R[0]="1369"; T[0]="Snowy River finally gets its water back"; A[0]="By ... Editor"; Dn[0]="20020607"; Dt[0]="Friday 7 June 2002"; Acats[0]="a37a40a42a91"; B1[0]="      The Victorian, New South Wales, South Australian and Commonwealth governments have agreed to release environmental flows into the Snowy and Murray rivers.... "; B2[0]=" "; B3[0]=" "; B4[0]=" "; B5[0]=" "; S1[0]="      The Victorian, New South Wales, South Australian and Commonwealth governments have agreed to release environmental flows into the Snowy and Murray rivers.
"; S2[0]="       The agreement follows last week's signing of documents to allow the corporatisation of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority.
      Up "; S3[0]=" to 70 gigalitres of water will be released into the Murray River each year and almost 300 gigalitres a year will be released into the "; S4[0]=" Snowy.
      Federal Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane says the agreement on environmental flows has been a long time coming.
      'After "; S5[0]=" 50 years we're finally turning the tap on again in terms of environmental flows down the Murray and down the Snowy,' Mr Macfarlane said.
  "; S6[0]="     'In terms of outcomes for farmers, they would be well pleased that their interests have been protected but also ensured that the environment "; S7[0]=" is protected at the same time.' The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has welcomed the Federal Government's final stamp on a plan to release new water "; S8[0]=" into the Snowy and Murray Rivers.
      The flows will come mostly through water savings, with $375 million allocated for projects to reduce "; S9[0]=" evaporation from irrigation channels.
      The ACF's Jen Guice says it'll be hard work to find the water, but at least the agreement "; S10[0]=" is in place.
      'I think it's going to take some time to get the savings required but I think the will is "; S11[0]=" now there and both the states and Commonwealth by signing off on all this and coming on board show that we can find these savings "; S12[0]=" and we're going to have to look at finding savings on a very grand scale.'.. "; R[1]="1328"; T[1]="New catalogue of Australia's land and water resources"; A[1]="By ... Editor"; Dn[1]="20020525"; Dt[1]="Saturday 25 May 2002"; Acats[1]="a37a38a40a90"; B1[1]="      A comprehensive catalogue of the latest information and data on Australia's land, water and vegetation resources is now available, with the release "; B2[1]="today by the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss, of the latest report of the National Land and Water Resources Audit... "; B3[1]=" "; B4[1]=" "; B5[1]=" "; S1[1]="      A comprehensive catalogue of the latest information and data on Australia's land, water and vegetation resources is now available, with the release "; S2[1]=" today by the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss, of the latest report of the National Land and Water Resources Audit.
  "; S3[1]="     Australian Natural Resources Information 2002 lists all the data available free over the Internet from the Audit via the Australian Natural Resources Atlas "; S4[1]=" www.environment.gov.au/atlas.
      'This catalogue will be of particular interest to Australia's land managers - government, industry, communities and individuals - because it will "; S5[1]=" provide more up-to-date information to help them make better natural resource management decisions,' Mr Truss said.
      'It will help groups implementing programs "; S6[1]=" such as Landcare, Bushcare, Rivercare and Coastcare to better target their works.' Mr Truss said the Audit had developed partnerships between agencies in all States, "; S7[1]=" Territories and the Commonwealth, including a commitment to share information, now and into the future.
      'This catalogue streamlines community access to the "; S8[1]=" range of data and information compiled by the Audit in partnership with government, industry and research organisations,' he said.
      'In March, I "; S9[1]=" announced that the Government had decided to extend the work of the Audit beyond 30 June this year, when it was due to have ended.
"; S10[1]="       'Australian Natural Resources Information 2002 provides a plan to ensure the work of the Audit is not lost, and provides directions to "; S11[1]=" continue updating the information - keeping it current and relevant.
      'Identifying priority areas, like those recognised under the National Action Plan for "; S12[1]=" Salinity and Water Quality, is essential if we are to maximise returns from our investment and track improvements,' Mr Truss said.
      The "; S13[1]=" Australian Natural Resources Information 2002 is available on the Australian Natural Resources Atlas - www.environment.gov.au/atlas - or by faxing (02) 6257 9518 or emailing info@nlwra.gov.au... "; R[2]="1304"; T[2]="Rangelands status report released"; A[2]="By ... Editor"; Dn[2]="20020525"; Dt[2]="Saturday 25 May 2002"; Acats[2]="a38a42"; B1[2]="      Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss today released a report that gives Australians access to the most up-to-date system for monitoring and assessing "; B2[2]="the status of the continent's rangelands... "; B3[2]=" "; B4[2]=" "; B5[2]=" "; S1[2]="      Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss today released a report that gives Australians access to the most up-to-date system for monitoring and assessing "; S2[2]=" the status of the continent's rangelands.
      Announcing details of the report, Rangelands - Tracking Changes, at the ABARE Regional Outlook Conference in "; S3[2]=" Dubbo, Mr Truss said it could underpin management actions to maintain, protect and develop Australia's rangelands.
      'The rangelands, which comprise the central "; S4[2]=" arid regions of the continent, cover about 75 per cent of Australia and have unique social, cultural and environmental characteristics,' Mr Truss said.
    "; S5[2]="   'They provide a base and home for an enormous range of people and industries - from pastoralism to mining and tourism across regional centres, "; S6[2]=" from provincial cities to Indigenous communities and remote properties.
      'The report and development of a national framework for assessing Australia's rangelands has "; S7[2]=" been a valued collaborative effort between the four rangeland States (NSW, Queensland, SA and WA), the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth.' The landmark report produced "; S8[2]=" by the National Land and Water Resources Audit, a program of the Commonwealth Government's Natural Heritage Trust, provides a summary of economic, social and environmental "; S9[2]=" information on Australia's rangelands at national and regional levels.
      'For example, the report shows that land set aside by farmers and governments "; S10[2]=" for nature conservation has increased 15-fold since the 1950s,' Mr Truss said.
      Rangelands - Tracking Changes collates information on land, water and "; S11[2]=" vegetation resources and, for the first time, provides insights into changes in land tenure across rangelands Australia.
      Rangelands is one of seven "; S12[2]=" themes covered by the National Land and Water Resources Audit.
      More information is available at www.nlwra.gov.au... "; R[3]="1301"; T[3]="Better use of saline land for grazing"; A[3]="By ... Editor"; Dn[3]="20020521"; Dt[3]="Tuesday 21 May 2002"; Acats[3]="a37a43a84"; B1[3]="      Producer groups are being invited to register their interest to participate in research into the better use of saline land for grazing.... "; B2[3]=" "; B3[3]=" "; B4[3]=" "; B5[3]=" "; S1[3]="      Producer groups are being invited to register their interest to participate in research into the better use of saline land for grazing.
"; S2[3]="       The national Land, Water and Wool Sustainable Grazing from Saline Land program in Western Australia will enable farmers to explore ideas to "; S3[3]=" increase the returns from salinity.
      WA network leader, Justin Hardy from the Department of Agriculture said the program provided producer groups with "; S4[3]=" funding and technical support to initiate research to improve productivity from grazing saline land.
      The Sustainable Grazing from Saline Land (SGSL) program, "; S5[3]=" a component of the Land, Water and Wool initiative between Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) and Land and Water Australia, is worth about $8 million "; S6[3]=" nationally over five years.
      It includes financial support from Meat and Livestock Australia.
      Mr Hardy said the new program "; S7[3]=" aimed to turn saline land into a profitable asset by combining the practical ideas and know-how of producers with the technical knowledge of scientists.
  "; S8[3]="     'Traditionally most landholders have regarded saline land as a liability, although a small number of individuals have proved the opposite,' he said.
  "; S9[3]="     'The SGSL program supports wool and sheep producers who want to validate positive experiences or test new ideas for making grazing on saline "; S10[3]=" land more productive, profitable and sustainable.' Land, Water and Wool was now seeking expressions of interest from producer groups who wanted to get involved in "; S11[3]=" this research.
      Mr Hardy said assistance was also available for groups who had ideas but required help to determine local needs and "; S12[3]=" the best areas of research to pursue.
      'About 20 projects covering a wide range of areas and grazing themes in the South "; S13[3]=" West will initially be selected.
      Existing producer groups will be targeted for participation following strong messages from producers during early stage consultation,' "; S14[3]=" Mr Hardy said.
      Technical assistance and financial support would be provided to groups participating in the Land, Water and Wool Sustainable Grazing "; S15[3]=" from Saline Land program, with an average of $10,000 available for individual projects.
      Individual farmers would not be able to apply for "; S16[3]=" funding to support their own research, but were encouraged to join the SGSL network so they could share information with other producers and producer groups "; S17[3]=" in the network.
      For an information sheet, expression of interest form or for further details, producers should call the free Cropline number "; S18[3]=" on 1800 068 107... "; R[4]="1221"; T[4]="On the menu: new website for Native Foods"; A[4]="By ... Editor"; Dn[4]="20020501"; Dt[4]="Wednesday 1 May 2002"; Acats[4]="a37a55a78a81"; B1[4]="      A new website that supports the development of the Australian Native Food Industry has recently been launched.... "; B2[4]=" "; B3[4]=" "; B4[4]=" "; B5[4]=" "; S1[4]="      A new website that supports the development of the Australian Native Food Industry has recently been launched.
      Developed with "; S2[4]=" the backing of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation,the site (www.nativecrops.com.au/industry) aims to support industry efforts at forming a National representative organisation by 2003.
"; S3[4]="       Currently, the Native Food Industry is organised into regional and crop-specific associations and commercial networks,however the Industry does not yet have a "; S4[4]=" national or umbrella organization to represent the sector as a whole.
      In the past, several unsuccessful attempts have been made by Federal "; S5[4]=" and State government agencies and Industry associations to foster the development of a body that is broadly representative of the Australian Native Food Industry.
  "; S6[4]="     Following a proposal by Australian Native Crop Development Services and with funding by the RIRDC, a website designed to meet these objectives was "; S7[4]=" established in February this year.
      The website is produced for,about,and by the Australian Native Plant Food Industry and is the Industry's national "; S8[4]=" forum for development issues and an information resource for all those interested in the Native Food Industry.
      It provides a profi le "; S9[4]=" of the Industry, covering the main crops and production regions, as well as the associations and cooperatives; processors and marketers; and support services active in "; S10[4]=" the Industry... "; R[5]="1220"; T[5]="Trees, water and salt"; A[5]="By ... Editor"; Dn[5]="20020501"; Dt[5]="Wednesday 1 May 2002"; Acats[5]="a37a39a42a43"; B1[5]="      A cutting-edge guide to using farm forestry to combat soil salinity has been launched by the Joint Venture Agroforestry Program.... "; B2[5]=" "; B3[5]=" "; B4[5]=" "; B5[5]=" "; S1[5]="      A cutting-edge guide to using farm forestry to combat soil salinity has been launched by the Joint Venture Agroforestry Program Australia's primary "; S2[5]=" producers will be better equipped to manage the problems associated with salinity and rising water tables, following the March 7 release of a landmark new "; S3[5]=" publication by the Joint Venture Agroforestry Program (JVAP).
      Launched by Federal Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Warren Truss, Trees, Water and "; S4[5]=" Salt: an Australian Guide to Using Trees for Healthy Catchments and Productive Farms is designed to enable the more accurate placement of trees to maximise "; S5[5]=" their impact on dryland salin- ity and also the economic productivity of tree plantings.
      RIRDC research manager Dr Roslyn Prinsley said is "; S6[5]=" vital to increase tree plantings on farms as part the solution to salinity and a challenge is to ensure the profi tability of landholders is "; S7[5]=" not reduced.
      'Landholders generally wish to adopt farm forestry systems that complement, rather than replace, the agricultural systems to which they are "; S8[5]=" accustomed.
      'We therefore need integrated solutions that are practical and profi table to allow our highly skilled landholders to more effectively manage "; S9[5]=" dryland salinity and rising watertables.' Dr Prinsley said it is important to remember that diffi culties can also become opportunities and if we manage salinity "; S10[5]=" and water fl ows correctly then we can generate jobs and wealth in rural and regional Australia.
      'This new publication by the "; S11[5]=" Joint Venture Agroforestry Program (JVAP) is the most up-to- date,readable and useful book yet published on agroforestry and salinity,' she said..
      Written "; S12[5]=" by a team of hydrologists and foresters and drawing strongly on new research,the book shows how to use trees successfully to halt rising watertables -and "; S13[5]=" therefore combat salinity -while also providing farmers with income.
      Dr Prinsley said it also explains how to determine the best location,arrangement and "; S14[5]=" management of trees for both watertable control and tree growth.
      'This new publication will be a vital resource for catchment managers,LandCare groups,farmers "; S15[5]=" and private forest growers.' A summary of this book can be read online at: http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/AFT/01-086.pdf.
      The full version is only available in "; S16[5]=" printed form and can be purchased direct from RIRDC... "; R[6]="1209"; T[6]="Pastoralists take on the sustainability"; A[6]="By ... Editor"; Dn[6]="20020501"; Dt[6]="Wednesday 1 May 2002"; Acats[6]="a02a04a37a57"; B1[6]="      These days, if you want to sell your products, it seems that image matters, even for producers in the outback.... "; B2[6]=" "; B3[6]=" "; B4[6]=" "; B5[6]=" "; S1[6]="      These days, if you want to sell your products, it seems that image matters, even for producers in the outback.
    "; S2[6]="   The Department of Agriculture has commended pastoralists in the Gascoyne-Murchison region of the State who are working hard to verify their 'clean green' image.
"; S3[6]="       Department environmental officer Lucy Taylor said increasingly, the community, government and even consumers want proof that agriculture is clean and green.
  "; S4[6]="     'Producers are being asked for evidence of safe, 'clean' products and environmentally responsible 'green' production practices,' she said Ms Taylor said the managers "; S5[6]=" of Challa, Minilya and Winderie stations developed quality assurance and environmental management systems to help them demonstrate their commitment to safe, quality products and responsible "; S6[6]=" rangeland management.
      'These systems act as a springboard from which the stations can launch a 'clean, green' promotion,' she said.
    "; S7[6]="   'The 2002 Gascoyne Business Expo will include a display about quality assurance and environmental management in the rangelands.
      'Garments made from "; S8[6]=" Challa Station's Merino wool be on display, along with details of how producers are getting 'clean and green' in the rangelands.'.. "; R[7]="1205"; T[7]="Primary Industries Ministerial Council -outcomes"; A[7]="By ... Editor"; Dn[7]="20020501"; Dt[7]="Wednesday 1 May 2002"; Acats[7]="a04a08a37a38"; B1[7]="      Primary Industries Ministers from around the country, and including New Zealand, met in Hobart today for the first time as the Primary "; B2[7]="Industries Ministerial Council (PIMC)... "; B3[7]=" "; B4[7]=" "; B5[7]=" "; S1[7]="      Primary Industries Ministers from around the country, and including New Zealand, met in Hobart today for the first time as the Primary "; S2[7]=" Industries Ministerial Council (PIMC).
      This new Council was set up by the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers to develop and promote "; S3[7]=" sustainable, innovative and profitable agriculture, fisheries/aquaculture, food and forestry industries.
      The background to the establishment of the Council is that for "; S4[7]=" primary industries such as these to continue to exist, and for Australians in general to continue to enjoy a high standard of living, primary industries "; S5[7]=" based on the use of natural resources must operate in a sustainable manner.
      The Council is chaired by the Hon Warren Truss, "; S6[7]=" MP, Commonwealth Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
      The new Council will focus on the full breadth of primary industries and the "; S7[7]=" issues that underpin them.
      Specific matters dealt with by the Council today are detailed below.
      FMD/BSE issues -Ministers noted "; S8[7]=" that 'it is widely recognised that Australia has a sound animal disease emergency response capability.
      However, we must be constantly vigilant in "; S9[7]=" ensuring our systems retain and improve upon animal health, production and emergency management systems.
      Failure to do so could not only be "; S10[7]=" devastating for the agriculture sector, but also for the broader economy'.
      The Council heard that work on FMD preparedness and response capability "; S11[7]=" was comprehensive and progressing and simulation exercises to test the whole of government approach will be conducted in September and evaluated by Ministers at their "; S12[7]=" next meeting.
      Amendments to the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Rendering of Animal Products The Council agreed to amend its Australian "; S13[7]=" Standard for the Hygienic Rendering of Animal Products to require all rendered products derived from mammalian material to be labelled with the same warning, whether "; S14[7]=" for domestic use or destined for export markets.
      This confirms Australia's commitment to effective global management of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
  "; S15[7]="     This change clarifies the labelling requirements for rendered products.
      Exceptional Circumstances Council members expressed general support for a proposed "; S16[7]=" new package for arrangements for Exceptional Circumstances support, including maintaining the current eligibility criteria.
      There was general agreement to continue farm family "; S17[7]=" welfare measures and to broaden the scope of farm business support to provide new flexibility so assistance will be more broadly accessible, benefiting more farmers.
"; S18[7]="       Without compromising the overall package for EC, details will be further developed by officials for consideration by Ministers.
      There "; S19[7]=" was particular support for a new consultative and inclusive application and assessment process.
      However, Ministers were unable to reach agreement on funding "; S20[7]=" and it was decided that Minister Truss would write to the State Treasurers to outline the new proposals, the increased State involvement in the process "; S21[7]=" and the requirement for a financial commitment from the States to match the increased responsibilities.
      Enhanced partnership between states/territories and the Commonwealth "; S22[7]=" on quarantine policy Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to work co-operatively to develop effective nationally cohesive biosecurity policy.
      They agreed to confirm their "; S23[7]=" partnership approach in an exchange of letters to supplement their continuing commitment to implementing the SPS Agreement as articulated in the 1995 Memorandum of Understanding "; S24[7]=" on Animal and Plant Quarantine Measures.
      The Council agreed that the current level of definition of Appropriate Level of Protection meets Australia's "; S25[7]=" current needs.
      Council members from all Australian jurisdictions are committed to addressing differences in regional pest and disease status and risks through "; S26[7]=" early and comprehensive cooperation as part of the import risk analysis process.
      Trade policy developments Ministers were briefed on key international trade "; S27[7]=" policy developments.
      It was acknowledged that the Doha World Trade Organisation (WTO) Round had a positive start.
      It will "; S28[7]=" be important to continue the pressure for trade reform in line with the Australian and Cairns Group agricultural reform agenda.
      The United "; S29[7]=" States Farm Bill is a major blow to Australia's agricultural interests.
      Further detailed analytical work on the Farm Bill provisions will be "; S30[7]=" undertaken to get a clearer picture of the dimensions of the likely impacts.
      The mid-term review of Europe's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) "; R[8]="1192"; T[8]="New plant tissue technique has higher strike rate"; A[8]="By ... Editor"; Dn[8]="20020501"; Dt[8]="Wednesday 1 May 2002"; Acats[8]="a17a38a55a93"; B1[8]="      In Vitro Soil (IVS) is a new plant tissue culture technique for propagating plants which have been difficult or impossible to produce "; B2[8]="using traditional tissue culture methods... "; B3[8]=" "; B4[8]=" "; B5[8]=" "; S1[8]="      In Vitro Soil (IVS) is a new plant tissue culture technique for propagating plants which have been difficult or impossible to produce "; S2[8]=" using traditional tissue culture methods.
      For the first time in the history of plant tissue culture, IVS addresses the problem of poor "; S3[8]=" root strike on micro-propagated plants and offers a culture strategy that will have wide application not only in WA but in the rest of Australia "; S4[8]=" and the world.
      IVS integrates modern propagation nursery practices with tissue culture techniques.
      Plants with IVS grown root systems "; S5[8]=" acclimatise more easily into the nursery system because they establish normal photosynthetic capacity quickly once they leave the lab.
      Traditional tissue cultured "; S6[8]=" plants really struggle at this point and the results are poor and unpredictable.
      Plant tissue culture is a propagation method based on "; S7[8]=" the principle of selecting elite individual plants from a population and then cloning that individual to capture the genetic benefit of the desirable variation it "; S8[8]=" possesses.
      Selected plants targeted for tissue culture propagation could include specialised specimens.
      This might be a plant that is "; S9[8]=" fast growing, or has high fruit or flower stem numbers, has a high oil content (or some other chemical), possesses a unique or desirable flower "; S10[8]=" colour, a specific flowering time, could be disease resistant or selected for general novelty.
      The process of plant tissue culture has four "; S11[8]=" basic stages · Stock plant selection: where a plant is chosen, prepared and introduced into culture.
      The goal here is to establish "; S12[8]=" healthy plant material in vitro.
      · Stock management: Plant material is encouraged to grow and is repeatedly sub cultured to increase stock "; S13[8]=" volume.
      There are a number of ways to do this.
      The goal is to produce micro-cuttings capable of root "; S14[8]=" strike.
      · Root strike: Micro-cuttings are placed on a media that induces roots to develop and grow.
      The goal "; S15[8]=" of to ensure root development.
      This is where IVS fits in.
      IVS improves root strike and growth on micro-cuttings "; S16[8]=" by forward integrating sterile porous propagation mix into this stage.
      · Nursery establishment: The goal of this stage is the production of "; S17[8]=" healthy tube stock in the nursery that can be used and grown for some purpose.
      For example, this tube-stock cloned from an "; S18[8]=" elite stock plant selection might be used for revegetation, planting out or commercial sale... "; R[9]="1191"; T[9]="New plant propagation technique set to boost landcare"; A[9]="By ... Editor"; Dn[9]="20020501"; Dt[9]="Wednesday 1 May 2002"; Acats[9]="a17a38a55"; B1[9]="      A new plant tissue culture propagation technique has been developed in Western Australia and is predicted to revolutionise the use of plants "; B2[9]="for landcare... "; B3[9]=" "; B4[9]=" "; B5[9]=" "; S1[9]="      A new plant tissue culture propagation technique has been developed in Western Australia and is predicted to revolutionise the use of plants "; S2[9]=" for landcare.
      The In Vitro Soil (IVS) system, developed at the Department of Agriculture, WA offers an effective way to propagate a "; S3[9]=" range of woody plants and trees, previously beyond the reach of landcare managers and conservationists.
      Researcher Chris Newell spent two years developing "; S4[9]=" the IVS technique to overcome problems of low root initiation percentages and poor root development in tissue cultured plants.
      IVS has the "; S5[9]=" potential to save some threatened and endangered Australian native plant species.
      'The problem of root strike in woody plants has limited the "; S6[9]=" application of plant tissue culture propagation worldwide, however, many plants and trees once considered 'too hard' can now be propagated, including some Australian plants,' Mr "; S7[9]=" Newell said.
      'IVS has been successfully tested with a wide range of Australian woody ornamentals that are classed as stubborn or weak "; S8[9]=" rooters and has produced exceptional results.' Mr Newell said early indications were that IVS would also work well on tree species.
      'For "; S9[9]=" example, if 20 Jarrah trees, selected for dieback resistance, were cultivated using traditional plant tissue culture propagation techniques, it is possible that up to half "; S10[9]=" of them would not strike roots, limiting their potential use,' Mr Newell said.
      'With IVS, it is anticipated that all 20 could "; S11[9]=" be successfully propagated, which has significant implications for landcare and conservation.' Mr Newell said the objective of any propagation activity, regardless of whether it was "; S12[9]=" for research and development or for commercial application, was the production of hardened-off tube-stock.
      He said IVS offers plant propagators with a "; S13[9]=" plant tissue culture laboratory the opportunity to produce desirable selections in commercial volumes for a variety of reasons including tree farming, forestry, conservation and land "; S14[9]=" management.' 'This means that the selection and production of plants from the bush or other breeding programs is now more likely than ever in the "; S15[9]=" history of plant tissue culture propagation,' Mr Newell said 'These superior selections could then be established in statistically valid assessment trials, planted into seed orchards "; S16[9]=" and plantations or simply conserved in botanical collections.
      'Now a wide range of selections based on conservation values, the rate of growth, "; S17[9]=" a desirable phenotype (shape), disease resistance, or chemical content (for example oil) can be propagated successfully using IVS technology.' IVS has proven to work well "; S18[9]=" with a wide range of Australian plants, including woody plants such as Eucalyptus, and gives consistent and reliable results.
      IVS increases the "; S19[9]=" rate and the final percentage of root strike and also increases the rate of root development by replacing solid agar medium with a sterile propagation "; S20[9]=" mix of peat, sand and perlite.
      Consequently roots that grow in IVS systems are more like naturally occurring root systems compared with "; S21[9]=" roots that grow in traditional agar based systems.
      Agar is a gel devoid of oxygen that is used as propagation medium in "; S22[9]=" traditional tissue lab culture systems.
      IVS has the potential to lower production costs by lowering plant losses, improving material handing rates and "; S23[9]=" shortening times in the propagation area.
      The IVS culture system integrates well with the modern nursery, is readily available and does not "; S24[9]=" require a large amount of expensive retrofitting... "; R[10]="1176"; T[10]="Trees not the answer to salinity: hydrologist"; A[10]="By ... Editor"; Dn[10]="20020416"; Dt[10]="Tuesday 16 April 2002"; Acats[10]="a37a43"; B1[10]="      Tree planting has failed to perform as expected as a tool to combat dryland salinity, according to Department of Agriculture hydrologist Richard "; B2[10]="George... "; B3[10]=" "; B4[10]=" "; B5[10]=" "; S1[10]="      Tree planting has failed to perform as expected as a tool to combat dryland salinity, according to Department of Agriculture hydrologist Richard "; S2[10]=" George.
      Recent evidence showed that tree planting was not a viable way of preventing rising saline water tables, the basic cause of "; S3[10]=" dry land salinity, he said.
      Interest was shifting to engineering solutions such as deep drains.
      Dr George said that "; S4[10]=" drains had been studied since 1975 and results had been poor or mixed.
      But some new schemes put in by farmers, such "; S5[10]=" as the Narembeen project, had achieved surprising results using 20-tonne excavators which penetrated into the porous cemented subsoil.
      It was not fair "; S6[10]=" to criticise agencies for not promoting drains.
      They had been shown to work in some places but in other soil types recent "; S7[10]=" results were poor.
      Other obstacles to landscape drainage were getting agreement from downstream landholders, including those whose land would act as sumps "; S8[10]=" for the highly saline water.
      The saline water at Narembeen was acidic.
      This could kill aquatic life and carry "; S9[10]=" dissolved metals.
      There were problems designing drains to avoid silting up and collapse, Dr George said.
      CSIRO hydrologist Tom "; S10[10]=" Hatton, who is heading the evaluation of Narembeen and other drainage schemes, said options could not be measured against what the landscape was once like.
"; S11[10]="       Recovery depended on having people making a viable living from the land.
      Abandoning the land would lead to further "; S12[10]=" degradation... "; R[11]="1175"; T[11]="Farmers' salt victory"; A[11]="By ... Editor"; Dn[11]="20020416"; Dt[11]="Tuesday 16 April 2002"; Acats[11]="a37a42a43"; B1[11]="      One of the world's biggest privately funded drainage schemes is turning thousands of hectares of salt-wasted land back into productive ground, according "; B2[11]="to Wheatbelt farmer John Hall... "; B3[11]=" "; B4[11]=" "; B5[11]=" "; S1[11]="      One of the world's biggest privately funded drainage schemes is turning thousands of hectares of salt-wasted land back into productive ground, according "; S2[11]=" to Wheatbelt farmer John Hall.
      But he says that it is no thanks to government agencies which spend millions of dollars having "; S3[11]=" conferences and doing more and more research.
      Mr Hall and about 20 other farmers around Narembeen have joined forces to establish an "; S4[11]=" 80km arterial drainage scheme across the shire.
      It began in 1996 with a 2m deep channel which drained westwards through the Narembeen "; S5[11]=" townsite to the headwaters of the Avon River.
      Since the drain was cut, fortnightly pumping of hotel cellars and garage pits has "; S6[11]=" ceased, flood damage has been cut and up to 10,000 kilolitres a day of brine flows into a lake system west of Narembeen.
    "; S7[11]="   Dying trees in low-lying areas along the channel have come back to life and abandoned fields have been reclaimed.
      The productive "; S8[11]=" land is worth about $700 a hectare.
      Wheat crops yielding four tonnes a hectare have been grown on land which earlier could "; S9[11]=" produce less than a tonne.
      And land cropped for the first time in 30 years has yielded 1.5 tonnes, almost the district "; S10[11]=" average, only two years after the drain was built across the barren scald of dryland salinity.
      This scourge of the Wheatbelt has "; S11[11]=" claimed 1.8 million hectares or 10 per cent of agricultural land since the deep-rooted perennial native vegetation was replaced with shallow-rooted annual crops.
    "; S12[11]="   But, according to Mr Hall, agencies including Conservation and Land Management, Agriculture, Water and Rivers and Environmental Protection have failed in their duty to "; S13[11]=" achieve results.
      At the same time they have put big obstacles in the way of using drainage to combat salinity.
    "; S14[11]="   'The trouble is, they each have their own little piece of territory to protect and there's no one to see the big picture and "; S15[11]=" achieve real outcomes,' Mr Hall said.
      'How many acres have they made productive again? One? Ten? 'We have done thousands, and without "; S16[11]=" a dollar of government money.
      The results speak for themselves.' But not loudly enough to get full support from the State Government.
"; S17[11]="       While the State and Federal governments continue to negotiate over the stalled $1.4 billion national action plan for salinity and water quality "; S18[11]=" announced in 2000, the Narembeen farmers have found nearly $3 million and, according to Mr Hall, have got their money back.
      Up "; S19[11]=" to 300 people a year visit Hall Farms, 11km east of Narembeen, to see the project and details of it are posted on a Web "; S20[11]=" site.
      Initial findings of a CSIRO-Department of Agriculture evaluation have found that the project is working effectively.
      The study "; S21[11]=" was sponsored by the 60 per cent grower-funded Grains Research and Development Corporation... "; R[12]="1168"; T[12]="Salinity impact on cotton worse than expected"; A[12]="By ... Editor"; Dn[12]="20020416"; Dt[12]="Tuesday 16 April 2002"; Acats[12]="a15a37a38a43"; B1[12]="      The threat of salinity developing across the major cotton producing regions of central and north-west New South Wales has always been rated "; B2[12]="as low... "; B3[12]=" "; B4[12]=" "; B5[12]=" "; S1[12]="      The threat of salinity developing across the major cotton producing regions of central and north-west New South Wales has always been rated "; S2[12]=" as low.
      And while the area affected by salinity is currently small, the potential impact of predicted changes in irrigation water quality "; S3[12]=" could eventually have a major impact on cotton production.
      NSW Agriculture researcher, Dr Nilantha Hulugalle, said changes in ground water quality have "; S4[12]=" been detected in the Lower Namoi Valley over the last five years.
      'Our research has shown that the uptake of essential plant "; S5[12]=" nutrients such as potassium can be altered by relatively small increases in soil and water salinity,' he said.
      'Because cotton has a "; S6[12]=" high demand for potassium and salinity reduces its uptake, then cotton yields could be reduced.' Increases in water salinity also cause cotton growth reduction due "; S7[12]=" to chloride toxicity.
      Dr Hulugalle said new research is planned that will enable a better understanding of the potential impact of predicted "; S8[12]=" changes in irrigation water quality to cotton production.
      'The research will not only assess the impact of salinity on cotton production, but "; S9[12]=" also develop practical management solutions for growers,' he said.
      'In order to do this, current farming systems and irrigation strategies will be "; S10[12]=" examined to see what effect they have on salinity and how they may need to change as the quality of irrigation water declines.' The potential "; S11[12]=" risk of salinity increasing in the Macquarie and Namoi River systems over the next decade was highlighted in the 2000 State Salinity Strategy.
    "; S12[12]="   Deep drainage under furrow irrigation systems is known to contribute to the movement of salts through the soil profile.
      This may "; S13[12]=" reduce the accumulation of salts in the root zone of the cotton crop.
      However, high levels of deep drainage reduces water use "; S14[12]=" efficiency and can increase the long-term salinity hazard by contributing to the establishment of shallow water tables and deterioration of ground water quality.
    "; S15[12]="   The new research being planned in collaboration with the Australian Cotton Cooperative Research Centre will examine the impact that changes in soil and water "; S16[12]=" salinity have on cotton production.
      It will also come up with management strategies to minimise deep drainage.
      The work "; S17[12]=" will involve evaluating the impact of total crop water use, crop rotations, and the effect that tillage and stubble management strategies have on salinity and "; S18[12]=" deep drainage... "; R[13]="1163"; T[13]="Cheap toxic algae test offers better control"; A[13]="By ... Editor"; Dn[13]="20020417"; Dt[13]="Wednesday 17 April 2002"; Acats[13]="a37a40a42a91"; B1[13]="      Kim Fergusson, a 25-year-old University of SA PhD student, has developed a new test for detecting toxic blue-green algae - its cheap, "; B2[13]="fast and good She hopes the new test will help eliminate vast algal blooms and waterway closures by providing an early-warning system that is simple "; B3[13]="and easy to use... "; B4[13]=" "; B5[13]=" "; S1[13]="      Kim Fergusson, a 25-year-old University of SA PhD student, has developed a new test for detecting toxic blue-green algae - its cheap, "; S2[13]=" fast and good She hopes the new test will help eliminate vast algal blooms and waterway closures by providing an early-warning system that is simple "; S3[13]=" and easy to use.
      Current tests for the toxins produced by the algae cost up to $600, meaning councils, land owners and "; S4[13]=" the water industry usually only test when absolutely necessary - mostly when algal blooms have spread throughout the waterway.
      Mrs Fergusson's test "; S5[13]=" only costs a few dollars, enabling cheap routine testing.
      She said the new test would lead to a preventive program of monitoring "; S6[13]=" rather than a reactive, hasty clean-up.
      'This is about creating an early warning system,' she told the Adelaide Advertiser.
      "; S7[13]=" 'Current systems mean it can be too late by the time it is detected and then the waterway has to be closed.
      "; S8[13]=" With my test, it shouldn't get to that stage.' Mrs Fergusson's research has also cut the testing period from a week to a day, meaning "; S9[13]=" treatment can begin earlier.
      Present treatments include the artificial mixing of the water, flushing the waterway or chemical intervention.
      "; S10[13]=" Mrs Fergusson's test has proved so revolutionary that it recently won her the national Young Water Scientist of the Year Award.
      It "; S11[13]=" works by tracking the blue-green algae's DNA in water, in a similar way to police forensic testing.
      She said her next task "; S12[13]=" was to make the test commercially viable.
      At present water samples have to be taken back to the laboratory for testing.
  "; S13[13]="     However, she hopes to develop a dip-stick type of test.
      'This would be great for people at the source doing "; S14[13]=" the testing, and also for people in remote communities who aren't able to get samples tested quickly,' she said.
      The test does "; S15[13]=" not just have local uses - Zimbabwe, the American state of Florida, Brazil and South Africa all have major problems with the algae.
    "; S16[13]="   'There would be huge commercial interest in it, so it is really a very exciting thing to be working on,' Mrs Fergusson said.
  "; S17[13]="     'People may think algae is boring and not important, but my research will help save money, reduce time and play an important role "; S18[13]=" in public and animal health and safety.
      'It really is very rewarding.'.. "; R[14]="1162"; T[14]="$25m for extra flows in the River Murray"; A[14]="By ... Editor"; Dn[14]="20020416"; Dt[14]="Tuesday 16 April 2002"; Acats[14]="a37a40a42a91"; B1[14]="      Over the next six months a range of water-saving projects will be examined to try to deliver an extra 30 billion litres "; B2[14]="of water into the River Murray... "; B3[14]=" "; B4[14]=" "; B5[14]=" "; S1[14]="      Over the next six months a range of water-saving projects will be examined to try to deliver an extra 30 billion litres "; S2[14]=" of water into the River Murray.
      SA and Victorian government officials have been given six months to report on potential projects to "; S3[14]=" be financed by a new $25 million environmental fund.
      Work will begin as soon as the projects are identified.
      "; S4[14]=" Premier Mike Rann and Victorian Premier Steve Bracks signed the agreement yesterday while travelling on a houseboat along the Murray.
      Mr Bracks "; S5[14]=" flew in to Murray Bridge by helicopter for the signing and left straight afterwards.
      Victoria will give $15 million to the fund "; S6[14]=" by June 30 but SA's contribution will not have to be paid until 2005.
      'Never before have we had this level of "; S7[14]=" co-operation,' Mr Rann said.
      Mr Bracks said the River Murray Environmental Flows Fund was 'an instalment for the future'.
      "; S8[14]=" 'There is a long way to go but we are putting our money where our mouth is,' he said.
      The extra water "; S9[14]=" will be in addition to the 70 gigalitres given to the Murray in a trade-off for SA agreeing to the Snowy River getting more water.
"; S10[14]="       Mr Rann and Mr Bracks said huge potential water savings could be made along the Murray just through improved irrigation practices and "; S11[14]=" by reducing losses through evaporation and seepage.
      Australian Conservation Foundation land and water co-ordinator Tim Fisher said the deal was a 'positive "; S12[14]=" step in the right direction'.
      'It's a welcome commitment that can only help progress us towards the broader objective of more flow "; S13[14]=" in the Murray,' he said.
      'But we need 15 to 20 times that figure for a notable improvement in the health of "; S14[14]=" the Murray.' Murray Bridge mayor Allan Arbon said the Murray was the lowest he had seen it 'in years'.
      'It appears to "; S15[14]=" be in crisis,' he said.
      'We certainly need more water in the river.' Opposition Leader Rob Kerin said any additional flows into "; S16[14]=" SA were welcome but he wanted to know how much extra water would flow into SA and when.
      'Last year, we were "; S17[14]=" the first state to sign off the $100 million national salinity action plan,' he said.
      'This project has been substantially held up "; S18[14]=" by Labor states delaying agreement to the plan.'.. "; R[15]="1160"; T[15]="Exclusion of commercial fishers could boost tourism"; A[15]="By ... Editor"; Dn[15]="20020404"; Dt[15]="Thursday 4 April 2002"; Acats[15]="a34a37a44"; B1[15]="      Queensland's peak recreational fishing body says the exclusion of commercial operators from six key fishing areas would boost tourism and spending in "; B2[15]="regional economies... "; B3[15]=" "; B4[15]=" "; B5[15]=" "; S1[15]="      Queensland's peak recreational fishing body says the exclusion of commercial operators from six key fishing areas would boost tourism and spending in "; S2[15]=" regional economies.
      On Friday, Sunfish will submit applications to the Queensland Fisheries Service to create recreational only fishing areas off Brisbane, Mackay, "; S3[15]=" Townsville, Hervey Bay and Weipa.
      Chief executive officer David Bateman told the ABC that it will take a lot of consultation with "; S4[15]=" the commercial fishing industry, conservationists and indigenous groups, but he is confident of success.
      'I think we have an excellent chance of "; S5[15]=" getting some or parts or all of them over the next five years,' he said.
      'I think there'll be quite a few "; S6[15]=" of them actually declared in the next two to three years.' The Queensland Seafood Industry Association says it will oppose the applications for recreational fishing "; S7[15]=" areas.
      The association's president, John Olsen, says commercial operators cannot afford to lose access to more fishing grounds.
      'Oh "; S8[15]=" look, we simply have been squeezed down and squeezed down in available fishing area over a great number of years because of management restrictions that "; S9[15]=" have been on the commercial sector for decades, and it's slowly wound the commercial industry down, down, down,' he said... "; R[16]="1149"; T[16]="Invasive weed cause swimming ban"; A[16]="By ... Editor"; Dn[16]="20020404"; Dt[16]="Thursday 4 April 2002"; Acats[16]="a37a42a44a48a85"; B1[16]="      Adelaide's West Lakes have been closed to all activity as concerns grow over the spread of an exotic weed.... "; B2[16]=" "; B3[16]=" "; B4[16]=" "; B5[16]=" "; S1[16]="      Adelaide's West Lakes have been closed to all activity as concerns grow over the spread of an exotic weed.
      "; S2[16]=" Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) said the ban - which includes swimming, boating and windsurfing - would remain in force for one month.
"; S3[16]="       A ban was applied to fishing last week.
      That ban was also extended to the Port River as a "; S4[16]=" marine survey was also launched to check on the spread of the weed, Caulerpa taxifolia.
      PIRSA marine habitat program manager Vic Neverauskas "; S5[16]=" said surveys would continue for the next month.
      In the meantime, he said it was important that the weed was not disturbed.
"; S6[16]="       'Because the seaweed can establish a new plant from a very small piece of an existing plant, even if it has been "; S7[16]=" out of the water for 10 days, PIRSA is concerned that people may inadvertently spread the seaweed,' he explained.
      PIRSA said the "; S8[16]=" weed was not harmful to humans but was distasteful to marine species and reduced biodiversity because it was invasive.
      In other countries "; S9[16]=" where the weed had been found whole fisheries have been decimated.
      Marine experts said it was capable of colonising most of South "; S10[16]=" Australia's marine waters.
      It had previously been found in some areas of Queensland and NSW... "; R[17]="1143"; T[17]="NEW Envirofund helping local groups make a difference"; A[17]="By ... Editor"; Dn[17]="20020404"; Dt[17]="Thursday 4 April 2002"; Acats[17]="a37a45"; B1[17]="      More Australians are set to become involved in improving their local environment under a new community-focused program of the Commonwealth Government's $2.5 "; B2[17]="billion Natural Heritage Trust... "; B3[17]=" "; B4[17]=" "; B5[17]=" "; S1[17]="      More Australians are set to become involved in improving their local environment under a new community-focused program of the Commonwealth Government's $2.5 "; S2[17]=" billion Natural Heritage Trust.
      The $20 million Australian Government Envirofund was launched today by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr "; S3[17]=" David Kemp, and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss.
      'The Australian Government Envirofund takes the Natural Heritage Trust into "; S4[17]=" a new phase of community-based funding,' Dr Kemp said.
      'Its simplified application process will allow community groups or individuals to apply for "; S5[17]=" funding of up to $30,000 to help protect the conservation values of their local area.
      'The success of the Natural Heritage "; S6[17]=" Trust hinges on the commitment of regional communities in identifying local environmental and natural resource management problems, developing local solutions and working cooperatively to implement "; S7[17]=" them.
      'The Australian Government Envirofund recognises that every idea and every effort - no matter what size - can make a "; S8[17]=" difference.
      Small local projects will help to ensure that our unique biodiversity is protected and our rich resources are sustained for the "; S9[17]=" next generation,' Dr Kemp said.
      Minister Truss said that over the past six years, the Natural Heritage Trust has funded some terrific "; S10[17]=" work in our community.
      'For example, a number of school groups have received funding under the Trust - in the Northern Territory, "; S11[17]=" Dundee School was allocated $2,900 to create a nature walk along the Dundee Beach coast.
      In Gippsland Victoria, Paynesville Primary School was "; S12[17]=" allocated $1,100 to conserve three precious frog communities by re-establishing and developing a wetland habitat in their area.
      'In a larger project, "; S13[17]=" WA's Julimar Road Creek Catchment Group was allocated $23,100 to ease salinity and create wildlife corridors through fencing, tree planting and stream restoration work.
  "; S14[17]="     'In Queensland 14 landowners were allocated $3,700 to implement sustainable agriculture, water quality and erosion control measures on the last natural 11 kilometre "; S15[17]=" stretch of Ned's Gully, in an effort to improve the quality of water discharge into nearby Kings Creek.
      'These four projects illustrate "; S16[17]=" the diversity of projects that the Australian Government Envirofund will be able to support.
      'Dr Kemp and I strongly encourage community groups "; S17[17]=" around the country to apply for funding from the Australian Government Envirofund to help make a real difference in their local areas,' Minister Truss said.
"; S18[17]="       Community groups interested in applying for funding of up to $30,000 under the Australian Government Envirofund should obtain a copy of the "; S19[17]=" Guide to Applications, or an Expression of Interest form if they need advice on the feasibility of their project.
      Community groups wishing "; S20[17]=" to apply for funding can do so up until 5 June 2002.
      Application Guides and Expression of Interest forms are available "; S21[17]=" by calling toll-free on 1800 065 823, or by looking on the Internet at www.nht.gov.au... "; R[18]="1130"; T[18]="British farmers to be paid for best practices"; A[18]="By ... Editor"; Dn[18]="20020329"; Dt[18]="Friday 29 March 2002"; Acats[18]="a02a04a37a38a42a72"; B1[18]="      British farmers are to be paid to open their farms to demonstrate the highest standards of animal welfare and green practices.... "; B2[18]=" "; B3[18]=" "; B4[18]=" "; B5[18]=" "; S1[18]="      British farmers are to be paid to open their farms to demonstrate the highest standards of animal welfare and green practices.
  "; S2[18]="     These model farms must also be profitable and use the most up-to-date business techniques.
      At a farming seminar yesterday, Tony "; S3[18]=" Blair gave the go-ahead for a pilot network to be set up before the end of the year.
      The farms will be "; S4[18]=" part of the government strategy to help farmers to increase their incomes and earn higher prices for their produce.
      Up to six "; S5[18]=" 'beacon' farms are planned for each region; each will specialise in a sector of agriculture.
      They will be chosen by a panel "; S6[18]=" of veterinary, environmental, farming, food and business experts.
      The offensive is part of a package designed to revive the country's ailing farm "; S7[18]=" industry.
      Among other developments are tough new controls on the import of meat, including the use of dogs to check baggage at "; S8[18]=" airports; more continental-style farm co-operatives; and the creation of a Food Chain Centre to help farmers to increase their profits and to cut out bureaucracy "; S9[18]=" and middlemen in the food chain.
      Mr Blair told the Times that reform of the common agriculture policy was inevitable.
    "; S10[18]="   He was unable, however, to give the signal for greener farming that was the centrepiece of the recent report on the industry by Sir "; S11[18]=" Don Curry.
      The industry overhaul is now unlikely before September.
      With the Treasury keen to limit public spending, it "; S12[18]=" is increasingly uncertain whether Margaret Beckett, the Rural Affairs Secretary, will be able to secure the £500 million needed to implement the reforms.
    "; S13[18]="   Sir Don, during the meeting with Mr Blair and industry representatives, said bluntly that piecemeal selection of his proposals was not acceptable.
    "; S14[18]="   He said later: 'One recommendation is dependent on another and we cannot achieve the refocusing of our industry unless the report is adopted in "; S15[18]=" total.' Environmental groups were also pessimistic that the Treasury would block farming reforms.
      The National Trust said: 'The Government's slow progress on "; S16[18]=" farm policy reform risks triggering further review and debate instead of driving forward the momentum for change.'.. "; R[19]="1119"; T[19]="Banana prawns turn nutrient rich waste water into profit"; A[19]="By ... Editor"; Dn[19]="20020326"; Dt[19]="Tuesday 26 March 2002"; Acats[19]="a17a34a37a42"; B1[19]="      Department of Primary Industries research is suggesting prawn farmers could lower waste water nutrient levels and generate extra revenue by stocking waste "; B2[19]="treatment ponds with banana prawns... "; B3[19]=" "; B4[19]=" "; B5[19]=" "; S1[19]="      Department of Primary Industries research is suggesting prawn farmers could lower waste water nutrient levels and generate extra revenue by stocking waste "; S2[19]=" treatment ponds with banana prawns.
      Fisheries biologist with the Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences Dr Paul Palmer said aquaculture farmers could "; S3[19]=" gain multiple benefits from culturing banana prawns.
      'The banana prawns are not fed by the farmer, instead they grow on algae and "; S4[19]=" detritus produced by nutrients and organics in discharge waters feeding into treatment ponds.
      As a result farmers should receive an extra crop "; S5[19]=" that is easily marketed plus gain lower on-farm residual organic wastes in a strategy aimed towards reducing environmental impacts.' Dr Palmer said.
      "; S6[19]=" He said most prawn farms have settlement ponds to treat wastewater prior to discharge or reuse.
      Researchers at the DPI's Bribie Island "; S7[19]=" Aquaculture Research Centre (BIARC) are receiving favourable reports from five participating farms in southern Queensland on survival and growth of banana prawns that were stocked "; S8[19]=" into their settlement ponds at low densities.
      'Banana prawns are more omnivorous than the commonly farmed black tiger prawn, and they have "; S9[19]=" been observed at BIARC to feed and grow exclusively on the fine surface algae (periphyton) that grows in an enriched pond environments.' 'DPI has investigated "; S10[19]=" ways in the past two years of remediating or improving water quality, allowing producers to profit from waste.
      Fisheries researchers studied mullet "; S11[19]=" in small scale pilot studies to reduce prawn waste nutrient levels.
      This year the project, funded by the National Heritage Trust, moves "; S12[19]=" into farm sized systems and already banana prawns are looking very good as a means of reducing nutrients in settlement ponds and generating extra revenue.' "; S13[19]=" Dr Palmer said.
      Over 280,000 banana prawn postlarvae were stocked into treatment ponds in mid November 2001 to investigate survival and growth "; S14[19]=" in this type of management system.
      Dr Palmer said growth at one farm appears to have been exceptional, reaching an average size "; S15[19]=" of 17g 80 days after stocking.
      This demonstrates that the banana prawn is an excellent candidate for future bioremediation research, The work "; S16[19]=" is also confirming Australian and overseas evidence that it is an excellent species for aquaculture, he said.
      He said that fisheries scientists "; S17[19]=" will test whether the farm scale system can remove the bulk of nitrogen in waste waters while also developing new techniques and knowledge using a "; S18[19]=" permanent pilot remediation system.
      The system is being commissioned at BIARC, funded by the State Government Aquaculture Industry Development Imitative, which will "; S19[19]=" underpin long term and ongoing development of bioremediation technologies.
      Dr Palmer said 'To date we have produced and tested 13 different families "; S20[19]=" of banana prawns - only the best will be bred, so we may be able to improve on the natural efficiency of banana prawns as "; S21[19]=" bioremediators.' 'We hope to go State-wide with this approach, ultimately producing between 50-100 tons of prawns in settlement ponds, removing nutrients otherwise destined for our "; S22[19]=" oceans.' he said... "; R[20]="1109"; T[20]="Draft water management plan for Victoria's Kiewa River"; A[20]="By ... Editor"; Dn[20]="20020320"; Dt[20]="Wednesday 20 March 2002"; Acats[20]="a37a40a42"; B1[20]="      Sustainable management of rivers in Victoria's north-east took a major step forward today with the launch of the draft Kiewa Stream Flow "; B2[20]="Management Plan by the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Ms Sherryl Garbutt, this week... "; B3[20]=" "; B4[20]=" "; B5[20]=" "; S1[20]="      Sustainable management of rivers in Victoria's north-east took a major step forward today with the launch of the draft Kiewa Stream Flow "; S2[20]=" Management Plan by the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Ms Sherryl Garbutt, this week.
      The plan is designed to share stream flows "; S3[20]=" between all users in this economically important and environmentally valuable catchment, she said.
      Ms Garbutt said the draft plan was prepared by "; S4[20]=" a consultative committee representing major stakeholder and interest groups.
      'We need to manage our rivers for the benefit of future generations and "; S5[20]=" sound management plans are central to achieving that goal,' she said.
      'We believe that this sort of planning must be done to "; S6[20]=" ensure a catchment's future as well as maintain its present use.
      'On a more positive note we should pay tribute to the "; S7[20]=" committee who have worked so hard to get to this point, because this is a truly tremendous effort.' Ms Garbutt said that the committee has "; S8[20]=" had difficult issues to deal with in working through sustainable water allocations for the Kiewa River 'This river presents serious challenges, it is largely unregulated, "; S9[20]=" there are real demand issues during the summer and there are environmental issues such as erosion and vegetation clearance,' she said.
      'Moving "; S10[20]=" from summer to winter extraction by the use of off-stream dams, together with other strategies on pumping extraction rates, water trading and use of groundwater, "; S11[20]=" are just some of the constructive solutions presented by the committee.' 'The progress made on establishing strategies to meet the minimum flow requirements is impressive "; S12[20]=" and I look forward to the communities views on the draft plan.' 'The Water (Irrigation Farm Dams) Bill currently before Parliament provides an essential foundation "; S13[20]=" for the work being done on committees like the Kiewa SFMP.
      'Farmers need to make plans secure in the knowledge that someone "; S14[20]=" immediately upstream is not going to construct an unlicensed catchment dam that will capture their summer flow.
      'That it why flow mangement "; S15[20]=" plans are the backbone of the Bracks Government's Farm Dams Bill, which is currently stalled in parliament by the Opposition.
      'This simple "; S16[20]=" conclusion is somehow beyond the Liberal party who continue to argue we should sit and wait until a river is stressed before a stream flow "; S17[20]=" management plan is required.
      'This is exactly the sort of reactive and short-sighted behaviour we have come to expect from a party "; S18[20]=" with no ideas and clearly does not care about sensitive environmental issues.
      'I encourage everyone with an interest in the plan to "; S19[20]=" make a submission before 7 June 2002, so that the committee can present a final plan for my consideration.' Copies of the draft plan are "; S20[20]=" available from Goulburn Murray Water by ringing 5833 5500... "; R[21]="1107"; T[21]="Plans for Shoalhaven dam shelved"; A[21]="By ... Editor"; Dn[21]="20020320"; Dt[21]="Wednesday 20 March 2002"; Acats[21]="a37a40"; B1[21]="      New South Wales Government plans to build a dam in the upper catchment of the Shoalhaven River have been shelved indefinitely and "; B2[21]="a nature reserve will be put in its place... "; B3[21]=" "; B4[21]=" "; B5[21]=" "; S1[21]="      New South Wales Government plans to build a dam in the upper catchment of the Shoalhaven River have been shelved indefinitely and "; S2[21]=" a nature reserve will be put in its place.
      New South Wale's Environment Minister, Bob Debus, says a 6,000 hectare Nature Reserve "; S3[21]=" will be created as a result of a decision to indefinitely defer construction of the Welcome Reef Dam, north of Braidwood.
      He "; S4[21]=" says this is largely due to improved water conservation in the past decade, which has reduced water consumption in metropolitan Sydney.
      Mr "; S5[21]=" Debus says taxpayers have saved at least $1 billion and some endangered species have benefited.
      'On the one hand we save a "; S6[21]=" river valley and on the other we save a very large amount of money that taxpayers would otherwise have to pay,' he said.
    "; S7[21]="   'The whole thing, of course, [is] dependent on our continued success in persuading citizens of metropolitan Sydney to better conserve the water they use.'.. "; R[22]="1099"; T[22]="Murray water crisis looms"; A[22]="By ... Editor"; Dn[22]="20020319"; Dt[22]="Tuesday 19 March 2002"; Acats[22]="a37a40a42"; B1[22]="      With emergency irrigation restrictions in force on both sides of the Murray River, the Department of Land and Water Conservation says the "; B2[22]="worst could be still to come... "; B3[22]=" "; B4[22]=" "; B5[22]=" "; S1[22]="      With emergency irrigation restrictions in force on both sides of the Murray River, the Department of Land and Water Conservation says the "; S2[22]=" worst could be still to come.
      All licensed irrigators in the Murray region between Yarrawonga and the Darling River junction are banned "; S3[22]=" from pumping between 8:00am and 2:00pm until next Monday and the restrictions could be increased.
      Separate restrictions have been introduced by Murray "; S4[22]=" Irrigation Limited and Western Murray Irrigation.
      The Department's Murray regional director, David Harriss, told the ABC that demand for water has peaked "; S5[22]=" late in the season because of more summer immigration.
      'There's also another issue that Menindee Lakes is now dry and we won't "; S6[22]=" be able to supply South Australia's water supply next year unless it rains during winter,' he said.
      'If that's the case we're "; S7[22]=" going to have to provide additional volumes through the Murray Valley which is going to mean restrictions like we've imposed so far are likely to "; S8[22]=" be the norm next year unless we get decent rainfall in the Darling catchment during winter.' Mr Harriss says there is a problem getting the "; S9[22]=" water through the Barmah choke.
      'We've been having to run the river tighter and tighter and there's been a substantial amount of "; S10[22]=" irrigation development in the lower reaches of the river which, of course, is adding demand at these periods of peak demand.'.. "; R[23]="1090"; T[23]="New WA planning policies to protect agricultural land."; A[23]="By ... Editor"; Dn[23]="20020315"; Dt[23]="Friday 15 March 2002"; Acats[23]="a02a04a38a90"; B1[23]="      Two new State planning policies will enhance rural land use planning and help ensure the State's most valuable farming land remains in "; B2[23]="production... "; B3[23]=" "; B4[23]=" "; B5[23]=" "; S1[23]="      Two new State planning policies will enhance rural land use planning and help ensure the State's most valuable farming land remains in "; S2[23]=" production.
      Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan today released a 'Statement of Planning Policy No.
      11 - Agricultural and "; S3[23]=" Rural Land Use Planning', and announced that the Western Australian Planning Commission had adopted Policy No.
      DC 3.4 - Subdivision of Rural "; S4[23]=" Land.
      Ms MacTiernan said the Statement of Planning Policy would help guide local governments in preparing town planning schemes and local planning "; S5[23]=" strategies.
      'The aim is to achieve a better balance in protecting the State's productive agricultural land, and sustaining an industry worth more "; S6[23]=" than $5billion annually,' she said.
      'Agricultural industries can be affected both by a loss of land to non-agricultural uses and by restrictions "; S7[23]=" due to the proximity of urban settlement or other incompatible activities.' This new policy simplifies agricultural land zoning into two types, Priority Agriculture and General "; S8[23]=" Agriculture.
      'The Priority Agriculture zone provides greater protection for agricultural areas with State, regional or local significance, from land uses which compete "; S9[23]=" or are incompatible with agricultural activity,' Ms MacTiernan said.
      'Any proposal to establish non-agricultural uses in these areas will have to be "; S10[23]=" accompanied by an Agricultural Impact Assessment.
      'General Agriculture zones can include a diversity of rural activities, but this applies to areas considered "; S11[23]=" of lesser significance.
      'Neither zoning will exclude uses or activities already existing within them and both will allow for new agricultural uses "; S12[23]=" and activities at the discretion of the local government.' Residential, rural-residential and rural smallholdings zones provide for more intensive settlement consistent with local government settlement "; S13[23]=" strategies.
      The policy also introduces measures to enable local governments to better protect and manage water and other environmental resources, and to "; S14[23]=" provide for mining and other resource industries.
      'Policy DC 3.4 complements the statement of planning policy by setting out specific principles that "; S15[23]=" will be used by the Western Australian Planning Commission in determining applications for the subdivision of rural land,' Ms MacTiernan said... "; R[24]="1072"; T[24]="Bugs return to Blue Mountains water"; A[24]="By ... Editor"; Dn[24]="20020308"; Dt[24]="Friday 8 March 2002"; Acats[24]="a37a38a40a42"; B1[24]="      A decade ago the wild waterfalls and streams of the Blue Mountains were a foaming mess - polluted, undrinkable and, in some "; B2[24]="cases, dangerous to touch... "; B3[24]=" "; B4[24]=" "; B5[24]=" "; S1[24]="      A decade ago the wild waterfalls and streams of the Blue Mountains were a foaming mess - polluted, undrinkable and, in some "; S2[24]=" cases, dangerous to touch.
      Poorly treated sewage from about 80,000 residents, raw effluent from 14,000 unsewered homes and leakages from pipes flowed "; S3[24]=" into tiny water courses that made their way into wilderness areas such as the Grose.
      Generations of hikers were warned not to "; S4[24]=" drink from, or wash in, streams.
      Today those same streams are recovering, with all but three of the mountains' antiquated sewage treatment "; S5[24]=" plants having been decommissioned.
      As the chemicals and pollutants have disappeared, armies of invertebrates have returned to the streams, indicating that the "; S6[24]=" water is returning to pure.
      Reducing pollution has become more imperative since the Blue Mountains were World Heritage listed in 2000.
  "; S7[24]="     The story of the recovery is best told by looking under a rock in one of the creeks in the Wentworth Falls area.
"; S8[24]="       Before the treatment plants were decommissioned, most underwater life consisted of worms, fly larvae and snails - all indicators of poor river "; S9[24]=" health.
      Those same micro-habitats are now home to tiny organisms that have not been seen in the waters around Wentworth Falls for "; S10[24]=" generations: mayflies, stoneflies and dragonfly larvae.
      An aquatic ecologist with Sydney Water, Ian Wright, says: 'If you turn a rock over in "; S11[24]=" a stream and you see worms, then it's a rule of thumb that it is a sick creek.
      If you get a "; S12[24]=" diverse range of forms, shapes and movements, it gives you an indication that there's good biological life there.' Sydney Water is using 1100 organisms - "; S13[24]=" including worms, molluscs, bivalves, crustacea and insects - from the Greater Sydney Region, including the Blue Mountains, to assess the health of the water in "; S14[24]=" the areas formerly affected by pollution.
      Mr Wright says that previously, 'you would see greyness, foaming and cloudy water'.
      "; S15[24]=" Now, many of the worst areas, such as around Leura and Wentworth Falls, seem drinkable.
      The streams around Wentworth Falls are officially "; S16[24]=" regarded as 'clean'.
      Some of the other waterways, though, are still affected by urban problems such as stormwater run-off.
      "; S17[24]=" An environmental impact study is looking at shutting down the Mount Victoria and Blackheath treatment plants.
      Most of the sewage will be "; S18[24]=" pumped into the Hawkesbury-Nepean River.
      The director of the Total Environment Centre, Jeff Angel, welcomed the diversion of sewage effluent to more "; S19[24]=" modern plants, where there is more potential to re-use treated water... "; R[25]="1071"; T[25]="Clashes over dwindling crayfish stocks in Torres Strait"; A[25]="By ... Editor"; Dn[25]="20020308"; Dt[25]="Friday 8 March 2002"; Acats[25]="a34a37a42a88"; B1[25]="      Commercial fishermen in north Queensland are considering taking up arms to defend themselves against what they say are unprovoked attacks on them "; B2[25]="by Torres Strait islanders... "; B3[25]=" "; B4[25]=" "; B5[25]=" "; S1[25]="      Commercial fishermen in north Queensland are considering taking up arms to defend themselves against what they say are unprovoked attacks on them "; S2[25]=" by Torres Strait islanders.
      As figures suggest that lucrative stocks of lobsters are falling sharply in Torres Strait waters because of overfishing, "; S3[25]=" island leaders warn they will move to restrict commercial fishing if a native title claim lodged over the 48,000-square-kilometre area is successful.
      "; S4[25]=" Tensions between islanders and the fishing industry have been mounting since two Murray Island men were found not guilty in the Cairns District Court in "; S5[25]=" February last year of armed robbery.
      Benjamin Nona and George Gese had held up a licensed fisherman, David Rhodes, with a spear "; S6[25]=" and taken his catch of coral trout.
      The court found that the men had a traditional right to the fish and had "; S7[25]=" therefore not acted illegally.
      Mr Rhodes's employer, Cairns fishing operator Bob Lloyd, said he has had enough of threats from islanders.
  "; S8[25]="     'They're saying, 'give us the fish or we'll kill you' - it's just robbery.
      They're waving machetes and spears in "; S9[25]=" our faces.
      Imagine what that's like.
      Our blokes are terrified.' Mr Lloyd said that as the system had failed "; S10[25]=" him, he reserved the right to defend his employees.
      'They've got their spears, so we have to have something.
      "; S11[25]=" A gun is a good idea.
      We're not going to stand by and let them take our fish anymore.
      "; S12[25]=" I'm going to shoot them if they try to take my fish.' The vice-president of the Queensland Seafood Industry Association, Barry Ehrke, said the incident "; S13[25]=" was not isolated, with similar confrontations being reported every few weeks.
      'Our people have a legal right to be there; they can't "; S14[25]=" just be told to get out,' he said.
      'The islanders think that fishing belongs to them and nobody else, but three trawler "; S15[25]=" licences have been made available to them for years and they haven't been taken up.' Australian Fisheries Management Authority figures show catches of rock lobster, "; S16[25]=" the Torres Strait's most prized stock, are declining, from 240 tonnes in 1998 to 150 tonnes in 2000.
      The chairman of the "; S17[25]=" Torres Strait Regional Authority, Terry Waia, said commercial fishing licences would be reviewed if the sea claim is, as expected, successful.
      It "; S18[25]=" was lodged in the Federal Court last November.
      'Some of these licences will have to be given to the Torres Strait people,' "; S19[25]=" Mr Waia said.
      The chairman of the Yam Island Council, Getano Lui, said that islanders would tightly regulate commercial fishing activities when "; S20[25]=" they had title over the sea.
      'If it is seen as being detrimental to the environment, then some of these people could "; S21[25]=" be banned,' he said... "; R[26]="1055"; T[26]="Country Web focuses on natural resource management"; A[26]="By ... Editor"; Dn[26]="20020307"; Dt[26]="Thursday 7 March 2002"; Acats[26]="a04a37a42a46a48"; B1[26]="      People involved in natural resource management tell their stories in the current edition of The Country Web, produced by NSW Agriculture's Rural "; B2[26]="Women's Network... "; B3[26]=" "; B4[26]=" "; B5[26]=" "; S1[26]="      People involved in natural resource management tell their stories in the current edition of The Country Web, produced by NSW Agriculture's Rural "; S2[26]=" Women's Network.
      With a readership of some 20,000 people, The Country Web is an important communication avenue for rural women and their "; S3[26]=" families, providing a wealth of information and contacts.
      Editor, Sylvia Porss, said the 27th edition provides a broad overview on natural resource "; S4[26]=" management, an in-depth look at how decision-making operates, and the people putting ideas into practice.
      'There are a number of stories on "; S5[26]=" people who have turned their farms into viable and sustainable enterprises by good natural resource management practices,' she said.
      'Lucinda and Brian "; S6[26]=" Corrigan from Bowna are a good example - they now use an integrated property management plan for their Angus cattle farm with great results.
  "; S7[26]="     'Most of the changes come from what Lucinda learnt from the Sustainable Grazing Systems program run by Meat and Livestock Australia.
    "; S8[26]="   'Another story tells of how an Urbenville family went from a drought-devastated cattle property to a sustainable tourist recreation park by changing from a "; S9[26]=" slash and burn system to improved pasture and preservation of habitat.' The 27th edition explains the big three issues of natural resource management - water, "; S10[26]=" salinity and vegetation - and provides incentives to encourage people to get involved in finding solutions.
      It also covers recycling, conservation, organics "; S11[26]=" and has a handy pullout section crammed with natural resource management information, contacts and funding sources.
      Copies of the 27th edition and "; S12[26]=" previous editions featuring themes of 'volunteering' and 'Real people - Real Heroes' are available from Allison Windus at the Rural Women's Network on 6391 3620.
"; S13[26]="       Copies of The Country Web can also be accessed via the Internet at www.agric.nsw.gov.au/rwn... "; R[27]="1044"; T[27]="Integrated biosystems for sustainable development"; A[27]="By ... Editor"; Dn[27]="20020301"; Dt[27]="Friday 1 March 2002"; Acats[27]="a04a37a42"; B1[27]="      A new review of integrated biosystems has been published by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.... "; B2[27]=" "; B3[27]=" "; B4[27]=" "; B5[27]=" "; S1[27]="      A new review of integrated biosystems has been published by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.
      Integrated biosystems "; S2[27]=" make functional connections between agriculture, aquaculture, food processing, waste management, water use, and fuel generation.
      They encourage the dynamic flows of material "; S3[27]=" and energy by treating wastes and by-products of one operation as inputs for another.
      In this way food, fertiliser, animal feed and "; S4[27]=" fuel can be produced with the minimum input of nutrients, water and other resources.
      Biosystem integration can help achieve sustainability objectives by: "; S5[27]=" # treating the management of wastes and residues as a central design feature rather than as something external to themain production function; # specifying clear "; S6[27]=" performance indicators and measures of efficiency; # encouraging holistic, systems-level thinking in which the dynamics of interconnection and interdependence are as important as the components "; S7[27]=" that are connected; # providing a framework for flexible closed-loop applications over a wide range of contexts and spatial scales - e.g., in both rural "; S8[27]=" and urban situations, and at single property, sub-catchment and catchment levels; # allowing different specialist producers and neighbouring landholders to combine complementary expertise, equipment and "; S9[27]=" other infrastructure to mutual advantage; # increasing options for land use planning by placing the emphasis on the functional integration of complementary activities (e.g., by "; S10[27]=" using vermiculture to process wastes from dairy/pig/fish farming, or by combining cane/grain growing with fuel generation), rather than just coexistence.
      Sustainability objectives "; S11[27]=" will be best served by the progressive introduction of carefully planned integrated systems capable of satisfying food production, fuel and fertiliser needs with near-zero environmental "; S12[27]=" impacts.
      To this end, operational initiatives by individual producers and others will need to be complemented by legislative and government-led incentives, coordinated "; S13[27]=" research and development, and the incorporation of integrated biosystem principles in land use planning.
      Integrated biosystems make explicit connections between agriculture, "; S14[27]=" aquaculture, food processing, waste management, water use and fuel generation.
      They are life-support systems based on the dynamic flow of material and "; S15[27]=" energy, where wastes and by-products of one operation become inputs for another.
      In this way food, fertiliser, animal feed and fuel can "; S16[27]=" be produced with the minimum input of nutrients, water and other resources.
      In biosystem integration, the management of wastes and residues is "; S17[27]=" treated as a central design feature.
      Thus, in contrast to other production systems where waste disposal and remediation are essentially treated as "; S18[27]=" externalities, sustainable design features are intrinsic to integrated biosystems.
      Such design features include the following: # minimise resource inputs by redirecting 'waste' "; S19[27]=" outputs within the system; # contain material flows within the system; # treat production and consumption as a continuous cyclical process, rather than a linear "; S20[27]=" one; # tighten production-consumption loops to minimise losses, transport costs etc; # maximise efficiency of natural conversion processes (e.g., microbial decomposition and trophic links) and "; S21[27]=" of nutrient / water retention.
      For further information see http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/Ras/01-174.pdf.. "; R[28]="1036"; T[28]="The Country Web: focus on natural resources management"; A[28]="By ... Editor"; Dn[28]="20020228"; Dt[28]="Thursday 28 February 2002"; Acats[28]="a37a48a64"; B1[28]="      People involved in natural resource management tell their stories in the current edition of The Country Web, produced by NSW Agriculture's Rural "; B2[28]="Women's Network... "; B3[28]=" "; B4[28]=" "; B5[28]=" "; S1[28]="      People involved in natural resource management tell their stories in the current edition of The Country Web, produced by NSW Agriculture's Rural "; S2[28]=" Women's Network.
      With a readership of some 20,000 people, The Country Web is an important communication avenue for rural women and "; S3[28]=" their families, providing a wealth of information and contacts.
      Editor, Sylvia Porss, said the 27th edition provides a broad overview on natural "; S4[28]=" resource management, an in-depth look at how decision-making operates, and the people putting ideas into practice.
      'There are a number of stories "; S5[28]=" on people who have turned their farms into viable and sustainable enterprises by good natural resource management practices,' she said.
      'Lucinda and "; S6[28]=" Brian Corrigan from Bowna are a good example - they now use an integrated property management plan for their Angus cattle farm with great results.
"; S7[28]="       'Most of the changes come from what Lucinda learnt from the Sustainable Grazing Systems program run by Meat and Livestock Australia.
"; S8[28]="       'Another story tells of how an Urbenville family went from a drought-devastated cattle property to a sustainable tourist recreation park by changing "; S9[28]=" from a slash and burn system to improved pasture and preservation of habitat.' The 27th edition explains the big three issues of natural resource management "; S10[28]=" - water, salinity and vegetation - and provides incentives to encourage people to get involved in finding solutions.
      It also covers recycling, "; S11[28]=" conservation, organics and has a handy pullout section crammed with natural resource management information, contacts and funding sources.
      Copies of the 27th "; S12[28]=" edition and previous editions featuring themes of 'volunteering' and 'Real people - Real Heroes' are available from Allison Windus at the Rural Women's Network on "; S13[28]=" 6391 3620.
      Copies of The Country Web can also be accessed via the Internet at www.agric.nsw.gov.au/rwn... "; R[29]="1018"; T[29]="Salinity campaign condemned as a waste of money"; A[29]="By ... Editor"; Dn[29]="20020222"; Dt[29]="Friday 22 February 2002"; Acats[29]="a37a43"; B1[29]="      Former Labor minister Peter Walsh has condemned the Federal Government's $1.4 billion salinity plan as a waste of money likely to do "; B2[29]="little more than fund armies of bureaucrats... "; B3[29]=" "; B4[29]=" "; B5[29]=" "; S1[29]="      Former Labor minister Peter Walsh has condemned the Federal Government's $1.4 billion salinity plan as a waste of money likely to do "; S2[29]=" little more than fund armies of bureaucrats.
      Speaking at the Pastoralists and Graziers'Association annual conference, Mr Walsh said the plan was the "; S3[29]=" latest in a series of government-funded schemes since the 1980s.
      'So far, most of this money has been wasted on political stunts, "; S4[29]=" conceived in ignorance, wishful thinking and bureaucratic empire building,' he said.
      'There is little reason to believe the latest will be better "; S5[29]=" spent.' Mr Walsh, who was finance minister in the Hawke government, accused the National Farmers'Federation and the Australian Conservation Foundation of getting into bed together "; S6[29]=" in the quest for funding.
      He said the alliance which had promoted the development of the landcare movement showed a lack of "; S7[29]=" knowledge of economics and agriculture and a penchant for authoritarian solutions.
      Federation president Ian Donges and foundation director Don Henry, who shared "; S8[29]=" the panel at the conference, said the alliance was necessary to raise public awareness of salinity and environmental degradation.
      Mr Henry said "; S9[29]=" the Australian urban public felt cut off from the country but was prepared to pay to protect the rural environments.
      Mr Donges "; S10[29]=" said there were points of disagreement with the foundation but sitting at the same table helped build common ground.
      He said the "; S11[29]=" major problem faced by farmers was getting recognition of the right to farm or, where this was taken away for perceived community good, gaining compensation.
"; S12[29]="       Mr Walsh said public investment to prevent salinity and environmental degradation would bring regulations imposed by people and agencies who were ignorant "; S13[29]=" of the local environment or serving other agendas.
      They included the demands of green pressure groups which had caused what he said "; S14[29]=" was the gratuitous sacrifice of 1000 timber workers in WA.
      'The public policy processes were decoupled from science and empirical knowledge in "; S15[29]=" favour of secular religious fundamentalism and spurious moral vanity,' he said.
      Mr Walsh said agriculture might not be subject to the same "; S16[29]=" political decree as forestry but its viability could be devastated by cultists who took affluence for granted, ignorant that it was a product of the "; S17[29]=" things they wanted to ban or curtail.
      'These people may have noticed that countries mostly in Africa which practise something close to "; S18[29]=" their organic farming ideal are the countries in which malnutrition, starvation and disease are most prevalent,' he said... "; R[30]="1000"; T[30]="Benefits from reduced use of chemical sprays"; A[30]="By ... Editor"; Dn[30]="20020218"; Dt[30]="Monday 18 February 2002"; Acats[30]="a03a37a42"; B1[30]="      The environment and primary producers could be the winners from Department of Primary Industry trials studying the impact that reduced levels of "; B2[30]="chemical sprays have on beneficial and pest insects... "; B3[30]=" "; B4[30]=" "; B5[30]=" "; S1[30]="      The environment and primary producers could be the winners from Department of Primary Industry trials studying the impact that reduced levels of "; S2[30]=" chemical sprays have on beneficial and pest insects.
      Kingaroy entomologist Hugh Brier with the Agency of Food and Fibre Sciences, said researchers "; S3[30]=" would continue trialing low rates of current pesticides in mungbeans.
      Trials to date indicate that dramatically lower rates of some insecticides can "; S4[30]=" give a high level of control of green and brown mirids in mungbeans, but have a markedly reduced impact on beneficial insects.
      "; S5[30]=" Mr Brier said three trials were staged in mungbeans at Pittsworth, Kingaroy and Cambooya during 2001 and 2002.
      The chemical dimethoate was "; S6[30]=" applied at eighth, quarter, half and full rates; 62.5, 125, 250 and 500 ml/ha respectively.
      Researchers found that dimethoate at 250mL/ha gave "; S7[30]=" control of pest mirids equal to that achieved at 500 mL/ha, but had markedly less impact on beneficial insects.
      Dimethoate at rates "; S8[30]=" lower than 250 mL/ha gave unsatisfactory control of mirids, particularly of adults, but had even lesser impact on beneficials.
      However, the addition "; S9[30]=" of salt in small quantities greatly improved the performance of dimethoate against mirids at rates less than 250 mL/ha, but did not adversely impact on "; S10[30]=" beneficials.
      Under some circumstances, rates as low as 20 percent of the current registered rate can give satisfactory mirid control, depending on "; S11[30]=" the number of mirids in a crop, the stages of mirids present, and the stage of crop development.
      Mr Brier said further "; S12[30]=" efficiency and plant safety trials are required to secure the registration of low rates of dimethoate and also dimethoate plus salt mixtures in mungbeans.
  "; S13[30]="     He said there was considerable community interest in the results, as the projects promoted the adoption of sustainable and environmentally friendly pest management "; S14[30]=" practices, and the reduced and more responsible use of pesticides.
      'Creating a cleaner and greener agricultural environment requires considerable baseline research to "; S15[30]=" develop sustainable pest-management practices that are viable for rural industries and that meet community expectations.
      'The message at this stage of the "; S16[30]=" current DPI/GRDC funded Pulse IPM project are that farmers can reduce unnecessary pesticide use in pulses conserving beneficial insects and reducing the flaring of heliothis.
"; S17[30]="       This also has obvious benefits for the rural environment.' Mr Brier said.
      'Trials during 2001 confirmed that mirids are "; S18[30]=" major pests of mungbeans and also that mirid sprays increase the risk of subsequent heliothis attack, because the sprays at the currently registered rate (500 "; S19[30]=" mL/ha) kill many of the beneficial insects attacking heliothis.' 'In some cases, mirid spraying is necessary.
      Spraying significant mirid populations, averaging 4 "; S20[30]=" per square metre, in a Kingaroy trial significantly improved yield and crop value by $200/ha, despite increased heliothis activity.
      However spraying low "; S21[30]=" mirid populations, fewer than 0.33 mirids per metre, in other trials significantly reduced yield because of subsequent increased heliothis activity.' Mr Brier said He said "; S22[30]=" data from recent trials have enabled scientifically backed mirid thresholds to be developed.
      While these thresholds need to be verified in the "; S23[30]=" 2002 season, mirid data generated to date have greatly reduced the mungbean industry's fear and uncertainty of these pests.
      Mr Brier said "; S24[30]=" to address environmental concerns, while at the same time protecting crop value, the project was also investigating less toxic new generation mirid sprays, and the "; S25[30]=" use of non-toxic additives to reduce the rates and costs of these products.
      He said, 'Further trials were planned for 2002 to "; S26[30]=" refine mirid pesticide recommendations'.
      Mr Brier said reliable sampling protocols have been developed for mirids in mungbeans and would be refined over "; S27[30]=" the coming season in conjunction with scouts and agronomists with the assistance of Pulse Australia and the Australian Mungbean Association... "; R[31]="989"; T[31]="'Voluntary Conservation Agreements': First for Gold Coast"; A[31]="By ... Editor"; Dn[31]="20020213"; Dt[31]="Wednesday 13 February 2002"; Acats[31]="a37a42a66"; B1[31]="      A conservation scheme, described as the first of its kind in Australia, has been launched on the Gold Coast.... "; B2[31]=" "; B3[31]=" "; B4[31]=" "; B5[31]=" "; S1[31]="      A conservation scheme, described as the first of its kind in Australia, has been launched on the Gold Coast.
      "; S2[31]=" A Tallebudgera Valley couple have become the Gold Coast's first landholders to enter a Voluntary Conservation Agreement with the city council.
      Ron "; S3[31]=" and Barbara Bartholomew have agreed to protect more than 60 hectares of rainforest and woodland on their property from building and other activities.
    "; S4[31]="   In return, they will receive rates rebates and financial assistance.
      Mrs Bartholomew told the ABC that the agreement is in harmony "; S5[31]=" with her husband's attitude to the land.
      'He's always had this notion that he wants to be able to leave something not "; S6[31]=" just for his family but for future generations of the population,' she said.
      'Bushwalkers often come through and they always give us "; S7[31]=" the courtesy of phoning and asking if they can walk through and groups go through and everybody seems to enjoy it.
      'Birdwatchers "; S8[31]=" come out and look at all the bird life.'.. "; R[32]="966"; T[32]="Rice forum to explore natural resource technology"; A[32]="By ... Editor"; Dn[32]="20020206"; Dt[32]="Wednesday 6 February 2002"; Acats[32]="a23a37a38a42"; B1[32]="      The rice industry's research and development community will examine new technologies and their potential impact on water policy and management at the "; B2[32]="Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Rice Production's (Rice CRC) 2002 Symposium in Griffith next week... "; B3[32]=" "; B4[32]=" "; B5[32]=" "; S1[32]="      The rice industry's research and development community will examine new technologies and their potential impact on water policy and management at the "; S2[32]=" Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Rice Production's (Rice CRC) 2002 Symposium in Griffith next week.
      The Symposium will focus on scientific advances "; S3[32]=" likely to provide greater capacity for improved water management and water savings during the Technology for a Healthier Environment Forum on Tuesday, February 12.
  "; S4[32]="     'The forum promises to stimulate some valuable discussion and should provide a platform for more informed debate going forward,' Rice CRC Director Dr "; S5[32]=" Laurie Lewin said.
      'The staging of the forum is timely, given the present circumstances with regard to water availability and negotiations over "; S6[32]=" water sharing arrangements.' Key rice industry and natural resource management delegates would provide a range of perspectives on water management issues during the three-hour forum, "; S7[32]=" Dr Lewin said.
      Murrumbidgee River Management Committee Chair Professor Kath Bowmer, environmental policy adviser Deedee Woodside and Coleambally Irrigation Co-operative Ltd environment "; S8[32]=" manager Arun Tiwari would each deliver presentations.
      'Four prominent Rice CRC researchers will then look at the environmental benefits of groundwater modelling "; S9[32]=" and rice plant cold tolerance research; novel cropping systems, and EM technology for better land management.' An expert panel, including Charles Sturt University Chair of "; S10[32]=" Irrigation Prof Greame Batten, Prof.
      Bowmer and Deedee Woodside, has been assembled to dissect the issues and debate questions from the floor.
"; S11[32]="       'Given the level of community scrutiny of a range of water-related issues at the moment, now is a good time to take "; S12[32]=" a close look at the achievements and potential of research and development in these areas,' Dr Lewin said.
      Remote sensing; nitrogen testing "; S13[32]=" and precision agriculture; the production implications of cold tolerance research; rice industry extension; and product and product quality research are among other topics to be "; S14[32]=" discussed at the two-day Symposium at the Griffith Regional Theatre.
      The 2002 Rice CRC Symposium Program can be viewed at http://www.ricecrc.org.. "; R[33]="950"; T[33]="Salt sucking hybrid gum tree"; A[33]="By ... Editor"; Dn[33]="20020205"; Dt[33]="Tuesday 5 February 2002"; Acats[33]="a37a39a42a43"; B1[33]="      A new salt tolerant gum tree has been developed that may offer hope of arresting salinity problems that are devastating vast areas "; B2[33]="of Australia The new salt tolerant hybrid has been developed that could 'pump-down' saline groundwater in areas where native trees have been wiped out... "; B3[33]=" "; B4[33]=" "; B5[33]=" "; S1[33]="      A new salt tolerant gum tree has been developed that may offer hope of arresting salinity problems that are devastating vast areas "; S2[33]=" of Australia The new salt tolerant hybrid has been developed that could 'pump-down' saline groundwater in areas where native trees have been wiped out.
  "; S3[33]="     It is the result of a seven-year, $8.5 million project codenamed Saltgrow, which has been conducted by horticultural company Yates, Murdoch University in "; S4[33]=" Western Australia and institutions in Queensland and Victoria.
      The tree is a blend of the river red gum, flooded gum and Tasmanian "; S5[33]=" blue gum, and can live off water with a salt concentration of up to 20 per cent that of sea water.
      Saltgrow "; S6[33]=" general manager Robert Prince said yesterday thousands of the hybrids had been planted at more than 100 test sites in New South Wales, with ground-level "; S7[33]=" salinity reduced in each case.
      'Not only do these trees thrive on salt water, they also produce high-quality hardwood and reshoot from "; S8[33]=" stumps - they are a sustainable solution for what was once believed to be an unsustainable problem.' When planted, the trees take up salty water "; S9[33]=" through their roots, lowering the underground water table.
      Unlike the parent species, the Saltgrow trees have a gene which allows them to "; S10[33]=" resist osmotic pressure and instead take up salt water, filtering the salt through their system and depositing it on the ground around their trunk.
  "; S11[33]="     'A red gum can suck 1000 litres of water a day - that's a lot of salt water being removed,' Mr Prince "; S12[33]=" said.
      The trees have the support of the South Australian and New South Wales Forestry departments, the CSIRO and the Murray-Darling Basin "; S13[33]=" Commission.
      Mr Prince said the trees - which retail for $1.50 a plant - would provide a core for any anti-salinity efforts "; S14[33]=" in the River Murray region... "; R[34]="949"; T[34]="How much water is enough?"; A[34]="By ... Editor"; Dn[34]="20020205"; Dt[34]="Tuesday 5 February 2002"; Acats[34]="a37a40a91"; B1[34]="      A plan to claw back 60 gigalitres of water from Murrumbidgee River irrigators for the environment has been criticised as being unlikely "; B2[34]="to provide a benefit or arrest the decline... "; B3[34]=" "; B4[34]=" "; B5[34]=" "; S1[34]="      A plan to claw back 60 gigalitres of water from Murrumbidgee River irrigators for the environment has been criticised as being unlikely "; S2[34]=" to provide a benefit or arrest the decline.
      Irrigators in the river's catchment area would see a reduction in annual water allocation "; S3[34]=" to a total of 2230 gigalitres, down 60 gigalitres.
      A review by the Department of Land and Water Conservation, National Parks and "; S4[34]=" Wildlife Service, Environment Protection Authority, NSW Fisheries and the Department of Agriculture.found that rules in the draft plan governing water usage appear to be in "; S5[34]=" conflict with water management legislation because they have been drafted with primary concern for water users rather than the environment.
      It concluded "; S6[34]=" that the allocation reduction plan is 'unlikely to maintain or improve the ecological health of the Murrumbidgee River in view of the level of development "; S7[34]=" in the valley'.
      'This is a particular concern given the recent listing of the area as an Endangered Ecological Community,' the review "; S8[34]=" said.
      Environmental groups say a reduction of at least 100 gigalitres a year is needed to improve the health of the river, "; S9[34]=" which has seen reduced flows into the Murray River, a large reduction in fish diversity and dried-out billabongs and flood plains in the past decade.
"; S10[34]="       The Australian Conservation Foundation has written to the chairman of the Murrumbidgee River Water Management Committee, Professor Kath Bowmer, to formally object "; S11[34]=" to the draft plan, and is considering a legal challenge.
      The Nature Conservation Council's executive officer, Kathy Ridge, told the Sydney Morning "; S12[34]=" Herald that the water planning process should result in a 'net benefit for the environment'.
      'The water sharing plans are all about "; S13[34]=" giving water to users - it doesn't ensure that water quality for those users or the environment,' she said.
      But the chairman "; S14[34]=" of Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Dick Thompson, said the draft plan delivered for the environment.
      He said water-saving improvements - including replacing irrigation channels "; S15[34]=" with pressurised pumps and up-river storage facilities - should be established before irrigation allowances were further reduced.
      A spokeswoman for the State "; S16[34]=" Minister for Land and Water Conservation, John Aquilina, said issues raised by the review panel would now be debated, and further views would be sought "; S17[34]=" when the draft plan is exhibited publicly later this month... "; R[35]="946"; T[35]="WA rivers in trouble"; A[35]="By ... Editor"; Dn[35]="20020204"; Dt[35]="Monday 4 February 2002"; Acats[35]="a37a40a67a91"; B1[35]="      The Murray River in Western Australia is dying from the effects of algal blooms and boats that are eroding its banks.... "; B2[35]=" "; B3[35]=" "; B4[35]=" "; B5[35]=" "; S1[35]="      The Murray River in Western Australia is dying from the effects of algal blooms and boats that are eroding its banks.
  "; S2[35]="     An $84,000 Federal Government-funded inquiry has found that Peel's waterways will not be able to sustain the increasing recreational demands of expected population "; S3[35]=" growth.
      The Peel Inlet group and the Water and Rivers Commission have released for public comment the draft report of an independent "; S4[35]=" year-long study on an economic development and recreation management plan for the waterways.
      The Peel authority hopes it will be finalised and "; S5[35]=" put before the State Government in June.
      Peel Inlet Management Authority chairman Bruce Tatham told te West Australian that the Murray River "; S6[35]=" was in trouble.
      'I fear for its future and that of the Serpentine,' he said.
      'They desperately need urgent "; S7[35]=" government action to do something about the situation.
      'The Serpentine has algal bloom counts 100 times higher than the Murray-Darling River Basin "; S8[35]=" in the eastern States.' The report found that under the stress of expected population growth, the environment would decline further unless resources were found for "; S9[35]=" action in the catchment to improve water quality throughout the system.
      It would also need to restore the environment and habitats of "; S10[35]=" the rivers, especially the Murray River.
      The report said the condition of the Murray was poor and becoming worse with further urban "; S11[35]=" and rural development along its course.
      The draft plan proposed a large-scale tree-planting and revegetation program for environment rehabilitation as a high "; S12[35]=" priority strategy.
      It also recommended a Peel Waterways Institute as a tourist discovery centre.
      This would be based on "; S13[35]=" an education, training, research and development facility.
      The report called for a 30-year program for fish stock enhancement and said that river "; S14[35]=" flats sustaining birds protected under international obligations were at risk.
      Catchment pressures were increasing through closer subdivision and land use changes.
  "; S15[35]="     The report also found that the Serpentine River had major water quality problems.
      Mr Tatham, 53, is a third-generation professional "; S16[35]=" fisherman on the Murray and the last one still operating.
      He said it once had 50 fishermen providing fish to three processing "; S17[35]=" plants and a big cool store complex.
      Now fish were dying regularly.
      'Thousands upon thousands of bony herring were "; S18[35]=" part of last year's toll,' he said.
      Mr Tatham said algal blooms sucked up river oxygen leaving little or none for the "; S19[35]=" fish.
      He said the vast number of boat owners had made the Murray a thoroughfare and put the river at risk of "; S20[35]=" collapse.
      'In the last five years, bank erosion has made the river shallower by at least a metre,' he said.
    "; S21[35]="   'There should be a no-wash policy for boats on the river.
      It does not matter how slow they have to go "; S22[35]=" for that... "; R[36]="937"; T[36]="Cane toad threatens to wipe out death adder"; A[36]="By ... Editor"; Dn[36]="20020201"; Dt[36]="Friday 1 February 2002"; Acats[36]="a37a42a86"; B1[36]="      A unique variety of death adder would become extinct in the wild as the toxic cane toad continued its advance across the "; B2[36]="Top End, a snake export said today... "; B3[36]=" "; B4[36]=" "; B5[36]=" "; S1[36]="      A unique variety of death adder would become extinct in the wild as the toxic cane toad continued its advance across the "; S2[36]=" Top End, a snake export said today.
      Australian Reptile Park owner John Weigel said he recently introduced 10 of the death adders "; S3[36]=" - including two females - to his Gosford-based wildlife park in the hope that some might survive in captivity.
      'I'm racing around "; S4[36]=" trying to get specimens of that variety of snake right now because its going to be extinct in a year or so,' Mr Weigel said.
"; S5[36]="       'I don't think anyone in the territory's doing it and we can't seem to generate any interest; its very frustrating.' If Mr "; S6[36]=" Weigel's prediction proves correct, the snake could become the first species recognised to be wiped out by the cane toad.
      Experts say "; S7[36]=" the battle against cane toads has not received the research funding it deserves because the toad is not recognised as a true introduced pest such "; S8[36]=" as foxes.
      While toads cause the depletion of wildlife that feeds on it, most if not all these species make some recovery.
"; S9[36]="       The arrival of cane toads in Kakadu National Park was confirmed in March last year.
      The toads are expected "; S10[36]=" to reach Darwin as early as the next wet season, extending across the death adder's woodlands range.
      Mr Weigel said the snake "; S11[36]=" is not yet recognised as a separate species but will be with further research.
      It is regarded as one of at least "; S12[36]=" three varieties of northern adders which extend from Cape York in Queensland to the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
      'You have this "; S13[36]=" very unique variety of death adder that inhabits the flood plain country and its quite common to find them crossing the Arnhem Highway from Jabiru "; S14[36]=" is Humpty Doo,' he said.
      Mr Weigel said some snakes including king browns appeared to have become extinct in parts of Cape "; S15[36]=" York where cane toads had become established.
      'Local extinction for this death adder amounts to total extinction because you won't find them "; S16[36]=" anywhere else,' he said... "; R[37]="876"; T[37]="Groundwater for Aquaculture"; A[37]="By ... Editor"; Dn[37]="20020112"; Dt[37]="Saturday 12 January 2002"; Acats[37]="a37a40"; B1[37]="      Developing aquaculture using the resource of the Carnarvon Artesian Basin in the Gascoyne region is one of the next projects for the "; B2[37]="recently reappointed Gascoyne Murchison Strategy board... "; B3[37]=" "; B4[37]=" "; B5[37]=" "; S1[37]="      Developing aquaculture using the resource of the Carnarvon Artesian Basin in the Gascoyne region is one of the next projects for the "; S2[37]=" recently reappointed Gascoyne Murchison Strategy board.
      The new board retains the previous chairman, Ian Laurance, pastoral representatives Tom Morrissey and Ken Baston, "; S3[37]=" Rural Business Development Corporation chairman Ross Donald, environmental representative Kelly Gillen, and Mark Lewis as director and government representative.
      In announcing the "; S4[37]=" board last month, Agriculture Minister Kim Chance acknowledged former members Murchison representative Kim Keogh, agricultural consultant Clint Lester and Gary Chappell, of RSM Bird Cameron... "; R[38]="872"; T[38]="Warning on toxic algae risk in the Murray"; A[38]="By ... Editor"; Dn[38]="20020111"; Dt[38]="Friday 11 January 2002"; Acats[38]="a37a38a42"; B1[38]="      Users of the Murray River in the Sunraysia region were yesterday warned about the health risk from dangerous levels of blue-green algae "; B2[38]="in the waterway this summer... "; B3[38]=" "; B4[38]=" "; B5[38]=" "; S1[38]="      Users of the Murray River in the Sunraysia region were yesterday warned about the health risk from dangerous levels of blue-green algae "; S2[38]=" in the waterway this summer.
      The Murray River between the towns of Mildura and Robinvale in north-western Victoria has shown harmful levels "; S3[38]=" of algal blooms, according to the Sunraysia regional algae monitoring committee.
      Committee chairman Ian Matheson told the Age that conditions suggested higher "; S4[38]=" than normal algae levels could persist this summer, placing commercial and recreational users of the river at risk.
      'Blue-green algae numbers are "; S5[38]=" approaching levels where they may cause skin and eye irritations after contact and gastroenteritis if untreated water is consumed,' Mr Matheson said.
      "; S6[38]=" Sluggish river flows and a warm winter make ideal conditions for algae.
      Algae are microscopic aquatic plants.
      A toxic "; S7[38]=" bloom is identified in areas that appear bright green, where obvious green scum is present, or where there is a distinctive odour.
      "; S8[38]=" Mr Matheson said reporting suspected algal blooms to the New South Wales Department of Land and Water Conservation or the Sunraysia Rural Water Authority would "; S9[38]=" help manage the problem.
      It is possible to change water flow by 'pulsing' the river - releasing a torrent of water from "; S10[38]=" catchments into the river system and then suddenly reducing the flow - to prevent algal build-up... "; R[39]="868"; T[39]="Seafood promoted in Japan as a way of life"; A[39]="By ... Editor"; Dn[39]="20020111"; Dt[39]="Friday 11 January 2002"; Acats[39]="a34a37a62"; B1[39]="      It would seem to be hardly a problem.... "; B2[39]=" "; B3[39]=" "; B4[39]=" "; B5[39]=" "; S1[39]="      It would seem to be hardly a problem.
      Although the Japanese are renowned for their love of seafood, fish "; S2[39]=" consumption has spiralled steadily over the past two decades.
      To curb the decline, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and various "; S3[39]=" organizations are trying to turn youngsters into lifelong fish lovers.
      Elementary school students are the prime target.
      In a "; S4[39]=" home economics class at Itabashi public school No.
      9 in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward, wives of fishermen from the town of Onagawa, Miyagi "; S5[39]=" Prefecture, teach students how to clean and prepare fish.
      The women are taking part in a program called Let's Talk With Fishermen's "; S6[39]=" Wives to promote cultural exchange between inner city youths and women from fishing villages.
      The program was proposed by the Women's Forum "; S7[39]=" On Fish, a Tokyo-based grass-roots organization aimed at spreading culinary culture.
      The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries subsidizes participants' expenses.
  "; S8[39]="     About 65 grade schoolers from Tokyo and their parents or guardians are learning to shell scallops and prepare Pacific saury into three paper-thin "; S9[39]=" layers.
      About 30 of the students from Itabashi Ward's three elementary schools even visited Onagawa on an official tour in September, staying "; S10[39]=" at fishermen's homes and accompanying them on early morning catches.
      Sixth-grader Yudai Kobayashi had a ball.
      'It was the "; S11[39]=" first time I've ever seen a live squid or saury.
      And the fish I ate at my host mother's house was so "; S12[39]=" oily and yummy,' he says.
      Women's Forum on Fish representative Yuriko Shiraishi thinks the program was needed to remind youngsters of their "; S13[39]=" fish-loving heritage.
      'When kids today think of fish, they think of the lumps wrapped up and sold in supermarkets,' she says.
  "; S14[39]="     'I hope these educational sessions will help familiarize them with fish and encourage them to eat more of it.' To attract the attention "; S15[39]=" of electronics-savvy youngsters, Kura Zushi, a sushi chain in Osaka's Sakai, recently introduced an electronic ordering system that makes learning about fish fun.
    "; S16[39]="   On top of each table is a touch-sensitive computer screen adorned with computer-generated pictures of a fish tank or sushi rolls.
      "; S17[39]=" As an animated squid, for example, floats across the LCD, on the bottom of the screen are buttons that dole out information about, among other "; S18[39]=" things, the nutritional value of squid.
      'High in protein and low in cholesterol.
      Elements in the fish break down "; S19[39]=" cholesterol,' the computer-generated voice says.
      But despite reports youngsters are increasingly shunning fish, elementary school-aged children continue to rank sushi as their "; S20[39]=" No.
      1 dish, according to an annual survey of favorite foods, conducted by Gakushu Kenkyusha.
      'I think this overall "; S21[39]=" decline in fish consumption can be halted if kids are familiarized with fish through sushi,' says Mitsuko Mori, senior manager of Kura Zushi.
    "; S22[39]="   Nakajima Suisan, a Tokyo-based retailer that sells fish in supermarkets and department stores, has taken to publishing a newsletter to build public awareness of "; S23[39]=" seafood.
      It began distributing the quarterly 'O-sakana Book' (Book of Fish) for free in mid-October.
      The target audience of "; S24[39]=" the 28-page newsletter, which features fish recipes from leading chefs and essays on seafood by experts, is parents of children in the fourth to sixth "; S25[39]=" grade.
      About 60,000 copies have been published to date.
      'It would be great if we could contribute to spreading "; S26[39]=" the culture of fish,' says the newsletter's public relations officer.
      Chef Hiroko Sakamoto says food eaten during childhood impacts on what we "; S27[39]=" like and dislike as adults.
      'The foods we eat while we are growing up are known as 'soul foods' and often the "; S28[39]=" taste of these foods is soothing when we get older because it's familiar,' Sakamoto says.
      'Experts say people on their deathbeds often "; S29[39]=" crave soul food, so what we eat when we are young clearly has a huge influence on consumption trends as we get older.
    "; S30[39]="   'It would be good to get children to eat or touch fish when they are young and unprejudiced.
      For example, kids "; R[40]="864"; T[40]="Thumbs down for mineral extraction from saline groundwater"; A[40]="By ... Editor"; Dn[40]="20020109"; Dt[40]="Wednesday 9 January 2002"; Acats[40]="a37a40a43"; B1[40]="      A claim by CSIRO that salinity can be cured by extracting chemicals from saline ground water has been criticized by West Australian "; B2[40]="practitioners... "; B3[40]=" "; B4[40]=" "; B5[40]=" "; S1[40]="      A claim by CSIRO that salinity can be cured by extracting chemicals from saline ground water has been criticized by West Australian "; S2[40]=" practitioners.
      CSIRO had claimed that Australia's salinity crisis could be turned to advantage, helping create regional industries, jobs and an improved environment.
"; S3[40]="       Hal Aral, of CSIRO Minerals, said last month that there was an opportunity to tackle salinity by extracting minerals and chemicals for "; S4[40]=" industry.
      'Substances dissolved in our salty ground waters can be used in the making of fertilisers, light metals, plastics, industrial chemicals, oil "; S5[40]=" refining, pesticides, glass, fibreglass, ceramics, bleach, soaps, detergents, dyes, inks, sewage treatment, sugar refining, alcohol brewing, the list is almost endless,' Dr Aral said.
  "; S6[40]="     Environmental consultant Mark Coleman, who has spent more than 20 years in the salt harvesting industry, told the West Australian that dry-land salinity "; S7[40]=" problems in WA were due to rising water tables rather than the salt itself which had been in the ground for millennia.
      "; S8[40]=" 'It's not a salt issue,' he said.
      'It's a water issue.
      Mr Coleman said clearing most of the land "; S9[40]=" over the past 100 years had caused ground water to build up because annual crops and pastures did not use the water in the way "; S10[40]=" trees did.
      This brought salt to the surface.
      Cutting the recharge by half could prevent the spread of salinity.
"; S11[40]="       But pumping of saline water to extract salt would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to establish and the market for salt "; S12[40]=" and salt extracts was well supplied in Australia.
      In a paper delivered to a salinity conference in Merredin in July, Mr Coleman "; S13[40]=" and co-author Richard George said a viable mineral extraction industry would require the equivalent of about 750 gigalitres of seawater, more than twice Perth's annual "; S14[40]=" water consumption.
      The authors estimated that the annual recharge rate of Wheatbelt valleys was 1000 gigalitres or twice the volume of Sydney "; S15[40]=" Harbour.
      It would take 10,000 to 20,000 bores to extract this volume of water which would produce 25 million tonnes of sodium "; S16[40]=" chloride or twice Australia's annual production.
      Mr Coleman said it was good to see salinity as an opportunity rather than a disaster.
"; S17[40]="       A sole venture to remove salt from the environment was unlikely to be profitable.
      But a combination of ventures "; S18[40]=" including salt extraction, aquaculture, desalination and energy production might be viable... "; R[41]="855"; T[41]="Increase in Kangaroo cull to seven million"; A[41]="By ... Editor"; Dn[41]="20020108"; Dt[41]="Tuesday 8 January 2002"; Acats[41]="a37a42"; B1[41]="      A record 6.9 million kangaroos and wallabies will be killed this year after the Environment Minister, David Kemp, approved a national quota "; B2[41]="increase for kangaroo culling of about 1.5 million... "; B3[41]=" "; B4[41]=" "; B5[41]=" "; S1[41]="      A record 6.9 million kangaroos and wallabies will be killed this year after the Environment Minister, David Kemp, approved a national quota "; S2[41]=" increase for kangaroo culling of about 1.5 million.
      The increase is lower than the states had asked for, but has been criticized "; S3[41]=" by green groups, who said the cull would be the biggest ever 'slaughter' of Australia's national symbol.
      A spokeswoman for Dr Kemp "; S4[41]=" told the Sydney Morning Herald that he had approved a number far lower than the states - particularly Queensland - had requested.
      "; S5[41]=" She said the states had wanted the quota increased to 9 million.
      Animal welfare groups claimed Queensland had asked for a quota "; S6[41]=" of 6 million, but had got 3.8 million.
      Dr Kemp set the quota on the advice of his department, Environment Australia and "; S7[41]=" an independent scientific committee, his spokeswoman said.
      State agencies had argued that the increase was needed because strong vegetation growth had resulted "; S8[41]=" in substantial increases in kangaroo populations.
      But Dr Kemp's decision has led to his first clash with green groups since his appointment "; S9[41]=" to the ministry after the election.
      He was criticised by Animals Australia and the Wildlife Protection Association of Australia, which accused him "; S10[41]=" of 'signing off on the biggest kangaroo slaughter ever'.
      The executive director of Animals Australia, Glenys Oogjes, said recent studies suggested kangaroos "; S11[41]=" had little impact on agricultural production and that red kangaroos were being killed at an unsustainable rate.
      But the NSW National Parks "; S12[41]=" and Wildlife Service, the kangaroo industry and the Federal Government said kill quotas were never met.
      Last year, with a national quota "; S13[41]=" of 5.5 million, only 3.5 million kangaroos were killed, said John Kelly, executive officer of the Kangaroo Industries Association of Australia.
      Mr "; S14[41]=" Kelly said 'we won't necessarily take any more this year', despite the huge increase in the cull quota.
      He said the industry "; S15[41]=" was worth $200million a year, with 70 per cent of produce exported.
      Of the meat market, 20 per cent was for human "; S16[41]=" consumption, with 60 per cent of it for export, and 80 per cent for pet food.
      Joshua Gilroy, the manager of the "; S17[41]=" NSW National Parks Service kangaroo management program unit, said the Federal Government had approved NSW's requested quota of 2.083 million, up from 1.55 million.
  "; S18[41]="     Mr Gilroy said the biggest economic issue in western NSW was kangaroos ruining crops and taking feed from sheep.
      He "; S19[41]=" said it was estimated the state's kangaroo population had increased from 8 million in 2000 to 13.9 million last year.
      'At the "; S20[41]=" moment, the quota is increasing because the population is increasing,' he said.
      The National Farmers Federation's president, Ian Donges, said Dr Kemp's "; S21[41]=" decision was 'eminently sensible'... "; R[42]="851"; T[42]="Households unprepared for bushfires"; A[42]="By ... Editor"; Dn[42]="20020107"; Dt[42]="Monday 7 January 2002"; Acats[42]="a37a50"; B1[42]="      Eighty per cent of Victorians living in bushfire risk areas had not prepared themselves or their homes properly to deal with the "; B2[42]="dangers of fires, the State Government said yesterday... "; B3[42]=" "; B4[42]=" "; B5[42]=" "; S1[42]="      Eighty per cent of Victorians living in bushfire risk areas had not prepared themselves or their homes properly to deal with the "; S2[42]=" dangers of fires, the State Government said yesterday.
      Acting Premier John Thwaites said recent Country Fire Authority research showed Victorians were becoming "; S3[42]=" complacent in preparing for bushfires.
      He warned that conditions were ripe for devastating fires this summer, despite relatively cool weather until now.
"; S4[42]="       He said a wet spring had provided a huge fuel load for fires, and urged Victorians, especially those living in high-risk areas "; S5[42]=" such as the Dandenongs, Macedon Ranges and the Otways, to immediately work out a fire safety plan.
      The government has been advised "; S6[42]=" by the Bureau of Meteorology that the state could expect a long, late and hot summer, with a greater than usual number of 30-degree plus "; S7[42]=" days expected later this month and into February.
      Mr Thwaites said a new hotline had been established to assist people in protecting "; S8[42]=" their homes from bushfire.
      Victoria was well equipped to fight bushfires this summer, Mr Thwaites said, with more than 61,000 volunteers, 5000 "; S9[42]=" paid firefighters, 2500 firefighting vehicles and 50 aircraft available.
      'So we today are wanting to make very clear that it is up "; S10[42]=" to you, it's up to Victorians to make sure that they are safe and that their homes and their properties are safe,' Mr Thwaites said.
"; S11[42]="       'The government and the various fire agencies are doing everything that we can to adequately prepare for the fire season ahead of "; S12[42]=" us.' CFA director of community safety Neil Bibby urged people in high-risk areas to attend community meetings chaired by local CFA volunteers to find out "; S13[42]=" the particular dangers facing them this summer.
      Mr Bibby said there were some people who still believed they were 'helpless victims' and "; S14[42]=" could do nothing to combat or prevent fire.
      'All the research done, including work by CSIRO, shows that you can do a "; S15[42]=" lot to protect yourself, and if you're prepared, no matter what happens, you can look after yourself when the fire front comes through,' he said.
"; S16[42]="       'Too many people think they can evacuate in the next two or three minutes before the fire comes through.
      "; S17[42]=" It won't happen.
      When a fire front comes through, if you're in a stage where you think you're going to evacuate in "; S18[42]=" your car, you're putting your family at risk.
      'In that circumstance, a well-prepared home will protect your family from the fire front.' "; S19[42]=" Police and Emergency Services Minister Andre Haermeyer said yesterday the government would organise a street parade and reception to welcome home Victorian firefighters who had "; S20[42]=" served in the New South Wales fires... "; R[43]="844"; T[43]="Backyard swimming pools a key for fighting bushfires"; A[43]="By ... Editor"; Dn[43]="20020104"; Dt[43]="Friday 4 January 2002"; Acats[43]="a37a40a48a50"; B1[43]="      Thousands of litres of water from six backyard swimming pools helped save scores of homes from a massive bushfire in South Turramurra "; B2[43]="this week... "; B3[43]=" "; B4[43]=" "; B5[43]=" "; S1[43]="      Thousands of litres of water from six backyard swimming pools helped save scores of homes from a massive bushfire in South Turramurra "; S2[43]=" this week.
      The swimming pools are part of an innovative NSW Fire Brigades program that greatly increases the Brigades' capacity to protect "; S3[43]=" homes from bushfires.
      The Static Water Supply program - devised after the devastating 1994 bushfires - encourages residents near bushland to make "; S4[43]=" their swimming pools or ponds available to defend homes against bushfires.
      In South Turramurra this week, Brigades firefighters pumped water from six "; S5[43]=" backyard swimming pools to fight the massive bushfire that threatened scores of properties.
      Chief Superintendent Bob Dobson, who was leading firefighting efforts "; S6[43]=" in the area, paid tribute to the home owners who made their pools available as part of the program.
      'Having such ready "; S7[43]=" access to thousands of litres of water played a major role in our efforts to contain the fire at South Turramurra,' he said.
    "; S8[43]="   'Each of our fire engines has a special portable pump that can be used to pump water from swimming pools, ponds and dams.
  "; S9[43]="     'In South Turramurra, we were able to use these pumps to draw water from the swimming pools, freeing up fire engines to carry "; S10[43]=" our further property protection.
      'Having access to these swimming pools greatly increases the amount of water we can use to fight bushfires "; S11[43]=" - the average backyard swimming pool has around 60,000 litres of water compared to a maximum of just 3000 litres for one of our water "; S12[43]=" tankers.' More than 10,000 homes across NSW have made their swimming pools or ponds available to the Brigades under the Static Water Supply program.
  "; S13[43]="     Each home owner is given a metal plate to attach to the front of their homes to identify them as program participants.
  "; S14[43]="     They are also included on a register of homes kept at local fire stations.
      Since the start of the bushfire "; S15[43]=" crisis, the NSW Fire Brigades has used water from backyard swimming pools in several areas including the Blue Mountains and southern Sydney.
      "; S16[43]=" Residents who have not already joined the Static Water Supply program have been asked to tie a ribbon on their front fence to signify the "; S17[43]=" availability of their swimming pools... "; R[44]="828"; T[44]="Scientists hope money can be made from salinity problem"; A[44]="By ... Editor"; Dn[44]="20011231"; Dt[44]="Monday 31 December 2001"; Acats[44]="a37a43"; B1[44]="      The CSIRO believes one of Australia's worst environmental problems could eventually generate $200 million a year in industrial production.... "; B2[44]=" "; B3[44]=" "; B4[44]=" "; B5[44]=" "; S1[44]="      The CSIRO believes one of Australia's worst environmental problems could eventually generate $200 million a year in industrial production.
      "; S2[44]=" CSIRO scientists suggest a network of solar-powered desalination plants could not only clean the water but also remove commercially-viable amounts of minerals and chemicals from "; S3[44]=" the River Murray.
      These could then be used in the production of fertilisers, pesticides, bleaches, light metals, plastics and ceramics.
    "; S4[44]="   Dr Graham Sparrow told the ABC that the South Australian Government and local universities will join the CSIRO in March to demonstrate what is "; S5[44]=" possible.
      'We'll be looking at sampling the water in the first instance to actually measure the ions that are in the water, "; S6[44]=" and from that we can get a good idea of what sort of salts we might be able to target,' he said.
      "; S7[44]=" 'Then the next stage would actually be controlling the evaporation of the water to start recovering these salts and using them on a small scale "; S8[44]=" in local applications around the river.'.. "; R[45]="822"; T[45]="Queensland farmers to fight for land clearing compensation"; A[45]="By ... Editor"; Dn[45]="20011224"; Dt[45]="Monday 24 December 2001"; Acats[45]="a02a37a38a43a90"; B1[45]="      The Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) in Western Australia says it will fight to ensure farmers who are prevented from clearing their "; B2[45]="land are compensated... "; B3[45]=" "; B4[45]=" "; B5[45]=" "; S1[45]="      The Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) in Western Australia says it will fight to ensure farmers who are prevented from clearing their "; S2[45]=" land are compensated.
      The Greens WA introduced a bill into State Parliament yesterday which is designed to close a loophole, allowing some "; S3[45]=" landholders to clear land without penalty, even if an application is still being assessed by environmental authorities.
      Dr Sharp's bill requires all "; S4[45]=" clearing to be approved by the Environmental Protection Authority, or hefty fines will be imposed.
      The PGA's Geoff Gare told the ABC "; S5[45]=" that farmers are being given false hope they will be able to clear their land.
      He says they should be compensated for "; S6[45]=" the loss of their asset.
      'If the Government and the community don't want farmers to clear land they should say so, not "; S7[45]=" just have this ridiculous situation where farmers are encouraged to apply for permission, when there is absolutely no intent of the agencies involved ever allowing "; S8[45]=" them to do so.'.. "; R[46]="818"; T[46]="Land clearing charges dismissed for Queensland farmer"; A[46]="By ... Editor"; Dn[46]="20011220"; Dt[46]="Thursday 20 December 2001"; Acats[46]="a37a90"; B1[46]="      A western Queensland farmer has welcomed a Charleville court decision yesterday which dismissed all charges against him for clearing trees on his "; B2[46]="property... "; B3[46]=" "; B4[46]=" "; B5[46]=" "; S1[46]="      A western Queensland farmer has welcomed a Charleville court decision yesterday which dismissed all charges against him for clearing trees on his "; S2[46]=" property.
      Landholder Ashley McKay was charged with unlawfully clearing trees on his cattle property, north-east of Augathella, in May last year.
  "; S3[46]="     Mr McKay was charged under the Queensland Forestry Act despite holding a permit to clear trees.
      Mr McKay told the "; S4[46]=" ABC that the charges were unfair and the court decision is wonderful news for landholders.
      'It means if you are given authority "; S5[46]=" to do something, the precedent has been set that you must be able to carry that out,' Mr McKay said.
      'This case "; S6[46]=" was always going to be a difficult one because it seemed to be about technical interpretation of what the permit was about.
      "; S7[46]=" 'The judgment has seen fit that it really wasn't the way it should have been.'.. "; R[47]="804"; T[47]="Dung beetles still seen as worthwhile"; A[47]="By ... Editor"; Dn[47]="20011221"; Dt[47]="Friday 21 December 2001"; Acats[47]="a02a03a37"; B1[47]="      Dung beetles and their environmental benefits continue to attract interest from landholders in southern Queensland and other parts of the State.... "; B2[47]=" "; B3[47]=" "; B4[47]=" "; B5[47]=" "; S1[47]="      Dung beetles and their environmental benefits continue to attract interest from landholders in southern Queensland and other parts of the State.
  "; S2[47]="     The beetles help control insect pests and worms and improve soil nutrient levels by burying dung.
      Jill Aisthorpe, the Department "; S3[47]=" of Primary Industries dung beetle project officer in southern Queensland, said a series of training workshops being held throughout the area continued to attract interest "; S4[47]=" and support from landholders and rural communities.
      As well, rural communities had embraced the concept of dung beetles being important parts of "; S5[47]=" their ecosystems.
      The Goondiwindi Landcare group had even used dung beetle racing as a feature attraction at their show display this year.
"; S6[47]="       'I'm not really surprised,' she said.
      'There was widespread interest in dung beetles when we started the project.
  "; S7[47]="     As it has progressed, more landholders have become aware of the benefits that an active dung beetle can provide in terms of parasite "; S8[47]=" control and nutrient recycling and they're keen to learn more about what they can do to enhance their dung beetle population.' Ms Aisthorpe said that "; S9[47]=" in conjunction with Landcare groups she was running about 20 to 25 dung beetle workshops in southern Queensland, with the size of each workshop restricted "; S10[47]=" to eight to 15 people.
      'This is part of a second phase of the State dung beetle project in which we're aiming "; S11[47]=" to train 1500 landholders throughout the Queensland in beetle identification and conservation.' She said the workshops had been underway since October and would continue until "; S12[47]=" March - the period when dung beetles were most active - feeding, breeding and tunnelling.
      The workshops covered issues such as the "; S13[47]=" role of dung beetles in controlling parasites, identifying the eight common species, how to sample them, and the impact of pesticides on populations... "; R[48]="796"; T[48]="New guide for tree placement to control salinity"; A[48]="By ... Editor"; Dn[48]="20011213"; Dt[48]="Thursday 13 December 2001"; Acats[48]="a37a39a42a43"; B1[48]="      A new Farmnote on the best place to plant trees in the landscape to gain maximum effect in controlling salinity is now "; B2[48]="available from the Department of Agriculture... "; B3[48]=" "; B4[48]=" "; B5[48]=" "; S1[48]="      A new Farmnote on the best place to plant trees in the landscape to gain maximum effect in controlling salinity is now "; S2[48]=" available from the Department of Agriculture.
      The guide, titled Placing trees for maximum salinity control,is a part of the Salinity Series "; S3[48]=" of Farmnotes.
      It was prepared by technical officer Don Bennett and project officer Kim Brooksbank especially to help landholders in the medium "; S4[48]=" rainfall zone.
      'Many landholders have been very frustrated and disappointed by the failure of trees planted to combat salinity,' Mr Bennett said.
"; S5[48]="       'Often trees have died soon after planting or had no impact on watertables, thus contributing little to salinity control, but much "; S6[48]=" to the lightening of pockets.
      This new guide should help prevent these mistakes in future.' The publication uses simple diagrams and a "; S7[48]=" hypothetical 100-hectare catchment under four different tree planting scenarios.
      It shows why three-row alleys planted at 50 metre intervals across the whole "; S8[48]=" catchment or planting all high recharge soils may be more effective than wider alleys or planting a similar number of trees around the saline areas.
"; S9[48]="       The examples also highlight the need to understand the hydrology of the landscape and then plan appropriately before undertaking tree planting for "; S10[48]=" salinity control.
      Farmnote No.
      76/2001 Placing trees for maximum salinity control is free and can be obtained from offices "; S11[48]=" of the Department of Agriculture in the medium rainfall zone.
      It is also available on the department's website www.agric.wa.gov.au/agency/pubns/farmnote/2001/f07601.htm.. "; R[49]="793"; T[49]="National Park plans to graze sheep to protect birds"; A[49]="By ... Editor"; Dn[49]="20011212"; Dt[49]="Wednesday 12 December 2001"; Acats[49]="a28a37a42"; B1[49]="      A 22,000 hectare property in the Riverina could become the first national parks-owned land in the state where sheep will be allowed "; B2[49]="to graze... "; B3[49]=" "; B4[49]=" "; B5[49]=" "; S1[49]="      A 22,000 hectare property in the Riverina could become the first national parks-owned land in the state where sheep will be allowed "; S2[49]=" to graze.
      The National Parks and Wildlife Service has bought Ooolambeyan Station near Carrathool.
      It is a habitat for "; S3[49]=" the endangered plains wanderer, which is a quail-sized bird found in the Riverina grasslands.
      The parks service's Terry Korn, says special management "; S4[49]=" is needed to protect the bird.
      'The plains wanderer requires habitat that has to be grazed,' Mr Korn said.
      "; S5[49]=" 'Consequently, this will be a National Park that will have sheep grazing on it.
      'We've got to keep the pasture at a "; S6[49]=" level, a height that's suitable for the plains wanderer, and to do that we'll be arranging some agistment of sheep on the property to ensure "; S7[49]=" that happens.'.. ";