In 2018, the Department of Environment and Science hosted the inaugural KoalaCollab event. Industry professionals, researchers, and community groups gathered to share their knowledge, research outcomes, and to collaborate on the threats facing wild koala populations.

The South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy 2020–2025 aims to safeguard the future of the species and reverse the decline of koala populations across SEQ by identifying actions which can stabilise koala populations in the region. The six key actions include:

• habitat protection
• habitat restoration
• threat management
• improved mapping, monitoring, research and reporting
• community engagement
• partnership and strategic co-ordination.

KoalaCollab Conference Series 2021 focuses on the action area of Community Engagement. Successful koala conservation relies on a collaborative approach across all sectors, and communities have a critical role to play in protecting local koalas.

A coordinated and collaborative approach to habitat protection, restoration and threat mitigation is imperative to achieving the targets and halting the decline in koala populations within the life of the Strategy, and growing koala populations in the long-term.

KoalaCollab sessions

The KoalaCollab 2021 event featured a series of six 2.5 hour online sessions in which leading experts presented on a range of koala conservation topics. The series included representatives from State and local government, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Southern Queensland, Queensland Trust for Nature, Healthy Land and Water and Wildcare.

• Koala mapping, remote sensing and habitat modelling

  Wednesday 13 October

  Technical experts provide insight into how koala mapping and modelling is created. Learn how these techniques can assist in adapting management actions and improve conservation outcomes for koalas in the future.

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• Koala conservation, planning, legislation and policy

  Wednesday 20 October

  Presenters discuss the development and implementation of conservation plans, legislation, policies and local law and programs to support koala conservation by state and local governments and share examples of key initiatives happening in South East Queensland.

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• Koala threats and mitigation programs

  Wednesday 27 October

  Koalas face a range of environmental stresses including habitat loss, impacts from high intensity bushfires and climate change, disease, dog attacks and car strikes. Learn more about these threats and explore how they are being mitigated from leading koala experts.

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• Securing, protecting and restoring koala habitat

  Wednesday 3 November

  Protecting and restoring habitat is necessary to stabilise koala populations and achieve a net gain in core koala habitat. Government and private experts discuss how koala habitat can be secured, protected and restored to assist in reaching the ambitious target of safeguarding 10,000 hectares of koala habitat.

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• Rescue, rehabilitation, relocation, and release of koalas

  Wednesday 10 November

  Rescuing and rehabilitating koalas goes beyond saving koalas’ lives. Learn how it enhances community awareness and engagement, and results in improved and informed advocacy for koala protection.

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• Koala survey and monitoring techniques

  Wednesday 17 November

  Effective monitoring is critical in understanding the impacts of climate change and other threats on SEQ koala populations and how to apply adaptive management to their conservation. Explore how continuous surveys can help inform management decision making and boost our understanding of koala distribution.

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