Envite is undertaking koala habitat restoration within the Northeast Hinterland and Banyabba ARKs of the Richmond Valley Catchment.

The project is also supporting landholders impacted by the 2022 floods by repairing eroded sites through tree planting, removal of weeds and debris.

The community has been engaged through community plantings with landholders and school students learning about koala habitat restoration and protection.

Koala habitat is being restored through planting 15,000 koala food and habitat trees to extend and connect koala habitat. Bush regeneration works are improving the condition of existing koala habitat through control of lantana and other weeds across 300 hectares in the Richmond River Catchment.

Planting has been undertaken across seven sites with trees having a 95% survival rate. Good rainfall has provided excellent conditions for growth with planting maintenance being implemented to allow trees to grow without competition from grasses and weeds.

Over 150 school students, landholders and community members have been engaged in plantings in key koala habitat corridors. This is building connections for koala movement and habitat across the landscape.

Results include:

• Conducting four workshops and two community plantings to provide local training and information on habitat management considerations for Koala habitat, particularly pests, weeds, and fire,
• Supporting landholders to expand koala habitat through revegetation plantings of 15,000 koala food and habitat trees across 20ha,
• Implementation of 300 hectares of assisted natural regeneration within the Richmond Rivers Catchment of the Northern Rivers,
• Cultural burning workshop with Yaegl Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, and
• Working with landholders to construct fencing to protect koala habitat and/or plantings from grazing.

The Project is funded by WWF Australia from the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Resources.