Hello Koala Lovers,

Our team here at the office will be having a break over Christmas and we are looking forward to being with our family and friends. I am also looking forward to 2022 and yesterday we had our Strategic Planning meeting about the Koala Kiss Project, and it was a great day for brainstorming.

First thing in January, we will be providing a scientific brief to a consultant to work out how to determine the Kiss Points for landscapes over this huge area.

The pilot project will be from Noosa (near Quinlans) to Crows Nest (near Little Oakey) so that we can determine how feasible it will be for both Koalas and humans to walk across any given landscape. We are all very excited about where this will lead.

We also looked at the skills that were needed for new staff to handle this huge role and certainly we will be interviewing for a new GIS officer who will be essential for the mapping, not only for the Koala Kiss Project, but for the Koala Habitat Atlas and Koala Map. That will happen as soon as we return to the office on January 4th, 2022.
Then in late June, we will interview for the Koala Kiss Co-ordinator (I wish I could apply and many of you said in your suggestions that it would be someone like me – thank you) because it will be key to find exactly the right person. It will be the job of a lifetime.

That person will need a multitude of talents to communicate with landholders, authorities, and tourism organisations.

Those of you who have already contacted us, are safely in a special inbox called Kiss so please keep your suggestions coming so that person can be off and running in July.
The reason I have delayed that person being employed is because we have an election here in Australia – maybe March, maybe May and I want our team to be right on message about what we want the Australian Government to do for the Koala. And that is the Koala Protection Act.

There is nothing that can save them except specific legislation.

Over the last few weeks, I have also been in contact with people on the ground, one of whom had been protesting in a forest where trees were being cut down and I have been reflecting on the fact that nothing seems to have changed in that area. In the Koala Manifesto, I argue that sustainable forestry is hard to find and the whole process is fraught. Bulldozers move in, protesters follow, there is conflict, police move in and by and large the trees still go down. Surely there is a better way. And the Koala Protection Act could and should lead that way

I did ring the New South Wales Minister for the Environment’s office (he is the one who wants to double the Koala population by 2050) and I did receive a call from the receptionist who suggested I send in a formal letter. I had asked to speak with one of his advisors who, in my view should have had the courtesy to return my call. At least they do have a phone number to ring, many politicians these days have such a convoluted process that you give up.

Either way, I do not think the Koala can be protected by an existing system that just allows wanton destruction of trees. There just must be a better way. If you are buying wood products, do not forget to look for endorsements for certified wood. That is the only way we can tell if the wood has been sustainably obtained. We, the consumer needs to really think about the power we have in that regard. I just replaced my deck after many years and now I wish, I had looked for an alternative product. We must practice what we preach.

I will have more on the logging space next year because I think it is time that the AKF started to talk about the cruelty that results from forests, even plantations that are felled. As I have said many times, existing laws give a Permit to Take, which in my mind is Permit to Kill and the Koala Protection Act will not allow that; no wonder industry fears it.

I will send Christmas greetings before we close our office, but as always, thank you all for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Deborah