Koala habitat is being restored across flood-impacted parts of the Northern Rivers with community groups and Indigenous Ranger teams leading the planting of thousands of vital eucalypt trees.
A total of 20,000 seedlings will be delivered through Koala Conservation Australia’s (KCA) annual Koala Food Tree Giveaway, helping to rebuild and reconnect critical habitat corridors for local koala populations.
The tallowwood, grey gum and forest red gum seedlings have been grown from seed by Forestry Corporation and donated to KCA through a partnership spanning more than a decade.
Since its inception, the program has delivered more than 185,000 seedlings to landholders, community groups and large-scale restoration projects across the NSW North Coast.
This year the 200,000 tree milestone will be reached.
Seedlings will be distributed through WWF Australia’s Koala Friendly Carbon Initiative with Indigenous Ranger teams supporting on-ground planting.
Koala Conservation Australia’s Conservation Manager Scott Castle said the program is a critical step in restoring habitat following extreme weather events.
“The annual koala food tree giveaway goes some way to regenerating and connecting existing habitats,” Mr Castle said.
“We’ve helped restore critical habitat in the wider community after devasting bushfires and floods.
“This year we’re changing the structure of the giveaway, and working on a few large projects, to recover and enhance flood affected habitat to our north.”
KCA remains committed to growing koala food trees at its two koala food plantations at Maria River and Moripo as a cornerstone of its conservation work.
Forestry Corporation’s Grafton Nursery produces more than one million seedlings annually to support plantation forestry and regional timber supply.
Forestry Corporation’s Senior Manager Community and Partnerships Kathy Lyons said the initiative highlights the impact of strong partnerships.
“These seedlings play an important role in strengthening koala habitat and supporting the resilience of koala populations in the Northern Rivers and will be delivered to multiple program partners, including Indigenous ranger groups, who are central to on-ground restoration and long-term land stewardship,” Ms Lyons said.
