24 January 2007

More needed if Strategy is to help koalas

The Far North Coast Regional Strategy’s expectation of 60,400 people moving into the Region over the next 25 years will impact on many of the Region’s koala populations.

Whilst the Strategy’s emphasis on environmental protection and settlement patterns which utilize the existing network of urban centres, towns and villages is welcomed, significant gaps in koala mapping throughout the Region were identified during the public consultation period.

“That the Strategy identifies koala habit as an environmental asset deserving of improved protection and enhancement is encouraging” said Friends of the Koala President, Lorraine Vass. “Nevertheless, with 8000 additional houses planned for Lismore, 3000 for Kyogle, nearly 10,000 in Richmond Valley and the expansion of the hinterland’s villages, all our Councils should be obtaining scientific evidence of the status and movements of their koala populations. A lot more ecological, landscape-type studies are needed of where the koalas are, where they're going and how they're doing if the species’ survival is to be managed,” she said.

Friends of the Koala is also concerned about the Strategy’s retention of the contentious ‘sustainability criteria’ which if met will enable developers to plead a special case for rezonings outside those areas earmarked for development by the Strategy.

The Northern Rivers’ koala populations are of state and national significance.

The koala is listed as ‘vulnerable’ under NSW’s Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Although not listed under Federal legislation, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee recognizes that some local koala populations have undergone significant declines in numbers over recent years and where this is the case local koala habitats must become the focus of protection, restoration and rehabilitation work.

“Studies such as the Multi-Species and EEC Recovery Actions and Secure Conservation Project and the Border Ranges Cross Regional Biodiversity Project being conducted under the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority’s Catchment Action Plan will be helpful but local government is going to have to do its bit as well,’’ Mrs Vass said.

Friends of the Koala’s first training day for 2007 will be held on Sunday 11 February. Enquiries phone the Friends of the Koala Rescue Hotline 6622 1233.