$8.6 million investment in Brigalow koala habitat welcome
The Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) welcomes the announcement made today by Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon of the $8.6 million to revegetate and protect key koala habitat in the northern Brigalow Belt.
“In the last several months, koalas have been uplisted to endangered both federally and in Queensland. It is more important than ever that koala habitat be restored and preserved.
“This is especially significant for an area like the Brigalow Belt where the 2018/2019 SLATS report shows the largest amounts of deforestation have occurred.
“While we celebrate investment to revegetate cleared koala habitat, it would be even better if the Government prevented koala habitat from being destroyed in the first place,” said Jon Ferguson, QCC’s Nature Campaigner. “We continue to call on the government to take the necessary steps to protect this iconic Australian species.”
These steps include:
- Closing loopholes in the Vegetation Management ACt that allow clearing of koala habitat
- Expanding and extending the SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy
- Increase funding for the Protected Area Strategy
- Strengthen environmental laws that were weakened under the Newman Government
“We can save the Koala and other threatened species, but we must act now, follow the advice of conservation scientists and protect their habitats from the destruction that drives extinctions,” says Jon Ferguson.
For further information and comment, contact:
Jon Ferguson, 07 3846 7833