Pavement art showing native Wyndham waterway species will appear around Wyndham in the coming weeks as part of the Waterways of the West trail. Melbourne artist Ulla Taylor is creating the anamorphic chalk works, which feature the Murray Cod, Rakali, Growling Grass Frog and local waterbirds. The trail aims to raise awareness of protecting aquatic habitats. The artworks are at and around Lollypop Creek, Dianella, Point Cook and Werribee community and town centres. Because they are chalk, they will fade over time, so visitors are encouraged to go early.
Year 4 students at St Peter's Anglican College in Broulee, on the NSW Far South Coast, have planted about 1,000 native plants to turn a bare patch of their playground into a microforest. The plants are native to the region's endangered coastal littoral rainforest. The school is the first in NSW to partner with the not-for-profit Microforest Collective to research, design and plant a microforest as part of the curriculum. The project uses the Miyawaki method of dense planting, which the collective says can help plants grow up to 10 times faster than normal.
The ACT Government is seeking a consultant to develop new environmental offsets and restoration contribution policies. The ACT Conservation Council says the existing approach needs updating. Executive director Dr Simon Copland said offsets were not delivering the intended outcomes, citing the Callum Brae Nature Reserve as an example of poor management. He said the Territory was running out of land suitable for offsets. The tender closes on 3 November.
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Students at Cedars Christian College in Wollongong are using BirdLife Australia's Aussie bird count to bring birdwatching into their lessons this week. Teacher Karen Jooste has woven the count into maths, writing and lessons on biodiversity and conservation, drawing on a tree-lined creek that draws many species to the school grounds. Activities include a tally sheet with identification pictures and reading outdoors among the birds. Sean Dooley of BirdLife Australia says more than 3.7 million birds have been counted so far, putting 2026 on track to beat 2025.
Officials, scientists and environmentalists are meeting in Yerevan for Cop17, where nearly 200 countries must agree on a plan to speed up nature targets set for 2030. Those goals are far off track. A rare Persian leopard was recently spotted in Armenia, where only about 10 are thought to remain. A new initiative, the Coalition of Action to Recover Endangered Species, was announced to help governments decide where to focus efforts. Private funders have pledged more than $500m over five years to recover threatened species.
The ACT Assembly has backed measures to protect Canberra's bees and other pollinators, but questions remain over funding. The Varroa mite is spreading across the territory and has destroyed more than 1000 of Canberra's estimated 6000 hives. Opposition MLA Elizabeth Lee said the Budget lacked dedicated funding for the Nature Conservation Strategy. Environment Minister Suzanne Orr said existing programs already support the work and that further investment would be considered. No new funding was announced during the debate.
Greater Dandenong Council's Woody Meadow garden beds are brightening parks while creating habitat for insects and other wildlife. The low-maintenance gardens have been planted since 2021 as part of a trial with the University of Melbourne. Council's Environmental Engagement Team Leader Patrick Cazaly says the dense plantings discourage weeds and reduce work for the horticulture team. The beds are coppiced every two years to encourage healthy regrowth. Three Woody Meadows are located at Burden Park, Ross Reserve and Dandenong Park, and were pruned in May.
Several wetlands across the Bellarine will receive international Ramsar recognition and stronger environmental protections. The list will expand to include the Moolap Wetlands, parts of the Edwards Point Swan Bay Wildlife Reserve and Coastal Reserve, Lake Connewarre Complex Conservation Reserve, and Point Cook Cheetham Coastal Park and Marine Sanctuary. Local MP Alison Marchant said the wetlands provide saltmarsh and seagrass habitat for migratory shorebirds. State and federal governments are working together on the protections, which Minister Murray Watt said will safeguard wildlife for future generations. The expansion lifts the existing Ramsar-listed wetland to 24,110 hectares statewide.
A new certification scheme in the UK is encouraging solar farms to create better habitats for wildlife. Launched by Wild Power, the scheme awards certification to renewable energy sites that meet its biodiversity standards. So far, two UK solar farms have received it, including Dunmow in Essex. Thrive Renewables projects a 65% increase in habitat biodiversity units there, though gains will take years to mature. The UK aims to reach 45 to 47GW of solar capacity by 2030.
Insect enthusiasts say a surge of native caper white butterflies has arrived in Adelaide after wet weather in Central Australia. Kris Messenger, of the invertebrate education service Bugs and Slugs, says heavy rain further north created ideal conditions for the insects. The butterflies move south each summer to escape heat and limited food, resting on caper plants along the way. Kate Grigg, a gardener, says her large caper bush was visited about two weeks earlier than elsewhere in the city. Messenger says other insects, including dragonflies and grasshoppers, are also thriving this year.
Eighteen volunteers were trained to experience the world as a red deer, kestrel, earthworm, otter or salmon. The Risks Beyond Human Eyes study, led by the University of the West of England, mapped threats to wildlife around the polluted River Tone in Somerset. Its lead, Phil Tovey, said the approach looks beyond population counts to the quality of individual animals' lives. The study has also inspired a 30-year campaign to restore the river, planned using a military operations document and peaceful protest tactics.
Scientists study vertebrates far more than invertebrates, although invertebrates make up most animal species. An analysis of almost 1.4 million scientific articles found more than half focused on vertebrates, and the bias has persisted for more than two decades. A survey of animal behaviour researchers suggested that emotional responses, such as liking cute animals, shape which species are chosen. The authors argue that overlooked creatures, including insects, deserve more research funding, because many species may disappear before they are studied.
Australians are being invited to spend 20 minutes observing and recording birds in their backyards, parks and neighbourhoods. The 2026 Aussie Bird Count, organised by BirdLife Australia, runs from Monday 19 October to Sunday 25 October. Last year, nearly 64,000 people counted more than five million birds across 621 species. The Australian Magpie was the most frequently spotted species, while the Rainbow Lorikeet recorded the highest total count. Participation is free through the Aussie Bird Count app or an online form, and requires no specialist knowledge.
Darwin calls itself the city of birds, with about 200 bush bird species and dozens of waterfowl, seabirds and shorebirds across the Top End. Charles Darwin University ornithology researcher John Woinarski says the seasonal climate and small local population make the region a safe haven for many species wiped out elsewhere. He says the region's birds are almost all native, unlike much of the rest of Australia. Photographs from across the Top End feature crimson finches, rainbow bee-eaters and an all-black blue-winged kookaburra, which Professor Woinarski describes as a genetic fluke.
Farmers, producers and landholders in the Byron Shire can now apply for grants of up to $3,000 to fund regenerative farming projects. Byron Shire Council has opened applications for a total pool of $9,000. The grants aim to improve soil health, increase biodiversity and build resilience to changing climate conditions. Applications close on Monday, October 26, and successful applicants will be notified in mid-December. Council says previous rounds have backed grazing, livestock and pest-management projects.
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Federal and Queensland governments have teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to secure almost 400,000 hectares of land in Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria. The acquisitions include parts of Kendall River, Westmoreland and Cliffdale stations. The land is home to threatened species, including the palm cockatoo and grey falcon. Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the purchases would grow the state's protected area estate. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said the Commonwealth contributed $3.5 million to the Westmoreland purchase.
Introduced animals are not intrinsically harmful, according to an analysis of how Australians judge them. Species such as rabbits, cats, camels and cattle were deliberately brought to the continent and initially valued for their uses. They are now labelled pests once they become too successful. It suggests that responses could focus on practical action rather than moral judgement, pointing to methods used by First Nations groups to manage camels and cats.
A charity is planning a 200km green corridor of trees around the edge of London, designed to protect greenbelt land and boost biodiversity. The London Tree Ring project, led by CPRE London, will invite community groups, schools and landowners to plant trees and look after green spaces over the next 25 years. The project is set for an official launch on 15 October. Early test sites include a hedgerow revival that planted disease-resistant elm, a species almost wiped out in the 1960s and 1970s, and a microforest in Sutton.
Researchers have identified a new species of matchstick grasshopper in Victoria, the Murray Mallee matchstick (Keyacris bungunnia), which inhabits small remnant reserves. These areas, often overlooked in conservation efforts, can be crucial for the survival of smaller plants and animals. The study found that each population of the grasshopper was genetically distinct, highlighting the importance of preserving these habitats. The grasshoppers play a vital role in local food webs and their presence can indicate high-quality habitat for other vulnerable species.
