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Redland calls on the local community to save koalas

Queensland’s Redland Shire Council is calling on residents to share their views and experiences with koalas via an online survey. With a strong focus on enhancing biodiversity in the region, in particular koala habitat, Council is conducting the survey to get a better understanding of how the community values this unique marsupial species.

The short online survey includes questions on topics such as koala food trees on properties, how often koalas are seen or heard, and general attitudes towards the species.

The survey is one of the components in a public engagement program that feeds into Council’s new draft Koala Conservation and Management Policy and Strategy, which is due to be tabled in a few weeks. The Policy and Strategy aims to conserve and manage the Shire’s estimated population of 3,000 koalas, which has dropped from 4,000 in the past seven years. The main factors contributing to this decline include disease, dog attacks, cars and drownings.

Council hosted a Koala Summit from 2 to 3 November, to assist with the development of the Policy and Strategy. The summit brought together experts in the koala field and stakeholders with diverse views to tackle the complex issue of Redland’s declining koala population. Summit topics covered everything from the current state of koalas in the Shire, costs to provide sufficient protection for koalas, examples of koala friendly development, and tourism opportunities for promoting the Shire as a koala destination.

For further information on the Koala Summit and its outcomes visit www.redland.qld.gov.au