Features

Environmentalist and photographer looks behind massive risks from buffel weed

These links are to a series by MIKE GILLAM in October and November 2023, about the disastrous effect of buffel grass in Central Australia, and the lack of adequate regulatory control of what in South Austraia is declared as a weed. The reports are accompanied by Mr Gillam’s outstanding photographs.

Why I wrote the buffel essays: When enough people act, leaders will follow. Nov 12, 2023.

Privatise the buffel profits, socialise the costs. Nov 7, 2023.

Buffel: South Australia leading the way. Nov 3, 2023.

From grass castles to fiery ruins. Oct 31, 2023.

Is this really desert? Oct 28, 2023.

The Simpson, part of deserts stretching 2000 km. Oct 22, 2023.

 

A touch of light

Mike Gillam’s series began in the early months of the pandemic: his offer was to provide an image and a paragraph each week for its duration. As people were asked to retreat to their homes, he would keep them in touch with the wonders of the central Australian natural world.

The weekly posts evolved into a series of inspiring essays and a wealth of images which the Alice Springs News has been proud to publish. As the pandemic’s impacts rise and fall, Gillam’s series continues, returning at present to its original shorter form but – such is our good fortune – with no end currently in sight!

You can find here links to the whole series, starting with the most recent.

 

For the love of plants

Nurseryman and horticulturalist Geoff Miers has decades of experience growing plants in Central Australia. His weekly columns in the Alice Springs News began last Spring, each dealing with a topic relevant to the seasonal moment. His tips for local gardeners are wide-ranging from growing fruit and vegetables to caring for lawns. Here are links to the whole series, starting with the most recent.

 

 

 

 

The queen of desert fruit

19 October 2020

“The methods we’ve used grown Quandongs in Alice differ from others in several ways. Most importantly the seed-plant grows in situ – where you want it – so a vulnerable seedling and host do NOT need to be transplanted,” writes Dr Fiona Walsh.

 

To mound or not to mound?

12 December 2019

Veteran observer of the local environment and noted green thumb, Alex Nelson, recalls the persistent failure of plantings into landscape mounds and describes his alternative method, successfully adopted at Olive Pink Botanic Garden.

 

Save our trees: reduce Buffel, call 000, collaborate

30 July 2017

“Trees, some more than 300 years old, are being lost to wildfires. Alice Springs residents and visitors see blackened areas of burnt grass and charred trees including along the Todd River. These are neither customary burns nor controlled burns. Extreme Buffel grass fuel loads, rising temperatures and diverse ignitions contribute to the escalation of this problem,” writes Dr Fiona Walsh.

Grapes groove, mangos misery

12 January 2021

The ever changing fortunes of COVID state border closures are creating a good news / bad news story in the fertile TiTree area, two hours north of Alice Springs, writes Julius Dennis.