Koala habitat and occupancy mapping program
We completed a 3-year program that mapped koala habitat and occupancy in NSW native forests to inform new identification methods in native forestry areas.
About the program
The program aimed to provide a clear understanding of koala habitat identification and management needs in native forestry areas on public and private land in NSW.
The program comprised 3 core projects:
- a baseline map of koala occupancy to provide a more accurate picture of where koalas are located across NSW
- a pilot project trialling three different mapping approaches to assess their suitability for managing koalas in state forests
- a predictive koala habitat model which uses a range of environmental variables to produce a map of koala habitat on the north coast
The program was funded by a Waste and Environment Levy (WELE) grant, administered by the NSW Environmental Trust.
The results of the koala mapping program have been used to inform the development of improved approaches to protecting koalas and their habitat during forestry operations. This has included new koala identification and protection requirements in the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (IFOA).
The Coastal IFOA ensures that rules for managing koala habitat are modern, fit-for-purpose and that protections are in place to manage the impacts of logging on important koala habitat across the landscape
The Coastal IFOA has moved away from record-triggered approaches to koala protection, which has been shown to have limitations, and instead identifies and protects places in the landscape where koalas are more likely to occur.
This approach is a more comprehensive, adequate and transparent way of protecting important koala habitat. It will mean that habitat will be identified and protected, irrespective of koala occupancy.
