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Since their trial reintroduction in Devon, the animal’s engineering skills have reduced floodwater and created a paradise for local wildlife. Should we bring them back for good?

At a secret location in the rolling pasture of west Devon lies a marshy patch of farmland protected by £35,000-worth of solar-powered electric fencing. This isn’t to keep people out but to restrain the tree-chomping, river-damming residents of these three hectares. Outside the fence is a typical small valley, with a trickle of a stream, willow thickets and pasture grazed by cattle. Inside the enclosure, the tiny stream has been blocked by 13 dams, creating pools and half-metre-wide canals. These have been built by Britain’s newest wild mammal, the beaver, which uses its waterways like we do – to transport goods. And as the beavers have coppiced trees, the willow thicket has been replaced with sunny glades of wild flowers – marsh thistles, watermint, meadowsweet – which dance with dragonflies and butterflies.

“The beavers have transformed this little trickle of a stream into a remarkable, primeval wetland,” says Mark Elliott, lead beaver project officer of Devon Wildlife Trust, which released two beavers here in 2011. “This is what the landscape would have looked like before we started farming, and it’s only six years old. That’s the amazing thing.”

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当野生动植物的存亡关系到当地居民切身利益时，他们就会成为野生动植物的最佳保护者，约翰·斯坎伦写到。

• The world needs wildlife tourism. But that won’t work without wildlife
  

随着全球游客人数不断增长，旅行者们钟情于探索地方文化和观赏野生动植物，寻求更为丰富、更新奇的个人体验，以野生动植物为基础的旅游业正在全球范围内迅速升温。而这也促使我几年前决定从法律事业的苦海中暂时抽身，申请了6个月的无薪假期，和妹妹一起背上行囊走上了南美之旅。欣赏亚马逊雨林、伊瓜苏瀑布、马丘比丘等地的自然美景，了解保护这些美景的当地人，改变了我的一生。

联合国世界旅游组织估计，全球7%的旅游与野生动植物旅游相关，并以每年3%的速度增长，而且增长率在世界遗产地等地区还要高得多。世界自然基金会的一份报告显示，全球自然遗产中有93%支持娱乐和旅游活动，91%提供就业机会。据说在伯利兹城，超过50%的人口以珊瑚礁相关的旅游和渔业为生。

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IPART submission to energy price inquiry appears to suggest it's OK to exploit consumers if they don't have time or knowledge to search for discounts.

Impact Investment Group has underwritten construction of a $32 million, 19MW solar farm in Victoria’s north-west.

Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex The sun is slowly dropping towards the horizon and the air is cooling. The sandpipers are still feeding, making the most of this important stopover site on their route

Ripples flow across the golden grass as the stems bend back and forth in the breeze. A pair of common blue butterflies – the male sky blue, the female rusty brown – dance over the field. It’s quiet, apart from the tinkling of parties of goldfinches flying over, and the relentless buzz of crickets and grasshoppers rising up from the ground alongside the footpath.

I follow the track around the field and into the woods, and walk uphill to the Hanger, the viewpoint that looks out over the pools and channels of the brooks. Two young grey herons battle over the fishing rights to their small pool, raising the crests on their heads, holding their wings wide and barking sharp “frarnk” calls. Finally one gives way and heaves itself into the air, flapping slowly into the distance.

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Dr Kerry Schott AO as Independent Chair and Clare Savage as Deputy Chair of the Energy Security Board.

EnergyAustralia says profits fell as it got hit by having to buy gas, but it was offset by increased gains from its retail business as consumer bills surged.

Chantek could also clean his room, make and use tools and learn the route to a restaurant.

Tomago smelter wants a new coal generator, subsidised by the government. If it really wants coal power, why doesn't it write out a contract itself?

The Clean Energy Regulator is targeting the installation of unapproved solar PV panels in the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), in line with our 2017 Compliance Priorities.

Solar Citizens is urging all sides of politics to commit to policies that support all South Australians, regardless of income, to have access to rooftop solar with storage as it becomes more affordable than ever.

The Palaszczuk Government has secured gas and started recruiting staff to bring the Swanbank E power station back on line to generate more electricity for Queenslanders.

As PM Malcolm Turnbull prepares for his meeting with the big energy retailers, here is how the conversation might pan out.

It’s safe to go back in the water, says marine biologist who identified the miniature attackers as lysianassid amphipods

The “meat-loving” marine creature that ate at the legs of a Melbourne teenager has been identified as a flesh-eating sea flea, known as a lysianassid amphipod.

Marine biologist Dr Genefor Walker-Smith said the creatures, which left 16-year-old Sam Kanizay with significant bleeding from his legs, were a small, scavenging crustacean that usually fed on dead fish or sea birds.

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Tesla, Zen, Lyon and others slam South Australia's proposed energy security target, saying it lacks technical expertise and will deliver windfall profits to incumbent gas generators, and not encourage new technologies like battery storage.

The interesting takeaway from EnergyAustralia's interim results, and other news from the NEM week that was.

Tesla says battery storage can deliver many grid services provided by gas generators, and thinking otherwise is like supporting paper records over digital files.

Tesla is emphasising profitability from its solar business, which has undergone significant transformation since the company bought SolarCity.

In “Australasian first”, 250kW Tesla Powerpack added to 660kw wind turbine, to provide 75 per cent of energy for NZ salt manufacturer.

There are huge uncertainties in greenhouse gas totals due to inaccurate data, the BBC finds.