Mudgee District Environment Group
The Mid-Western Region has a beautiful and diverse natural environment, with many hidden treasures and a landscape that opens the heart. Local musician Robbin Binks describes it well ‘Orange rays on sandstone cliffs, Trees form a bluey mist, Apple gums litter the ground, Dropping branches all around…Dust hangs on the […]
Flying foxes are intelligent and remarkable. These unique animals help regenerate our forests and keep ecosystems healthy through pollination and seed dispersal. Many other species of plants and animals rely upon them for their survival and wellbeing. Flying foxes, like bees, help drive biodiversity, and faced with the threat of […]
Australia’s fruit bats (aka flying foxes) are doing it tough. Some species have declined by 95% in the last century — with further decline predicted. These sensitive animals are particularly susceptible to heat, and unforgiving Aussie summers have led to mass-deaths of fruit bats. Here are five great reasons why we should […]
A kiss under the mistletoe is a Christmas tradition. However, the benefits of this parasitic plant extend well beyond just encouraging human romance! Recent study of the ecology and interactions of Australia’s 90 native species of this little sucker reveal a positive effect on diversity and ecosystem health. Dr David […]
Many animals and birds have highly refined survival systems thanks to the way they co-operate socially. Techniques vary from very specific roles for various members of the group, to ‘all hands-on-deck’ to raise the young of the species or to protect the group (or colony) from predators. Think about a […]
Next time you accidentally stand on a line of foraging meat ants, take a moment after you have jumped, slapped and scratched to consider how helpful they are!…yes, really! Our Aussie meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus) don’t live anywhere else on the planet, and they do us a great service. Likewise […]
Summer sounds are cuckoo calls Any time from early October locals hear the calls of two very intriguing feathered visitors. Variously called the Christmas bird or storm bird, these names might refer to the Eastern Koel, or to the Channel-billed Cuckoo. Although different in many ways they are both cuckoos. […]
Many of our neighbours in the natural world don’t need a calendar to tell them it is getting close to Christmas. Here is an introduction to two creatures you might see at this time of year. Christmas beetle ‘Most of us would be familiar with the brightly-coloured and glossy Christmas […]
“Wind power is currently the cheapest source of large-scale renewable energy. It involves generating electricity from the naturally occurring power of the wind. Wind turbines capture wind energy within the area swept by their blades. They produce a power output proportional to the air density and the wind speed cubed. […]
Two reports made public on 8th October 2018 have the potential to change our region, our country and our world. How we respond to them will decide the nature of that future. The first was presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). “One of the key messages that […]