DEAR News Of The Area,

THE Prime Minister announced funding to facilitate the long term protection and recovery of koalas.

It was reported (NOTA 4/2/22) that the funding is designed to bring together researchers, land managers, veterinarians and scientists.

Kevin Evans, President of the Coffs Coast Branch of National Parks Association of NSW and conservationist Tim Cadman both believe that this is not the way to go and that all that is necessary is to stop logging and restore forests.

This is very simplistic thinking, when quite clearly the issue is far more complex than this.

My property contains prime koala habitat, it backs onto Crown land which is also prime koala habitat.

This in turn connects to the forests and national parks which adorn the hills surrounding Coffs Harbour.

Over the past 12 years I have seen five koalas and none in the past four years or so.

In that time there has been no reduction of the forest.

It is not lack of habitat that is causing the decline in koalas.

I have lovely habitat and no koalas.

Obviously the Prime Minister understands this better than the ‘conservationists’.

As long as they continue to believe in the simplistic theory of ‘plant a tree and they will come’, they are not only fooling themselves but worse, they are failing the koalas they wish to preserve. Less political activism and more serious science based conservation action would be a start.

Regards
W DUESDBURY,
Boambee.