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Koala recovery possible but on knife edge, local report finds

The glass is both half-full and half-empty for the future of local koalas according to a report released today.

The forested patch between historical koala hotspots Wamban and Nerrigundah was investigated by volunteers from the Eurobodalla Koala Project.

They are hopeful but nervous about what they discovered.

The potential of the patch to offer suitable habitat for low-density koala revival was confirmed, but with significant caveats in respect of previous clearing, topography, soil fertility and possible future disturbance.

Key lessons for the future environmental management of this patch are the maintenance of its landscape-scale connectivity to other habitat patches, and avoidance of further disturbance through increased frequency and intensity of wildfire, urban development or over-intensive agri-industry.

Under a contract between the Commonwealth Government and The Coastwatchers Association Inc (the Eurobodalla’s not-for-profit environment group) and with fieldwork hosted by Forestry Corporation NSW and National Parks and Wildlife Service, the local volunteers analysed vegetation types, topography, geology, soil, water, shade and fire impact.

Field-based data were matched with maps and datasets held by the NSW Government, as well as scholarly documents.

Koala Recovery Strategy Ready for Action

The Eurobodalla Koala Recovery Strategy is complete and ready to go.

The strategy has pride of place on the home page of website eurokoalas.com. Stakeholders received advance copies this week.

Co-author Dr Keith Joliffe, of the volunteer Eurobodalla Koala Project said “It’s practical, proactive and full of simple actions businesses, householders, land managers and cultural leaders can take.”

Agencies, business and community were given three months to respond to the draft launched in May.

“We had a good response from volunteers and activists” Dr Joliffe said “but disappointingly only Forestry Corporation NSW gave agency feedback, as they usually do. We need the others to step up quickly. Eurobodalla koalas are somewhere either side of the extinction line and business-as-usual no longer cuts it.”

Dr Joliffe said, after years of research his volunteer group is confident about Eurobodalla koala history and habitat. It will now focus more on public education, looking for opportunities to rehabilitate priority spaces and helping property owners.

Eurobodalla Koala Recovery Strategy Launch

The public launch of the Draft Revised Eurobodalla Koala Recovery Strategy takes place on Monday 3rd May (Wild Koala Day) at 10am.

The launch is at the site of a controversial development proposal, Lot 16 Annetts Parade Mossy Point (image attached), at the intersection with George Bass Drive.

Eurobodalla Koala researcher Dr Keith Joliffe said “We chose this location to highlight the fragmentation and connectivity message the strategy emphasises. Mossy Point sits on endangered Coastal Sand Forest, dominated by koala browse species Blackbutt and Bangalay. People might think koalas only lived in remote State Forests and National Parks, but local knowledge tells us they were on Coastal Sand Forest up until the 1950’s. The Recovery Strategy is about preserving and rehabilitating habitat right across the Shire.”

Town and rural residents, farmers, Aboriginal Elders, businesses and the large land management agencies are all invited to respond to the Draft, at https://eurokoalas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/draft-recovery-strategy-revised-edition.docx.pdf

Dr Joliffe said “The draft has been with agencies for over a month. We need them to hop on board with its practical planning and regulatory actions. We hope they will consider co-editing the strategy with our volunteer group. They have important expertise. We need their status and resources to enhance public awareness.”