We’ve all heard about koala populations declining in numbers in recent years due to multiple threats such as land clearing of their habitat, climate change, disease and the devasting impacts of the 2019/20 bushfires, resulting in an upgrade in their threatened species status from vulnerable to endangered (short-term risk of extinction) in February 2022 under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. They are also listed as endangered under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
To prevent further decline, koalas need adequate protection and minimal impacts from land management practices including prescribed burning. If you are interested in how koalas are considered when burns are being planned, or if you are a practitioner who needs to minimise impacts on koalas, the guidelines “Considering koalas in planned burns” published in February 2023 by the Department of Planning and Environment, are a useful resource.
If you’re interested in seeing previous posts for more resources for koalas head to the below: http://fireandrestoration.org.au/gumbaynggirr-good-koala-country-plan/
