Reconnecting and restoring Koala habitats

Koala Smart - Free Curriculum aligned program

🍃 The Scoop - July 2024 🌱

Reconnecting and Restoring Koala Habitats
in the Dungog Area Workshop: Event Recap

Koala habitat mapping as part of the NSW Koala Strategy 2021 - 2026 identified Koala ARKS (Areas of Regional Koala Significance), one of which (Barrington ARKS) falls within the Hunter Region.  Private lands play a crucial role in improving and connecting habitat across the region (in and outside of established ARKS); Citizen science has great potential for filling data gaps to help inform koala conservation efforts. 

After discussions with stakeholders, it was decided to run a Landcare led Koala Habitat Restoration Workshop in Dungog in late May 2024, offering a collaborative platform to address critical data gaps and enhance community understanding and involvement in koala habitat restoration. The event featured a rich agenda of presentation and activities focused on practical restoration and conservation techniques as well as programs available to support landholders

Represented were Hunter Local Land Services (HLLS), Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT), Hunter Region Landcare Network (HRLN), Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Dungog Common Recreation Reserve Land Management Trust and Dungog Commoners Landcare, who each presented information on their expertise and role in habitat conservation and science and opportunities available to landholders needing support for on-ground actions.  Whitney Ridgeway, HLLS, gave a heartfelt welcome to Country and led us through a walk and talk on cultural management on the Dungog Common and the significance of the koala to traditional people and connectedness of people of all walks of life to Country.

The HLLS koala landholder program is available for landholders in and around the Barrington ARKS;  The HRLN Koala paddock tree program is allowing landholders to obtain electric fencing to put around an isolated paddock tree to bring about a new generation of koala feed trees as the parent tree reaches senescence. To enter into conservation agreements, the BCT is available to assist with vegetation assessment and options for each situation. Attendees will be kept up to date with the I-Spy koala app developments and citizen science initiatives in the coming weeks and months.

A huge thank you to all the committed individuals and Landcare members that came to the workshop and are taking action to support koalas.

Thanks to the The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust and Landcare NSW for funding this workshop series.

Paddock Trees for Koalas Project 

Hunter Region Landcare Network and Mid Coast 2 Tops Landcare Connection are working with private landowners who have paddock trees that may provide habitat and a stepping stone for koalas and other fauna, either as feed trees or habitat trees

Through this project, landholders will be asked to fence off small areas adjacent to existing mature paddock trees, using solar energisers and temporary electric fencing kits, to allow natural regeneration to occur within a paddock from the seed bank, for a minimum of 4 years, to allow for juvenile eucalyptus to establish. The fencing will be of a height to exclude stock but allow free passage of koalas and terrestrial wildlife. This project is unique in that it will not only provide a long-term benefit and legacy to the project areas, but the investment will create long-term capacity within the Landcare community to continue to expand on natural regeneration over many years.

Contact your Local Landcare Coordinator to see if your property is within our koala corridors

Koala Habitat Workshop – Feedback Summary Report

Introduction

The Koala Habitat Workshop provided attendees with up-to-date information on koala conservation, habitat restoration, and opportunities for collaboration. This report collates feedback from participants, highlighting strengths of the event and areas for improvement to inform future workshops and initiatives.

1. Positive Aspects of the Event

• Strong Presentations & Quality Information:
  • The workshop provided well-researched, accurate, and up-to-date information.
  • Presenters covered different aspects of koala conservation, which blended well to give a comprehensive understanding.
  • Guest speakers delivered clear and engaging presentations.
  • The session provided a solid grounding in the Koala Strategy and how participants could contribute.
• Collaboration & Networking Opportunities:
  • Attendees appreciated seeing multiple government agencies working together toward a common goal.
  • The inclusion of legislation and policy information was useful for staff and project managers.
  • Morning tea and lunch breaks were valued as key times for informal discussions and networking.

2. Areas for Improvement

• Enhancing Attendee Engagement & Local Knowledge Sharing:
  • Some attendees wanted to hear more about who was in the room—whether they were landowners, conservationists, or community members—to tailor discussions.
  • Opportunities for attendees to share personal experiences (e.g., successful tree planting and koala visits) would have been beneficial.
  • Local Landcare group members and other community experts could have contributed more, as their regional knowledge is valuable.
• Clarity on Pathways for Action & Collaboration:
  • While individual options for landholders were outlined, the process for a unified response across agencies to improve koala habitats was unclear.
  • There was a lack of information on how ongoing communication and collaboration across agencies would be structured moving forward.
• Workshop Materials & Accessibility:
  • Some maps were difficult to read, which limited their usefulness for landholders and stakeholders.
  • A previous workshop had included visuals such as slides showing koala scratch marks on trees—similar visual aids would have been helpful.

3. Key Topics for Future Learning

• Tree Propagation & Habitat Restoration:
  • Growing more tubestock for planting projects.
  • Sourcing and propagating Eucalyptus rudderi, an important but rarely grown koala food tree.
  • Understanding which tree species are best suited for different landscapes and conditions.
• Cultural Burning & Indigenous Land Management:
  • Interest in observing cultural burns at Dungog Common.
  • Learning from Indigenous fire experts about traditional land management techniques.
• Conservation Agreements & Funding Support:
  • Understanding what conservation agreements are available for smaller properties (e.g., 10 hectares with riverbank frontage).
  • Advocating for long-term funding to support landholders managing land for biodiversity conservation.
• Developing Volunteer Networks & Community Involvement:
  • Opportunities to create and support volunteer groups for tree planting and habitat restoration.
  • Facilitating stronger connections between landholders, local conservation groups, and government agencies.

4. Suggestions for Future Workshops

• Provide an opportunity for attendees to introduce themselves and share their goals.
• Incorporate more local expertise from Landcare and community conservation groups.
• Offer clear pathways for ongoing collaboration between agencies and landholders.
• Improve accessibility of workshop materials, including more readable maps and visual aids.
• Include practical guidance on tree planting, habitat design, and forming volunteer groups.

Conclusion

The workshop was well received, particularly for its high-quality presentations and networking opportunities. Future events could benefit from increased attendee participation, clearer pathways for collaboration, and more local expertise. The feedback provided will help improve future koala conservation workshops and initiatives.