pasture Walk' bus trip; Friday 19 April. An exciting networking day and to explore pasture and grazing systems on the Fleurieu.

The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize is a unique opportunity for talented artists to immerse themselves in the wonders of science.

Native seedlings for your rural property; Trees for Life Pre-orders are now open!!


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Sixteenth dolphin washed up today

Adelaide's coastline is facing a "water quality issue on a grand scale", as the carcasses of dolphins, fish and penguins continue to mysteriously wash up on the state's beaches. A sixteenth dolphin washed up on the South Australia's coastline today, adding to 15 remains found across SA in March.

15 Dolphins dead, mass fish hill in St Vincent Gulf South Australia.

Seven baby dolphins found dead on South Australian beaches (story from last week)


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SOUTH AUSTRALIA
TUESDAY, 2ND APRIL 2013

 Beachgoers in Adelaide’s south say they are fed up with thousands of dead fish washing up on their beaches and are taking matters into the own hands. They are collecting specimens for independent testing as the scale of the phenomenon continues to grow.

Dead penguins have been found alongside more dead fish which have washed ashore along the Adelaide metropolitan coastline.

RED tape threatens to stem the flow of almost $400 million for the River Murray, irrigators and consumers warn.

Green our Grid or Feed our Greed? The Choice is Ours

Workshops to learn about the best management practices for Phytophthora, will be held at various locations on KI during April.

A health expert says urban planners need to think about the impact that city expansion is having on farmland.

Closer scrutiny of food production and appreciation of the plight farmers is generating more interest in agricultural research from philanthropists.

Not much of the original bushland close to our cities and towns survived early land clearance. Help preserve what is left.



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