Forest Supporting Last Far-Southern Koala Colony In NSW To Be Wood-Chipped

[hatrack]

LOGGING is set to start within weeks in a forest that supports the last known koala colony on the NSW far south coast. The NSW Government is yet to release data from a comprehensive survey of koala habitat and population in Mumbulla and Murrah state forests, near Tathra, even though some trees have been marked for removal.

The two-year koala survey, which could be published this week, is believed to contain strong evidence of koala occupation in several parts of the eucalypt forest.

Sources painted a picture of fractious debate between staff from the Department of Environment and Climate Change, which managed the koala research effort, and Forests NSW, the government agency that will manage the logging operation. One source described a map of the area that had been drawn and redrawn in search of a compromise between felling trees and maintaining enough forest to allow the koalas to survive.

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The logging operation, due to begin in early March, would involve taking some high-quality timber and some timber for woodchips. Most of the timber from felled trees in the region goes to a mill in Eden, which exports woodchips to Japan. As well as the remaining koala population, which has been identified by sightings, droppings and scratch marks on trees, the forest is known to provide a home for endangered long-nosed potoroos. The Environment Department is ''committed to the protection of koalas and their habitat'', a spokesman said.

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http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/logging-plan-poses-threat-to-precious-koala-colony-20100124-msm7.html

[enough]

1. K&R (nt)

[depakid]

2. Even worse than logging is habitat loss & related injuries due to development

Last week, we drove up to the Tilligerry peninsula for the afternoon to have a look around. Quite a few Koala up there, and sure enough we spotted a few.

This little guy (or gal) was hanging out above the community garden in Tanilba Bay


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This big male was relaxing in the fork of a gum just off the track in Tilligerry reserve. It's mating season, so the koalas are more active, especially in the evening. They also tend to vocalize more- and have an impressive array of noises, not what you'd expect from "cuddly" looking little critters.


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We think this is last year's toll (and the year before). We're not certain whether this is regional for the Hunter- or statewide.


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Rescues have been down significantly over the past decade or two- indicating that the population has suffered from habitat loss, road toll, neighborhood dogs and non-native foxes.



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There was an article about this population in our local paper last year:

THE koala population of the Tilligerry Peninsula is dwindling because of increased development in the past 15 years, according to koala carers.

Hunter Koala Preservation Society data for the Tilligerry Peninsula shows just 12 koala rescues have occurred in 2009.

That figure highlights a massive and steady decline from the late 1990s, when volunteers from the society would frequently rescue more than 80 koalas each year. The number of koala encounters peaked at 92 in 1997.

A report to Tuesday night's Port Stephens Council meeting said the drop in the number of rescues was likely evidence that the koala population was in decline.

"This theory assumes that there are increasingly less koalas in the wild to encounter, a realistic assumption based upon increased development and transport networks of the Port Stephens local government area during this period," the report said.

Hunter Koala Preservation Society president Jill Taylor said it was "very sad" to see fewer koalas on the Tilligerry Peninsula.Mrs Taylor said increased development, sand mining and fewer areas of bush were causing the decline.

The council's environmental services division is preparing a pilot study to monitor the koala population on the Tilligerry Peninsula and elsewhere in Port Stephens. "It can be assumed that while it may not be as advanced, the same trend is likely to be occurring throughout other localities in Port Stephens," the report said.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/tilligerry-peninsula-koala-population-dwindles/1715662.aspx