Tangle of Life
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The tides of history on our sands
Clarkes Beach, like many other east Australian beaches, is much changed, again. The sand is swept away, exposing reefs and riffles of round rocks.
July 10, 2020 | Mary Gardner | 5 Byron Echo, Articles & Columns, Tangle of Life -
Time to act for all the people
Early afternoon on the 14 May, 2020 means this is a changing tide. The moon is in the last quarter. It is weeks into the pandemic lockdown, months since the last wildfire and drought here, and years into climate change.
June 4, 2020 | Mary Gardner | 4 Articles & Columns, Tangle of Life -
Preserving our ecological jewels
Story & image Mary Gardner Remember, back before the pandemic, the long dry months during our Black Summer of wildfires? The Northern Rivers region was facing more water rationing. Then, over a few intense weeks, Byron Bay and surrounds received... Read More →
May 25, 2020 | Echonetdaily | 0 Byron Echo, Articles & Columns, Tangle of Life -
Time to change or expect a seven metre sea rise
Each of us is an individual world maintained within a larger collective world. So are all the other living things.
March 27, 2020 | Mary Gardner | 6 Tangle of Life
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The tides of history on our sands
Clarkes Beach, like many other east Australian beaches, is much changed, again. The sand is swept away, exposing reefs and riffles of round rocks.
July 10, 2020 | Mary Gardner | 5 -
Time to act for all the people
Early afternoon on the 14 May, 2020 means this is a changing tide. The moon is in the last quarter. It is weeks into the pandemic lockdown, months since the last wildfire and drought here, and years into climate change.
June 4, 2020 | Mary Gardner | 4 -
Preserving our ecological jewels
Story & image Mary Gardner Remember, back before the pandemic, the long dry months during our Black Summer of wildfires? The Northern Rivers region was facing more water rationing. Then, over a few intense weeks, Byron Bay and surrounds received... Read More →
May 25, 2020 | Echonetdaily | 0 -
Time to change or expect a seven metre sea rise
Each of us is an individual world maintained within a larger collective world. So are all the other living things.
March 27, 2020 | Mary Gardner | 6 -
There is no life without water: time to save
Yes, the recent rain is wonderful, but acting on water use restrictions must become our usual way of life, at least until the drought is over.
February 6, 2020 | Mary Gardner | 1 -
Creating spaces for nature
With the closing of the Byron sewage treatment plant, people minimised their industrial presence. In these conditions, nature’s healing processes took over.
December 6, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 2 -
Another take on ticks: ’tis the season
Without my friend noticing, a creature smaller than a little fingernail was perched on a stem of grass and leapt to the safety of his sock.
November 26, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 10 -
What to do NOW after climate change march?
Children, teens and all their supporters, what do you do after the excitement of the recent climate change marches? There’s no quick fix.
November 1, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 3 -
The small fry in a world of baleen giants
Like others that day at the Cape Byron lighthouse, David Bryant saw this small whale ride a wave. Skilled photographer that he is, he had his camera to the ready and took this photo that has flashed its way through media around the world.
September 5, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 1 -
Protocols, process, and system failures
In the lagoon, the pace of winter life during the long dry seems pretty settled. The growth of small estuarine prawns slows down. Bream now five years old are grown up, itching for saltwater and their winter spawn.
July 18, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 1 -
Will the ‘Ozzie otter’ vanish along with the other 1,000,000 threatened species?
The Australian otter is not otter an at all and while there were once plenty, loss of habitat through development and roads means their numbers are falling.
June 6, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 0 -
A vision for the future of Byron’s wetlands
Could the future of West Byron lands lead the regeneration of seafood supply in the Belongil catchment and the sub-tropic region from the Richmond to the Brunswick?
May 10, 2019 | Echonetdaily | 0 -
Are there more sharks in our waters?
Are there more sharks or have we just become accustomed to vanishing species in our midst?
April 5, 2019 | Echonetdaily | 1 -
Long lost relative or ‘exotic’ plant?
The Heliconia started their spectacular annual display of red and gold in late November. What is so compelling about them?
February 28, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 1 -
Coastal squeeze and preparing for a future of climate change
Development in floodplains and on shores means walls, roads, residences, and every kind of construction are built. As the sea levels rise, the low-water mark marches landward to meet these barriers. The space between is shrinking or disappearing.
February 1, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 0 -
Should we feel free to pee in the sea?
As the holiday season gets underway, this toilet block, as does every other near the beach, becomes one of the busiest places in Byron Shire.
January 10, 2019 | Mary Gardner | 4 -
Bird’s eye view of our parklands
Although many municipal plans aim to cool off hot towns, improve waterways and protect human health, they can also support wildlife. Plans in Byron Shire can become exercises in empathy.
December 11, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 0 -
Trees or biotechnological genetic rescue?
We peered through the branches amazed to see this colourful bird, resting one wing awkwardly. By the next day it would be dead.
November 23, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 4 -
Death of a platypus leaves unanswered questions
We found it dead on the sand near the mouth of the Tallow’ the woman said. The corpse stunk a little but I hardly noticed. I was so astonished. What was this platypus doing here? Who knew there were any around this side of Byron Bay? How did it live? As importantly, how did it die?
October 5, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 1 -
The trouble with lichen
What lichens truly are is still startling. One apparently global species turns out to be made of one species of fungi with a different species of algae depending which hemisphere it finds itself.
September 11, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 2 -
Will species synchronicity lead to ecological collapse?
Parrots are often called the primates of the bird world. They are intelligent, playful and determined, grasping and changing their world using their feet and beaks like hands holding scissors.
August 3, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 1 -
Batting for bats: their vital role in forestry
Flying foxes live life large across the landscape. They are the chief pollinators and seed carriers for many species of forest trees.
July 13, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 2 -
Join the BioBlitz and discover aquatic mysteries
On the 12th of May take a few minutes and help track down the elusive mysterious highly prized wild shellfish reefs and beds somewhere near you.
May 8, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 1 -
Equinox signs from the bridge: How nature tells the future
I pause on the bridge over the Tallow. My senses are full of the changes with the recent equinox. The signs are all around.
April 6, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 3 -
It’s not over till the big trucks fill
It’s not a done deal. The swamplands that define Byron Bay are crippled but still alive. The NSW Joint Regional Planning Panel is still debating how mega-development of West Byron might harm the Cumbebin Nature Reserve and the Belongil waterway.
February 27, 2018 | Mary Gardner | 1
