Biodiversity
Scientists discover methane-eating microbes on wetland trees
Researchers have discovered microbes that eat methane living on trees in wetlands, potentially offsetting the methane those habitats produce.
- by Stuart Layt
Latest
‘Like the fires never happened’: Residents alarmed at Gippsland burns
Environment and bird conservation groups warn the extent of planned burns under way in Gippsland will exacerbate the crisis faced by the region’s threatened species after last year’s catastrophic bushfires.
- by Miki Perkins
‘Black water’: The three Australian sites that are ground zero for climate change
Over the past 10 years, each Australia’s three most important marine sites has seen a catastrophe. And recent wild weather signals history repeating.
- by Emma Young
Exclusive
Chris Chapman
Royal Sydney Golf Club: Removal of trees will restore original coastal heathlands
The Royal Sydney Golf Club revised development application increases the number of trees, and makes a case for the re-wilding of about a quarter of its greens to allow more diversity of flora and fauna to return to the area.
- by Julie Power
Look, don’t touch: Poisonous mushrooms set to boom across Victoria this autumn
Above-average rainfall combined with Victorians’ post-lockdown curiosity has authorities on the front foot against toxic mushrooms like the death cap, which can kill within 48 hours.
- by Michael Fowler
Pardoo Beef made big political donations as it sought Kimberley clearing permits
The Kimberley is transforming as cattle producers seek to drought-proof using “pivots” to irrigate huge circles of land. But this requires large-scale clearing.
- by Emma Young
‘It’s deplorable’: Call to halt loss of Melbourne’s native grasslands
Ecologists say the last pockets of high-quality, ecologically pristine native grassland in the urban outer west are slowly being bulldozed and developed.
- by Miki Perkins
‘Another blow’: Fears over koala habitat veto for Barilaro’s office
The publication of the state’s new koala habitat policy has revealed a senior regional NSW official has the right to reject management plans by councils.
- by Peter Hannam
With so few left to sing to, the regent honeyeater is losing its song
When a critically endangered bird starts to lose its birdsong, conservationists know the species is in even more dire straits than its dwindling numbers suggest.
- by Peter Hannam
Post-bushfire logging probe to be conducted out of public’s scrutiny
The Berejiklian government has been accused of seeking to mask the effect of the 2019-2020 bushfires to protect the logging industry after it asked the main resources watchdog to prepare a secret study.
- by Peter Hannam
‘Expect the same thing’: NSW marine park review stokes conservation fears
The government is preparing a “network management plan” for marine parks stretching from Byron Bay to Batemans Bay, stoking fears from advocates of both conservation and recreational fishing about the possible outcomes.
- by Peter Hannam