In this issue

	ECOS Issue 181

Features

Bringing public participation to the water table While many would be aware that last Friday (22 March) was International Water Day, fewer would know that 2013 is the United Nations’ International Year of Water Cooperation. Learn more

Could ‘mining magnate thinking' help conserve koalas? Koalas in south-east Queensland are in trouble. They are threatened by vehicles, dog attacks and disease. And these threats are growing as koala habitat is cleared to make way for housing and industrial estates. How much more information do we need about these koalas before we can take action? Learn more

The new language of sustainability: risk and resilience Sustainability has become a business buzzword in recent years. For many, though, it's still viewed as a philanthropic initiative disconnected from a company's core goals, or even as a burden that competes with other strategic priorities. That must change. Learn more

Save or recreate? Lessons from Singapore on the value of green spaces With development nibbling away at long-established green spaces in and around Australia's largest cities, could we look to intensively urbanised Singapore for some wisdom on the value of such spaces for city dwellers? Learn more

Four years on: what have we learned from Black Saturday? Saturday 7 February 2009 will go down in Australia's history as one of the worst days for bushfires since European arrival. On that day, which became known as Black Saturday, 173 people died in Victoria as a result of bushfires burning out of control. Learn more

Mapping the living story of an ancient land Lake Gregory is a semi-permanent waterbody in the desert of north-western Australia. The lake is known by the local Walmajarri people as ‘Paruku'. Not only is it of national significance as a waterbird refuge, but it has also offered up evidence of past climates and human habitation. Learn more

Some snakes are lovers, others are fighters
When it comes to the choice between making love or war, size really does matter – if you are a snake, that is. Renowned Sydney University biologist, Professor Rick Shine, heralds our entrance into the Chinese Year of the Snake by sharing some unusual insights into the sometimes combative, sometimes sensual world of these much-maligned reptiles.
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