Plant and they will come
The long-term survival of koalas is under serious threat due to the destruction of their habitat and the impacts of climate change. Koala's habitat removal in both rural and urban landscapes has led to habitat fragmentation, making it harder for koalas to thrive.
Koalas face increased risks such as disease, motor vehicle accidents, dog attacks and extreme weather events. It's a challenging situation as they struggle to find food and spend more time on the ground due to the scarcity of trees.
However, we can't lose sight of the importance of taking action. Friends of the Koala are working tirelessly to address these issues and we need your support. One of our goals is to encourage landholders to engage in koalas habitat restoration and tree-planting activities. By getting involved, you can contribute to the preservation of koalas and their habitat.
Why koalas habitat restoration and tree planting are important
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1. Preserve Biodiversity:
Koalas play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity within their habitats. By restoring natural habitats and planting trees, you create an environment that supports not only koalas but also numerous other native species.
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2. Mitigate Climate Change:
Trees are effective in absorbing carbon dioxide and mitigating climate change. By planting trees on your property, you contribute to carbon sequestration, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
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3. Strengthen Local Communities:
Koalas habitat restoration and tree planting initiatives can bring communities together. They provide opportunities for making friends, learning from people with experience and learning more about koalas in your area. By collaborating with neighbors and local organisations, we can make a collective impact in the Northern Rivers and see large scale landscape repair.
Do you want to help save koalas?
Here are some steps you can take:
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1. Assess Your Property:
Evaluate your property's existing habitat and identify areas that can be restored or enhanced for koalas. Consider factors such as vegetation types, connectivity to existing habitats, and the availability of water sources.
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2. Plan Your Restoration:
Develop a restoration plan. This can be as simple as a map of different vegetation zones or a full property plan that takes into account the productive aspect of your property such as grazing. If you are just starting out you can get in contact with one of our local Bush Regeneration contractors. Money invested in getting their site specific advice is well worth it and can assist you in making good long term decisions.
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3. Sign up to our Landholder database:
Friends of the Koala are creating a landholder database of landholders across the Northern Rivers who are interested in koalas habitat restoration and tree planting for koalas on their properties. When funding or other opportunities become available through Friends of the Koala or other organisations we can let you know and put you in touch.
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And get started - plant koala trees on your place, you can even start small and build on your project over time. We have a native plant nursery in Lismore, Northern Rivers.
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Collaborate with neighboring landholders, community groups like Landcare, and environmental organisations to create wildlife corridors and expand koalas habitat connectivity.
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Regularly monitor the progress of your restoration efforts and evaluate the effectiveness of the habitat restoration on your property. Keep an eye out for koalas and please report any koala sightings! This helps us understand where people are seeing koalas in the landscape.
By participating in koalas habitat restoration and tree planting, you can contribute to the protection and conservation of koalas and their habitat. Your efforts, no matter how small, make a difference.