Choice Hotels is preparing to nominate multiple directors to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts‘ board in an aggressive move to push its approximately $9.8 billion unsolicited merger bid between the two U.S.-based hotel companies.
14.11.2023 - 23:51 / euronews.com / Rebecca Ann Hughes
A herd of goats could become a surprising member of the maintenance team for an Australian rail company.
Queensland Rail (QR) was looking for a speedier solution to eliminating weeds and grass that posed a fire risk along lines near Tully in Far North Queensland.
A group of 15 goats was brought in for a trial and given an 8-12 week deadline to clean up “the toughest of weeds” in the overgrown area.
The animals proved to be diligent workers and particularly adept at reaching inaccessible areas - so much so that they might receive further employment offers.
The weed-destroying goat herd was deployed to tackle an area between railway tracks and Banyan Creek where vegetation was out of control.
The 15 animals proved a great success, nimbly leaping into hard-to-reach areas and nibbling away at the undergrowth in a third of the time they were allotted for the task.
"It's been four weeks and they've annihilated the three different parts of that area," QR vegetation manager Glenn Withers told Australian broadcasters ABC News.
The clearance had become imperative after dry grasses reaching two metres high across a 0.02 kilometre square area had become a bushfire risk.
In some areas, human workers had been able to replant with less flammable native species.
But the final 5,000 metres squared - clogged with rainforest plants and wattles - was proving a challenge.
After discussions with landscaping contractors Norveg, Withers decided to experiment with goats.
"We just wanted to see what they'd eat, what they wouldn't eat, and how quickly they do it," he said.
As well as being prolific workers, the goat herd may be a less damaging solution for the environment.
“Goats are a safe and environmentally friendly way to clear overgrown vegetation without the use of heavy machinery or herbicides,” says Scott Cornish, QR’s head of regional.
“In addition to their extensive chomping experience, they are able to manoeuvre around the most hard-to-reach places, climbing steep and rocky terrain with ease – spots that our heavy machinery simply can’t access.”
The animals graze not only on the plants themselves, but also on the seeds meaning invasive weeds are prevented from regrowing and the use of herbicides could be reduced.
“This will help reduce future vegetation management costs by allowing local native rainforest trees and shrub seeds to germinate and gradually revegetate the whole one-acre area,” adds Cornish.
Though the goats are proving useful, moving to full-time employment means ensuring the animals’ safety, which Norveg co-owner Christina Forrest told ABC News was not “straightforward.”
"They need to be kept safe and fed and watered and safe from predators," she said.
QR have installed CCTV and fencing to create a secure goat enclosure,
Choice Hotels is preparing to nominate multiple directors to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts‘ board in an aggressive move to push its approximately $9.8 billion unsolicited merger bid between the two U.S.-based hotel companies.
Last November, a group of us took a trip to the Peak District for my dad’s 60th. We booked the Packhorse Inn in Little Longstone for the celebratory dinner, just off the famous Monsal Trail. The pub sources all its produce locally and changes its menu monthly. When we arrived, we were welcomed with roaring fires and delights on the menu such as pork belly with black pudding and mustard mash, game pie, and a top tier sticky toffee pudding. It was worth it, although we ended up having to navigate a muddy walk home afterwards through cow fields in complete darkness.Eloise
ITE has over 2,600 members located in 90 countries, working in corporations, agencies, airlines, cruise companies, and across the entire destination supply chain.
Bob Schumacher has almost 30 years’ experience in senior sales and management positions in the aviation sector, latterly as Regional Director Sales, for United Airlines.
Airlines are trialling new techniques to shave minutes off turnaround procedures as a way to cut costs.
Mexico published a decree on Monday that gives preference to trains transporting passengers over those transporting freight on railways under concession.
Luxury and expedition cruise line, Seabourn, is offering a new World Cruise for 2026, a 129-day voyage onboard the Seabourn Sojourn that visits fourteen different countries, called the “Ring of Fire: Hidden Gems,” available for booking now.
WHY IT RATES: Aqua-Aston Hospitality celebrates its recent expansions while also supporting its employees affected by the Maui wildfires and giving back to the local Maui community. — Lacey Pfalz, Associate Writer, TravelPulse
From his posts and re-posts on X, it’s clear that Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is highly supportive of Sam Altman, the ousted CEO of OpenAI, and now-former board Chairman Greg Brockman, and Chesky seems to be in-the-know about some of the maneuverings behind the scenes.
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