Push to protect koala habitat in Richmond River valley

A COALITION of conservation groups is calling on the NSW Government to permanently protect more than 56,000 hectares of state forest in the Richmond River valley and southern Richmond Range.

The proposed Richmond River Koala Parks would safeguard key habitat for a genetically distinct koala population and protect more than 130 other threatened species, according to North East Forest Alliance spokesperson Dailan Pugh.

“The area forms part of the Banyabba Area of Regional Koala Significance (ARKS), which represents the largest area of high-quality Koala habitat in the Richmond catchment,” Pugh said

“The proposed reserves encompass 28,000 hectares of Nationally Important Koala Areas, designated by the Commonwealth Government as a priority for protection.”

Pugh said the forests under threat were not only essential for wildlife but played a major role in climate mitigation and water quality.

“Protecting these forests from logging is not just about providing a lifeline for Koalas and a plethora of other struggling wildlife, it’s about restoring ecosystems and the health of the Richmond River.”

“We urgently need to stop releasing the carbon stored in forests by logging, and instead enable them to draw down and store the millions of tonnes of CO₂ released into the atmosphere by past logging if we want to address climate change.

“Our forests need time to heal.”

Supporters of the campaign are calling on residents to sign a petition, contact their local MPs, and raise awareness in support of the parks.

The group says creating the Richmond River Koala Parks would also help restore tree hollows for gliders and owls, protect key climate corridors linking Bundjalung and Border Ranges national parks, and improve water quality in the Richmond River.