Our SBKN Infographics distill key points from our scientific, legal, and policy documents to raise awareness of the status of Sydney Basin koala colonies, issues with current planning and environmental legislation, and the policy reform needed to grow koala populations.

Infographic_-_Sydney_Basin_Koala_Scientific_findings.jpgINFOGRAPHIC 1 - Can Koalas Survive in the Sydney Basin Bioregion?
Collates key findings from our extensive scientific report by Biolink.
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1. Koalas Occupy 10% of the Bioregion. 
Over 8,000 records from 1884-2021 confirm just 10% of the Sydney Basin has koala occupancy. Protecting currently unoccupied koala habitat is key to their recovery.

2. Sydney Basin Koalas Need More Trees. 
Koalas in the Sydney Basin have large home ranges because they require more habitat to meet their nutritional needs than other koalas in NSW.

3.Koalas are lost North and South. 
The Central Coast koala population has all but disappeared, and there has not been a koala sighting recorded in Shoalhaven since the Black Summer bushfires. 

4. Growing populations face threats. 
There have been many new sightings of koalas in urban areas such as south west Sydney. It's here koalas face the greatest risk from habitat loss/fragmentation and vehicle strikes

5. Habitat Near Urban Areas is Critical. Protection against fire is prioritised in urban areas. Identifying large koala corridors near urban areas is critical to the survival and increase of koalas in the Sydney Basin. 
Infographic_-_Sydney_Basin_Koala_Legal_findings.jpgINFOGRAPHIC 2 - Why Koalas Can Become Extinct in NSW
Collates key analyses from our legal report from the Environmental Defenders Office 

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1. Identifying Habitat is Voluntary. 
Comprehensive Koala Plans of Management (KPoMs) that identify koala habitat by local councils are VOLUNTARY. Only two LGAs in the entire Sydney Basin Bioregion have them.

2. Offsets are Overused & Not Robust. 
Developing habitat is permissible as koala habitat can be offset. The use of offsets allows land or money to be set aside into a fund in order to be able to destroy koala habitat.

3. Decision-making is Discretionary. 
For State Significant Projects (SSIs), there is significant discretion in assessing and approving proposals. Development can often trump koala habitat protection in NSW.

4. NSW Koala Strategy has no legal weight. 
The strategy is not legislated. It does not address the major threat of habitat fragmentation, modification and loss from development.

5. Safeguards are Failing. Important legal safeguards to protect koalas from high-impact development (such as the BC Act, EP&A Act & Koala SEPPP) are poorly implemented or under-utilised).

Infographic_-_TEC_Sydney_Basin_Koala_Policy_.jpgINFOGRAPHIC 3 - Solutions to Grow Sydney Basin Koala Populations
Collates key recommendations from the TEC Sydney Basin Koala Policy

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1. Protect Existing Koala Habitat. 
Create a Koala Greenbelt around towns and cities. Impose strict controls on land clearing. Exclude logging of habitat. Create new conservation areas and mandate KPoMs.

2. Expand and Restore Linking Koala Corridors. 
Mandate corridors of an average width of 425m and regenerate buffer zones with koala trees. Remove or bypass travel obstructions.

3. Remove Planning Law Loopholes. 
Veto development on koala habitat and prevent the use of offsets and translocation. Resolve concerns with the Koala SEPP and improve community appeal rights.

4. Build Underpasses and Fence Koala Corridors. 
Enable koalas to be safe from threats such as car strikes, dog attacks and bush fires, by building underpasses and fencing corridors. Ensure koalas have escape routes from bushfires.

5. Continue scientific research. 
Upgrade monitoring of koala colonies on both private and public land. Ensure feed trees are from verified koala sources and shelter trees are locally occurring vegetation.