fbpx

Planting provides koala haven

January 16, 2021 BY

Land care: Koala Clancy Foundation president Janine Duffy with property owner Michael and Anne Smith. At the back City of Greater Geelong Cr Kylie Grzybek, Koala Clancy Foundation treasurer Roger Smith and Cr Anthony Aitken.

AN Environmental Sustainability grant will help part-fund a planting program that aims to aid the long-term survival of the local koala population.

The City of Greater Geelong has given $9000 to not-for-profit organisation the Koala Clancy Foundation to help create an indigenous tree corridor between the You Yangs and Little River.

The community-driven program plans to plant more than 3000 grassy woodland trees and shrubs along privately owned farmland near Little River.

Koala Clancy Foundation president Janine Duffy said the effort would help koalas move into the area along the river to provide relief in times of heat stress such as drought or bushfire.

“This project is especially critical given the impact of climate change and the likelihood that koala habitat away from waterways will become increasingly dry,” Ms Duffy said.

“We’ve been lucky to find a landowner willing to provide a broad corridor, allowing us to convert a large area of farmland into grassy woodland.”

City of Greater Geelong’s Cr Kylie Grzybek said the organisation was doing amazing work and was only too happy to support it.

“The You Yangs and surrounds are home to many precious and endangered native plants and animals, and it’s just so important that we do what we can to help them survive and thrive into the future,” Ms Grzybek said.

For more information about the foundation and details of tree planting days, head to koalaclancyfoundation.org.au.