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Feral deer used to be a novelty in the Victorian high country – now there are thousands
It may sound anti-Christmas, but we need to control these pests to protect our native ecosystems
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As Christmas approaches, the image of Rudolph’s red nose and the sound of jingling bells as Santa’s trusty team of reindeer pull his sleigh captures the imagination of Australian children. But while these reindeer bring joy to the Christmas season, there is a darker side to their Australian counterparts. Feral deer are one of the most serious emerging environmental and agricultural threats to Australia.
Deer don’t belong in the Australian bush. Unlike much of the world, where deer are native, our plants and wildlife haven’t evolved to deal with their hard hooves and voracious appetite. They overgraze and trample native grasslands, they ring-bark native shrubs and trees and they cause erosion and pollution by wallowing in wetlands and streams. They eat fruit trees, grapevines, crops and pastures and destroy fences, costing farmers tens of thousands of dollars every year. Deer browse on and kill trees planted by Landcare groups, foresters, farmers and local councils. After bushfires, feral deer eat any new growth and stop revegetation.
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In an ancient forest, I look for peace – but instead I find Happy the puppy | Max Porter
As I lie down under a 2,000-year-old small-leaved lime coppice, I contemplate what is truly sacred
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This is me trying to have a sacred encounter with the 2,000-year-old small-leaved lime coppice at Westonbirt Arboretum. Because of my terrible hunched posture I’m always looking for an opportunity to lie down and alleviate the pain in my back. Because of my great love of trees I am always looking for an opportunity to lie down in a woodland. And because we lost a beloved cousin tragically young this summer, I was also looking for opportunities to be quiet and think of him and have a little cry. This was my moment.
We recently welcomed a puppy to our family, and he has taken a special liking to me because I’m the person who walks him and feeds him; I’m not really a dog person, so he’s made it his personal mission to convert me. I guess it’s working, I love him in a sort of gently revelatory, deeply trying, must-learn-to-be-patient way. He joined me in the ancient green cavern, whining. I don’t like to have my face licked when I’m having a reflective moment. His name is Happy, so if you were passing the lime coppice you would have heard me saying, “No Happy. Fuck’s sake, Happy. Happy, please leave me alone for two seconds.”
Max Porter’s new novel, Shy, is out next year
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Weather tracker: freezing conditions sweep south across US
Cold air from north Canada brings wind-chill warnings over area stretching down to Mexico border
Much of the United States is experiencing very cold conditions as cold air plunges south from northern Canada all the way to the Gulf coast, giving freezing temperatures across most of the country.
An area of low pressure in the Great Lakes region brought snow and bitter winds. Twenty centimetres (8in) of snow was reported in the twin city area of Minneapolis-Saint Paul in Minnesota on Wednesday. The surge of cold air also affected areas farther west, with a sharp cold front bringing a dramatic 22C (40F) drop in just 30 minutes in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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The week in wildlife – in pictures
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Continue reading...Illegal tree felling in England to be punishable with jail and uncapped fines
Exclusive: Forestry Act 1967 to change from 1 January to deter people from flattening trees and accepting paltry penalties
Illegal tree felling in England will be punishable by unlimited fines and prison sentences from 1 January, the government has announced.
The current fine for cutting down a tree without a licence, established by the Forestry Act 1967, is £2,500 or twice the value of the timber, whichever is the higher.
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