This fact sheet written by John Woinarski and Brydie Hill presents the key findings from the Land & Water Australia managed project: Defining successional patterns and biodiversity values of north Australian eucalypt forests. Overall, this study provides major new insights into the dynamics of these important tropical eucalypt forests, particularly allowing comparison with the dynamics of temperate eucalypt forests. The study has important management implications. It is now possible to provide some explicit quantitative criteria for the delineation of "old-growth" in these forests (relating particularly to the incidence of larger trees, and the consequential abundance of hollows and hollow-associated fauna). For regrowth vegetation, it is now possible to justify regulatory controls; although we recommend that if there is a need for choice, it is better to (re-)clear regrowth than to clear intact forest, better to clear younger than older regrowth, and better to clear isolated regrowth than regrowth that may form connections between otherwise isolated intact forest patches.

These guidelines have been prepared to meet the objectives shown in the terms of reference. The main task of the guidelines is to provide a framework to improve the quality and appropriateness of program evaluation. This framework can then be atest benefit.

This issue focuses on the concept of ecological 'thresholds' and how these may be used in managing our landscapes. Are there break-points in nature that respond to the ways we manage land, beyond which we should not goΓ The break-point may be the rapid decline of a species in response to declining levels in key factors, such as sites to shelter and breed. It's a bit like asking 'How much is enoughΓ' Where research establishes that a threshold exists, the implication for managers is that we should stop before we reach that point or we will have gone too fa An occasional magazine from Land & Water Australia's Native Vegetation Program that is

The Healthy Country, Healthy People project has explored the relationship between landscape health and Aboriginal health in northern Australia. Aboriginal people worked with a transdisciplinary research team to test the assertion that investment in Indigenous Natural and Cultural Resource Management (ICNRM) benefits both people and the environment. The project was designed as a proof of concept and the results have been highly encouraging.

Australia's primary industries have developed a national research strategy to address climate change and emissions management and trading. The strategy outlines six research priorities: Understanding future climates Managing emissions Preparing industries Accessing information Facilitating change Linking decision makers. The strategy also lists existing research activity, and the major gaps in our knowledge. It also commissioned specific reports on climate change impacts and adaptation and emission trading. The strategy is a joint initiative of the Rural Research and Development Corporations; Federal, State and Territory Governments; and the CSIRO, managed by Land & Water Australia.

The DroughtPlan project was funded under the LWRRDC-managed National Climate Variability R&D Program, and also supported by the Meat Research Corporation and the International Wool Secretariat, as well as the contributing research organisations and many producers. This document presents a full overview report on the project, but more details are available on many elements in their own publications, working papers, and production materials

This issue of Thinking Bush provides you with a sample of the many issues being addressed by organisations such as the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Bureau of Rural Sciences, CSIRO and Greening Australia. Together, these organisations form part of the 'Partners in Vegetation Management' group, a bunch of national organisations which are collaborating to improve the delivery of information to NRM practitioners. As in the past, there is also news from projects supported by Land & Water Australia. In this issue we cover three projects that are building upon the knowledge base developed from earlier projects, and we also provide you with some exciting research outcomes that will influence how we manage native vegetation at the landscape scale

In this Issue: Global Circulation Models - the key to future forecastingΓ; WhopperCropper: taking the 'risk' out of risk managementΓ; Targeting tree establishment using seasonal climate forecasts

This is a review of the potential for microbial indicators to be used to assess river health.

An occasional magazine from Land & Water Australia's Native Vegetation Program that is full of new ways of thinking about, planning and managing the Australian Bush. This issue's theme - Managing native vegetation in agricultural landscapes