THE TWEED Coffee Volume 3 #24 Thursday, February 24, 2011 Delights Advertising and news enquiries: Phone: (02) 6672 2280 [email protected] Get your FREE [email protected] coupons on page 11! www.tweedecho.com.au LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Council votes for koala habitat protection
Luis Feliu ‘Th e immediate protection provided by this new tree preservation order is incredibly im- A move to create extra tree preservation areas portant,’ she said, adding also that the unani- for koala habitat to protect the Tweed’s dwin- mous agreement by councillors was ‘extremely dling koala population has been described as heartening’. a major step forward in the protection of the Th e study was prepared by Biolink Ecological iconic animal. Consultants with help from the advisory group Tweed councillors unanimously agreed last and is the fi rst of two stages for a fi nal and week to adopt council’s Tweed Coast Koala comprehensive Koala Plan of Management for Habitat Study as an interim measure to protect the Tweed Coast, which councillors also agreed the area’s koala population, which some cam- to proceed with. paigners fear face extinction. As an immediate measure recommended by the study, councillors agreed to create a tree Jenny Hayes preservation order (TPO) for 1,870 hectares of founder of vital koala habitat not covered by earlier TPOs the Tweed council adopted in 1990 and 2004. group Team A council spokesman said the new protected Koala: ‘A fan- area brings the total koala habitat area covered tastic step… to 9,760 hectares and landholders need consent now we are to clear vegetation in those areas. dealing with Th e order will also cover any koala food trees statistics and (swamp mahogany, forest red-gum, tallowwood facts.’ and grey gum) that are more than three metres Photo Jeff tall within a fi ve-kilometre strip along the full Dawson length of the Tweed coastline. Th e study defi nes the Tweed Coast’s current Dr Kingston said this plan of management koala population and maps its remaining habi- would provide the vital steps to curb and reverse tat as well as key threats and identifi es suitable the koala population’s rapid decline. sites for habitat restoration. It also outlines mea- Friends of the Koala president and advisory sures needed to preserve the remaining popula- group member Lorraine Vass also welcomed The fl ip side of tions, believed to number only around 144. the TPO, saying ‘we’re pleased the penny has Council’s biodiversity program leader, Dr fi nally dropped and the dire situation of the Mark Kingston, said with that number already coast’s remaining koalas is at last understood urban sprawl below the minimum viable population size of and accepted by Council’. 170 individuals, the koala’s current status would ‘Local extinction is a real possibility. When justify its nomination as an ‘endangered’ popu- the consultant proposes the current status Luis Feliu Back-fl ipping from front to back, Kaneya lation. would likely meet the criteria for listing as an Poudal, Osmar New and Mark Long; Jack Care Team Koala campaign founder Jenny Hayes endangered population, there can be no doubt,’ Acrobatics coach Hamilton Barnett believes handstanding and Hamilton Barnett sitting. praised the study as a ‘fantastic step towards Mrs Vass said. many teenagers have what it takes to be skilled Photo Jeff ‘Ouch’ Dawson protecting the endangered population’. Th e study is available at the shire’s three pub- urban high fl yers: it’s something they do on a ‘Now we are dealing with statistics and facts. lic libraries in Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads daily basis. old Uki local said. We were speculating that koala numbers were and Kingscliff as well as online on council’s ‘Th ey’re all naturally trying out this stuff Hamilton has been running Xtreme Teen diminishing at a rapid rate and now we have website (www.tweed.nsw.gov.au) by clicking among themselves so providing a safe forum Acrobatic Forum for aound 20 youngsters at facts,’ said Ms Hayes, a member of the Tweed on ‘Your Environment’ on the top of the page, for this physical theatre or street performance the Hoopla Circus space in Murwillumbah for Coast Koala Advisory Group which is made up then ‘Fauna and Flora Management’ then ‘Koala off ers them something diff erent,’ the 41-year- continued on page 2 of council and community members. Management’.
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