Issues around the natural environment
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY ISN’T ALL DOOM & GLOOM – POSITIVE HAPPENINGS THE NEW BUSH We all love the Bush. Twisted gum trees, gorgeous golden wattles and rocky hillsides. But, like it or not, that may not be the “bush” any more. The New Bush is a conglomeration of...
On Thursday 9 October, 2008 Gunns Limited of Tasmania announced that I would be an Environmental Adviser to their board. My job with Gunns to work with them as an honest broker to achieve the best possible environmental outcomes for their forestry and pulp mill...
Water is remarkable stuff. Reflecting the clear blue sky you’d swear it’s blue, but we all know that it really is clear and colourless. So what do people mean when they talk about ‘grey’ water? As a starting point, clean, clear tap water is regarded as ‘white’...
The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) belongs to an ancient group of flightless birds called ratites, along with the Australian emu, African ostrich and New Zealand kiwi. Found in the dense, tropical rainforests of north-east Queensland, the Southern Cassowary...
Dr Chris Brown looked at the way kangaroos cope with drought. Aussie battlers Chris explained that most members of the kangaroo family (Macropodoidea) have an adaptation called Embryonic Diapause. This enables them to recover from drought and make use of ideal...
There is nothing as satisfying as breeding your own birds, whether they be budgies or finches. You can also attract native birds to your garden by putting in some native plants, which provide them with food and shelter. Breeding budgies The Australian budgerigar is...
On last week
Patches of snow remain unthawed throughout the year on the topmost peaks of the Snowy Mountains. The full extent of Australia’s alpine areas within the Kosciuszko National Park is only about 30 kms by 10 kms. The word ‘alpine’ is often used to describe all...
The feeding of native birds is an increasingly important issue as new housing developments encroach on areas of bushland which provide food for these creatures. Although there is some disagreement on the subject with groups such as WIRES recommending against...
For most of the year magpies are fascinating and endearing native birds. However, during breeding, a small percentage of them can be aggressive, swooping at passers-by in their territory. Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) take their name from an unrelated pied (black and...