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

In this issue In this issue .... Guest Spot, Ocean reflections; achievements of CVAP 1997-2002; Next generation forecasts; Managing climate risks; Top 12 El Niños

This monograph, which draws on material from Dr Lovett's PhD thesis,* identifies and comments on far-reaching recent changes in the fu nding arrangements for rural R&D.These changes a re aimed at improving ng the responsiveness of R&D funders and providers to industry needs and related public good issues, and at enhancing the contribution that a strong scientific community ca n make to rural production.

In this issue: Focus on Namoi Valley NPIRD news Water savings of up to 50% with PRD National irrigation code project Irrigation diary

Until recently there hasn't been a science-based practical set of strategies outlining how biodiversity can best be conserved in production landscapes. This has now been addressed by ecologists at The Australian National University who have compiled a list of ten such strategies.

This booklet is part of a series that describes the status of data and information relevant to national indicators agreed under the National Natural Resource Management Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. It specifically reports on the current status of information relating to indicators of the extent, distribution and condition of estuarine, coastal and marine (ECM) habitats. This is a vital step towards more strategic future investment.

This Guide aims to help woolgrowers and those that work with them, to improve and protect the health of water courses and riparian land on their farms, as well as to minimise the impacts of wool production on water quality and stream health. The aim is to use improved management to achieve both environmental and productive benefits. It also provides information about how these requirements can be incorporated into farm design and wool production operations. Any part of the farm that is linked to the local stream system by water flow, including those parts linked only during storm events, is covered by this River Guide. This is because what happens on them, and how they are managed, can have a significant influence on the stream's health and its water quality.