FOK has provided a community service for over 30 years supplying the community with Koala food trees (KFT) of local provenance as well as technical information relating to koala habitat enhancement. Due to the increased demand for KFTs over the past 18 months, particularly for government-funded programs (e.g. Green Army) FOK’s nursery capacity needs to be increased. Successful Green Army team sponsorship and partnering with other Green Army project sponsors has increased FOK’s capacity to propagate trees for team planting and distributing to the community.

To this end, Friends of the Koala received $12,049 funding over three years from Lismore City Council to purchase and install an undercover propagation and potting area for volunteers, employment program participants and Green Army teams who work at the Care Centre nursery. These improved and expanded weather proof facilities will also allow FOK members to train participants and the community in best practice nursery techniques.

Funding also covers the purchase and installation of a rain water tank, harvesting rain from new and existing roof structures making the nursery more sustainable, refurbishing the current seedling igloo and purchasing nursery materials.

Community needs will be addressed by providing meaningful work and experience for recipients of government benefits and the Green Army. Training sessions can be arranged to teach eucalypt identification and propagation techniques.

The direct environmental benefits are establishing habitat for koalas and the revegetating koala corridors. Increased tree production will facilitate community and FOK revegetation projects and by so doing will assist in the long term survival of the Koala.