Biodiversity
South32 shares slugged as WA alumina refinery comes under cloud
South32 will slash $830 million off the value of its WA alumina business in response to proposed environmental protections the miner says threaten the viability of its operations in the state.
- by Peter Milne
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Marine life
Scientists baffled at government’s ‘killing blow’ for Penguin Island
Fresh building works tendered for Penguin Island during the breeding season could be the killing blow for the already diminished population, scientists say.
- by Holly Thompson
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Renewables
The simple fix that could reduce bird deaths from wind farms
Painting one blade black, or using stripes, on wind turbines is proven to dramatically reduce bird strikes. There are also high-tech solutions helping endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
‘Unpick the damage that’s been done’: Inside NSW plan to rein in rampant land-clearing
The Minns government will tighten land-clearing laws loosened by the Coalition in 2016 and strengthen the contentious biodiversity offsets scheme.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Rio ready to pull trigger on mega iron mine in sensitive rainforest
The mining giant is a step closer to digging up 1.5 billion tonnes of iron ore over the next 26 years in Guinea’s Simandou mountains, a sensitive habitat for endangered chimpanzees.
- by Simon Johanson
Common product banned around the world is killing our owls
Powerful owls predate on possums, snatching as many as 250 a year. But those possums are increasingly falling prey to another predator: rat poison.
- by Bianca Hall
WA jarrah forest clearing given green light for Worsley bauxite mining
The OK for South32 to clear 39 square kilometres of jarrah forest near Boddington has been slammed as disgraceful by environmental groups.
- by Peter Milne
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Environmental protection
Dead owls are piling up in my freezer: Perth scientists take a stand
“Enough is enough”, say Australia’s top wildlife experts, sick and tired of mass native wildlife deaths from a source they say the public is not aware of.
- by Claire Ottaviano
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City life
Measures meant to protect our last grasslands are seeing them trashed
Thirty-six conservation areas in Melbourne’s growth corridor contain some of the last intact grasslands in Australia, but just three are in good health.
- by Adam Carey
Only the lonely: How regent honeyeaters are learning to sing again
The critically endangered birds made worldwide headlines when researchers discovered they were losing their songs. Now, there are signs efforts to teach them are working.
- by Bianca Hall
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Planning
Can the powerful owl and a flying fox save this north shore zone from development?
In a summons filed in the Land and Environment Court, Ku-ring-gai Council claims the government failed to give due consideration to critical habitat and threatened species.
- by Michael Koziol