A rash of white objects rapidly expanding across the landscape has resulted in increasing community concern. “It’s an alien invasion”, shrieked Henrietta Featherbrain. “Why is our government dilly-dallying and taking away our rights because of some silly virus when our very existence is at stake?” “We’ll all be rooned” said Hanrahan, “if those alien eggs do hatch”. Attempts to explain that these objects were simply covers to protect young trees and bushes…
Once upon a time an ‘Iron Curtain’ descended across eastern Europe as East and West faced off in the era of the Cold War. Consisting of a high wall within a no-go strip 50-200 m wide, and a severely restricted zone some 5 km wide, this curtain separated without discrimination – farms, city-neighbourhoods, streets, and even houses were divided. The curtain lasted around 40 years before falling spectacularly as people from both sides took to it with sledge hammers and even partied on the top. But…
The great biolink work being done by the MPLN is leaping ahead this autumn. Exotic weeds and pests are under sustained attack. Fifteen thousand tubes of mesh and plastic are popping up all over along Splitter’s Creek, each with its precious seedling. This ability to both destroy and create ecosystems makes humans one of the planet’s keystone species, in that many other species depend on our actions. The biolink changes have required tremendous efforts by a band of volunteers combined with…
As the climate varies and changes, our mobile feathered friends also move to follow their preferred habitats. Some are highly migratory and move to follow the sun as the seasons ebb and flow. Some travel enormous distances, such as Latham’s (Japanese) Snipe (Gallingo hardwickii), which comes by in spring to autumn on its annual migration from its breeding sites in northern Japan and eastern Russia to its summer residence in eastern Australia. Others migrate occasionally when…
