Stories from 26 farms across Australia are about families, businesses and environments. They show something of how farmers consider different information and make decisions which are right for them, taking into account their financial, social and environmental sustainability.

This issue of Rip Rap has articles discussing techniques for knowledge sharing that may assist the adoption of research findings for improved river and riparian management.

In this issue: Focus on Shepparton Irrigation Region; Irrigation a risky business: Study findings; New NPIRD projects

In this issue: Focus on Southern Rural Water; New sustainable irrigation program; Project update; PRD makes Top 100

This research report provides a detailed analysis of the regulatory process literature in order to identify opportunities to improve environmental regulatory development. It draws on lessons within Australia and overseas to present comprehensive recommendations that could be utilised by governments to ensure better environmental regulatory outcomes for farmers and the wider community. Based on their analysis,the researchers propose reform of: the fundamentals of Australia's natural resource management systemencompassing the architecture of environmental law; the way in which strategies are formulated and accountfor market instruments; the regulatory process; and the financing mechanisms used.

This report is a synthesis of the interim findings of Grain & Graze, attempting to come to grips with managing complex systems and providing guidance to producers and their advisers on those practices and decision-making processes that will help lead to better profits, better farms, better catchments and better lifestyles.

The Australian landscape has changed dramatically since European settlement and will continue to change. Many of the icons that characterise our unique landscape - old trees, variety of birds, etc., may cease to be a part of that landscape unless there is active management to preserve the remaining diversity of our flora and fauna. There is an increasing expectation by the Australian landscape has changed dramatically since European settlement and will continue to change. Many of the icons that characterise our unique landscape - old trees, variety of birds, etc., may cease to be a part of that landscape unless there is active management to preserve the remaining diversity of our flora and fauna. There is an increasing expectation by the community that these icons and landscapes need to be preserved. There is also a growing acceptance among woolgrowers that the retention of habitat and preservation of landscape values is an important part of their farming system

CSIRO and Land & Water Australia (LWA) carried out a joint three-year pilot project to gain a better understanding of occurrence and risks of Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) in the Australian riverine environment. The report presents part of this work including some significant findings from the project and discusses the implications for future research and management of the EDC issue in Australia.

Problems for stream health from human pressures and strategies and solutions to ameloriate these problems in Northe east Queensland Streams

This report presents the outcomes of a collaborative research project facilitated by the Australian Conservation Foundation and partners to test the applicability of the concept of a 'conservation economy' in Australia, and the relevance of the 'Ecotrust model' to foster the emergence of such an economy.