2016-07-12 - Item 10 - Att 1 - Koala Conservation Plan

       Noosa Shire Koala Conservation Plan 2016




     1.2.8      Increased community awareness and participation
     Residents and visitors have a great interest in our local koalas. Involving residents, visitors and
     community groups in koala conservation has a number of benefits:
         •      Encouraging landholders to plant koala food trees;
         •      Participating in the collection of data for research purposes;
         •      Raising awareness of threats from dogs, cars, fencing and pool drowning;
         •      Improved reporting measures for sick/injured/orphaned koalas;
         •      Capacity building with key stakeholders for koala habitat restoration projects.

     Council will continue to support koala conservation through attendance at public events and
     provision of education materials. Council also supports wildlife rescue through the community
     grants program.

     There are a number of active organisations involved with the conservation of koalas. Advocacy
     groups include the Australian Koala Foundation, Queensland Koala Crusaders, Koala Tracker,
     and Koala Diaries. In addition there are several wildlife care groups involved with saving koalas
     such as Australia Zoo, Sunshine Coast Koala Rescue, Wilvos, Wildlife Rescue and Wildcare
     Australia. Research organisations include the University of Sunshine Coast Detection Dogs for
     Conservation and University of Queensland Koala Research Network. Environment groups,
     natural resource management groups and government agencies are also key stakeholders in
     koala conservation.

     The identified stakeholder groups in Appendix 3 have been consulted on the Koala
     Conservation Plan. Council will continue to work with these organisations during
     implementation phases of the Plan.



          Case study: Cooroy Lower Mill Site Project
          In 2005, Noosa Council and the Noosa and District Landcare Group (NDLG) joined
          forces to rehabilitate Cooroy Creek. The first stage was to remove environmental
          weeds, particularly Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) which was dominating
          the creek and shading out native vegetation. Following this, native plant species
          including koala food trees, were planted to bring the creek back to a natural condition.
          The success of this project led to further funding and restoration of Cooroy Creek.
          Funding contributors included Council, NDLG, Burnett Mary Regional Group, Mary
          River Catchment Coordinating Committee and SEQ Water. The Cooroy Lower Mill
          Site Project has reaped multiple benefits including improved water quality, greater
          public amenity, and even recent recorded sightings of koalas.




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