September is Save the Koala Month, here are some ways to find out more and get involved Highlight Section Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - September 9, 2021September 9, 2021 The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is the principal non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the effective management and conservation of the koala and its habitat. SEPTEMBER is Save the Koala Month (STKM), an annual fundraising and awareness campaign from the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF). The theme for the month is ‘I Need A Hero’, and AKF has created a ’30 Days, 30 Ways to Save the Koala’ social media campaign to tie in with the theme. The campaign highlights small changes that people can make in their daily lives to help save the koala. Deborah Tabard OAM said, “The campaign is a wonderful way to engage with our supporters across the globe during Save the Koala Month. “It highlights an incredible number of ways to be a hero this September and encourages people to be creative.” On 1 September 2021 the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) launched a new initiative called the ‘Koala Kiss Project’. The vision of this project, the ‘Great Koala Trail’, would see the creation of an uninterrupted conservation corridor of approximately 2543kms of koala habitat that would be connected by key ‘kiss points’. Deborah Tabart OAM said remaining koala habitat that is extremely fragmented comes close, in some areas, to ‘kissing’ each other. These connections provide what could be key to saving the koala. Ms Tabart said, “If we achieve contiguous habitat, then all creatures great and small could traverse through the bush unthreatened. “Humans could walk under this train of gum trees with koalas happily in the branches overhead. “The first phase of this project will be a scientific exercise using software to plot the kiss points over 1.5 million square kilometres of land. “Once identified, landholders must be given incentives to plant koala forests that link fragmented habitats. “Every kiss we can connect in the near future will help ensure the survival of the koala. “AKF is all about recovery of the species and with the Federal Government now 7 years behind writing a recovery plan for the koala, it is clear we must take matters into our own hands and a project like this is essential.” To take part in the ’30 days, 30 Ways to Save the Koala’ campaign, follow AFK social media platforms. To find out more about the Koala Kiss project go to: www.savethekoala.com/our-work/kiss. By Rachel MCGREGOR-ALLEN September is Save the Koala Month. Photo: supplied by the AKF. The AKF has created a ’30 Days, 30 Ways to Save the Koala’ social media campaign. Photo: supplied by the AKF.
