The Nature Conservation Council welcomes the NSW Government’s approval of Koala Plans of Management (KPoMs) for Tweed and Byron local government areas. [1]
“This is a step forward for koala conservation on the North Coast, although they do have limitations and the government took more than five years to approve them,” Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.
“These plans cover less than a quarter of the Tweed and Byron local government areas by focussing primarily on the coastal strip.
“That makes sense because these areas face the most intense development pressure, but it means significant koala habitat in the hinterland still lacks the protection.
“Koalas in NSW are on track for extinction by 2050 so further delays are literally a matter of life and death for this iconic species.
“There are also several Koala Plans of Management that other councils have lodged, including Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour, that have sat on the government’s desk for many months, sometimes years.
“These need to be approved as a matter of urgency.”
REFERENCES
[1] Stronger protections for North Coast koalas, Media Release, Minister Stokes, Minister Barilaro, 31-3-21