2020-01-16 OM Agenda - Item 1 - Attachment 1 - Draft SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy 2019-2024

                                                       DRAFT South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy 2019–2024




1. Strategic coordination

Objective: A strategic and coordinated approach to koala
conservation
Mechanisms that enable the coordination of
protection efforts across multiple levels of           Koala Expert Panel recommendation:
government, community, non-government                  Develop a mechanism for implementing a strategic
organisations and industry are critical to achieve     action plan for koalas that ensures coordination
the long-term recovery and persistence of koalas       across multiple levels of government, community,
in SEQ. Improving governance arrangements will         non-government organisations and industry to
ensure the coordination of koala conservation          achieve the long-term recovery and persistence of
efforts, and provide opportunities for leveraging      koalas in SEQ.
extra resources and capability to support
management actions. This is particularly important     actions such as developing a central web presence
given the high profile of koalas, and the relatively   for koala conservation information, sharing
high level of investment in projects designed to       research learnings through dedicated Koala Collab
promote their survival.                                conferences and working with Indigenous Land and
                                                       Sea Rangers to manage koala habitat.
The Queensland Government proposes to take a
collaborative approach to build the knowledge base
in a number of areas, such as using koala hospital     Sharing knowledge online
admission data to identify areas of high threat, and   The KEP identified the need for increased
apply appropriate mitigation measures. Restoration     knowledge exchange by means of a multifaceted
efforts can also be enhanced by leveraging other       communication strategy. It is proposed that this
habitat restoration initiatives, such as local         is provided in part through the development of
government habitat restoration programs.               a central web presence for the collection of up-
                                                       to-date data to assist decision makers, such
In addition to establishing the KAC, identifying
                                                       as local governments and koala conservation
a network of connected priority areas and
                                                       groups, and will include koala hospital admissions
setting targets for koala habitat and population
                                                       data, interactive habitat mapping and results of
trajectories, further proposed actions to support
                                                       Queensland Government-funded koala research.
a strategic and coordinated response include


Case study: The Yurol and Ringtail Project
In November 2017, the Queensland                       The 2,400 ha will be rehabilitated through
Government endorsed the Yurol and                      a $3.5 million investment, jointly funded
Ringtail project that will result in 2,400 ha          by the Queensland Government, Noosa
of land within Yurol and Ringtail state                Council and Noosa Parks Association. This
forests transitioning to national park status          collaborative initiative, the Noosa Koala
over the next 10 years. The project, which             Corridor Pilot, will rehabilitate koala habitat
was initiated by the Noosa Shire Council               within the Noosa hinterland, enhancing and
and Noosa Parks Association, will result               linking fragmented habitat. The approach
in the state forests being converted to                used for this project is an example of
protected area tenure, and permanent                   how conservation gains can be achieved
protection for the corridor between                    through partnerships across stakeholder
Cooloola and Tewantin national parks.                  groups.


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