Tropical Savanna Ecology Research Group

We are a research lab at Charles Darwin University in northern Australia. We study the ecology and management of tropical savannas.

[Brett Murphy @brettpmurphy]

"Cotton Australia chief executive Adam Kay told ABC Country Hour he had been reassured by the NT government that cattle station owners did not have to get a non-pastoral use permit before planting cotton." Don't worry about the Pastoral Land Act - this is the Territory!

[Prof. Euan Ritchie (@euanritchie.bsky.social) @EuanRitchie1]

I just watched @4corners' 'Water Grab'.

- First Nations peoples ignored & bullied.

- Experts ignored & intimidated.

- Allegations of significant COI & corruption.

There must be consequences.

Will you act, @Tanya_Plibersek? This is a national issue.

https://t.co/68t7qac030

[Prof. Euan Ritchie (@euanritchie.bsky.social) @EuanRitchie1]

Does it worry you, that land clearing approvals have rapidly accelerated in the N.T. in the last ten years AND proposals for cotton production are expected to require a LOT more? https://t.co/68t7qac030

[Prof. Euan Ritchie (@euanritchie.bsky.social) @EuanRitchie1]

Does it worry you, that NO pastoral land clearing app. has been *formally assessed* by N.T. E.P.A. via the N.T. Environment Protection Act (i.e. a formal environmental impact statement) nor referred for assessment via the federal EPBC Act.? These require *rigorous assessments*.

[Prof. Euan Ritchie (@euanritchie.bsky.social) @EuanRitchie1]

Workplace bullying and intimidation?
Corruption and breaches of law?
Government spread misinformation?
Sidelining First Nations peoples?
Destroying iconic cultural and environmental assets?

Watch https://t.co/68t7qac030

You decide.

[yungenchee.bsky.social @YungEnChee1]

Minister Kate Worden @katew5000 says 95% of cotton grown in the NT is rain-fed

Data? Evidence? How's this known when NT govt doesn't verify what growers state on their land clearing &/ water license applications?🤔
& when it doesn't track what's grown?🤔

[yungenchee.bsky.social @YungEnChee1]

Minister Kate Worden @katew5000 says, "science is a very contested area"

So please, NT govt, show your data, working & interpretation of evidence!

[Australian Conservation Foundation @AusConservation]

Powerful story on @4corners last night about the devastating environmental impacts of an expanding cotton industry in the Northern Territory. @EnviroCentreNT https://t.co/8h1UbaJqJg

[Prof. Euan Ritchie (@euanritchie.bsky.social) @EuanRitchie1]

Does it worry you, that biodiversity “assessments” undertaken in an attempt to follow guidelines are typically desktop-based (no on-ground field surveys for assessing potential impacts on threatened species & ecosystems), based on incomplete (both spatially & temporally) data?

[yungenchee.bsky.social @YungEnChee1]

Minister @katew5000, why does "rigorous assessment processes in effect in the NT" allow clearing BEFORE permits are granted?

Is coordination w NT EPA & the Pastoral Land Board integral to the process?

Is granting of permits post-clearing common practice?
https://t.co/WYWk20wGvZ

[Brett Murphy @brettpmurphy]

What little we know about the NT Land Corporation, a mysterious 'quasi-government' body with big influence (yet very little public scrutiny) https://t.co/Xf1hoKzHAY

[Hugh Davies @Hugh_Davies2015]

The concept of generating carbon credits from feral ruminant control is viable and warrants further research attention esp. given the potential for simultaneous economic/ecological benefits @CDUni @RIELresearch @tanya_plibersek

https://t.co/1e2kAw4aOG

[Ecological Monographs @ESAMonographs]

New in @ESAMonographs:

Using a demographic model to project the long-term effects of fire management on tree biomass in Australian savannas

https://t.co/gpMellZ51E

With #OpenData in @datadryad

#CarbonStorage #FireRegimes #TropicalSavanna @brettpmurphy @RIELresearch @CDUni

[Brett Murphy @brettpmurphy]

Great to hear @Hugh_Davies2015 talking about his research https://t.co/MACdAQZezQ on greenhouse gas abatement (and carbon credits) generated by controlling Top End feral buffalo – with enormous biodiversity co-benefits. On ABC's NT Country Hour (42:22) https://t.co/qdNYjntMzx

[Environmental Justice Australia @EJ_Aus]

Did you know we’ve got the world’s largest remaining intact savanna right in our backyard?

That’s why we’re taking a legal case to the Northern Territory Supreme Court to stop a multinational corporation from bulldozing it.

[Environment Centre NT @EnviroCentreNT]

lol, our fearless leader Kirsty in the news - number 1 on @TheNTNews most powerful Territory advocates list!
But seriously, this is a win for everyone who is standing up for the NT - it's going to be a big year and we are ready to go.
Read here: https://t.co/d1g1D4tlKL

[Environment Centre NT @EnviroCentreNT]

ABC 7.30 Report exposes land clearing in the NT tonight.
Big Cotton is moving in and Territorians are worried about another Murray Darling disaster.
Don't miss it.
Article here: https://t.co/IegKZtA4Ly

[abc730 @abc730]

Images suggest land being cleared for cotton farming before permits granted. #abc730 @roxannefitzgrld @Hannah_Meagher https://t.co/eZPoPSvQcA

[ABC News @abcnews]

Federal senators call for inquiry into land clearing for cotton in Northern Territory https://t.co/CCYQVFkAeW

[Environment Centre NT @EnviroCentreNT]

If you saw the shocking @abc730 report on land clearing in the NT and want to do something about it, tell NT politicians that you want better nature laws here: https://t.co/fuKpWVHlIb