A recent review of the Bodalla State Forest indicates the area "must be a priority focus" for any Eurobodalla-wide revival of koala populations, says a local koala expert.
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The review of the forest comes after a koala was sighted there in October last year, prompting lead researcher Keith Joliffe to ascertain the significance of the Bodalla State Forest.
"With its remnant habitat and history of koala presence, the forest is a viable location for home ranges of about 350 hectares each," he said.
"Bodalla State Forest is also needed as a breeding connector for a sustainable regional koala metapopulation."
The review lists challenges for land managers in and near Bodalla State Forest if local koalas are to revive.
Threats to address are landscape drying, further severe wildfire impacts, atmospheric carbon dioxide affecting leaf nutrients, degraded soils, dieback, historical clearing of the Tuross River lowlands, over-intensive logging and new clearing for urban development.
The study is being supported through a partnership between the Great Eastern Ranges and the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia that will see $325,000 spent locally on environmental restoration projects from 2021 to 2024 in the Great Eastern Ranges: Cores, Corridors, Koalas South Coast project as part of a broader bushfire recovery effort.
The Eurobodalla's environment group Coastwatchers is delivering the south coast component of the effort with Eurobodalla Koalas.
"Over the next three years, the GER-WWF funded South Coast project plans to work with adjacent private property owners to survey and rehabilitate strategic wildlife corridor areas," Dr Joliffe said.
The review can be read here.
