MidCoast Koala Conservation Strategy Adopted by Councillors – In a significant step towards koala conservation, the MidCoast Koala Conservation Strategy has been officially adopted by the Councillors.
This adoption follows a period of public exhibition, during which 38 submissions from community members and government agencies were received, highlighting strong local engagement with the initiative.
The strategy outlines 30 actions, many of which are already underway. To support these efforts, the Council has secured $3 million in government funding, which will be used to implement a range of projects over the next two years.
Photo above shows local kids at MidCoast Council as they voted to transition the timber industry from native state forests
By adopting the MidCoast Koala Conservation Strategy, Council are continuing their efforts to protect the remaining koala habitat at Bulga and Kirrawak State Forests.
In February 2023, Midcoast Council unanimously supported a motion put forward by Greens Councillor Dheera Smith, calling for a just transition from native forest logging to ecologically sustainably managed plantations and farm forestry.
Links to MidCoast Council’s Draft Midcoast Koala Conservation Strategy °°°°°°° Report a koala sighting
Summary of Community Consultation for MidCoast Koala Strategy 2024-2028
This report summarizes the community consultation undertaken between 27 November 2023 and 11 February 2024, aimed at informing the development of the MidCoast Koala Strategy 2024-2028.
The strategy will be a comprehensive four-year plan designed to guide the conservation, recovery, and long-term management of koala populations in the MidCoast region.
The MidCoast Koala Strategy is integral to providing strategic direction to the State-funded Koala Safe Spaces project. This project has been pivotal in raising community awareness, supporting local conservation efforts, and gathering valuable data through extensive koala surveys.
The strategy will align with the objectives of the New South Wales Koala Strategy 2021-2026, which recognizes the endangered status of koalas and aims to double their population by 2050. As a Regional Partner to the NSW Koala Strategy, MidCoast Council is committed to contributing to these ambitious goals.
The strategy’s development was informed by stakeholder and community input, as well as koala sightings data, habitat mapping, and applied scientific knowledge. Given that most koala habitats and corridors in the MidCoast are on private land, landholder participation is crucial for the strategy’s success.
To assist in developing the draft strategy and conducting community consultations, MidCoast Council engaged environmental consultants NGH Consulting. It is important to note that the strategy is not being prepared under the Biodiversity and Conservation State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) as a Koala Plan of Management.
Therefore, it will not impose any additional planning restrictions on the future development of private land. The existing legislative framework for assessing impacts on koalas and other threatened species will remain in place.
For more info on this campaign visit the “Save Bulga Forest on Biripi Country 2429” facebook group
MidCoast Koala Reference Group
The formation of the MidCoast Koala Reference Group marked another milestone in this conservation effort. Established at the Council meeting on December 14, 2022 (resolution 531/2022), the Reference Group supports the implementation of the MidCoast Regional Partnership (MRP) Project, funded by the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) under the NSW Koala Strategy.
The NSW Koala Strategy allocated funds to MidCoast Council for three primary actions under the MRP Project:
- Recruitment of a Koala Project Officer for a four-year term to assist in delivering local koala conservation actions.
- Preparation of mapping to identify strategically important koala habitat areas in the MidCoast.
- Using this habitat mapping to inform the potential development of a draft Koala Plan of Management aimed at maintaining and enhancing priority koala habitat areas in the MidCoast LGA.
The Reference Group played a crucial role in developing the Koala Plan of Management, which will spotlight key projects in priority habitat areas. This strategic document is intended to frame the successful delivery of local actions under the NSW Koala Strategy.
Councillor and Industry Representatives
The Reference Group comprises a diverse range of representatives, including:
- Councillor Representatives: Cr C Pontin, Cr D Smith, Cr P Epov
- Industry Representatives: Reegan Walker (NSW Dept Planning), John Turbill (NSW Dept Planning), Doug Beckers (National Parks & Wildlife), Nick Godfrey-Smith (Crown Lands), Rye Gollan (Hunter Local Lands Services)
- Community Members: Shaun Tamplin, Jessica Leck, Ian Morphett, Paul McLeod, Megan Bensen, Chris Sheed, Phil Lidbury, Deborah Willis
Koala Safe Spaces Program
The MidCoast Koala Conservation Strategy is part of the broader Koala Safe Spaces Program, which has focused on data collection and raising community awareness about koala conservation. The strategy, informed by koala sightings data, habitat mapping, scientific knowledge, and community input, documents management actions for koala recovery and conservation.
This initiative demonstrates a robust, community-engaged approach to conserving the iconic koala population in the MidCoast region, ensuring their habitats are protected and enhanced for future generations.
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