By Rose Astley
Noosa and District Landcare have completed a massive feat in Koala Rehabilitation, with 24,000 trees planted in the first stage of the project to regenerate parts of the Ringtail State Forest.
Funded by the Body Shop Australia, the team at Noosa Landcare were able to rehabilitate 80 hectares of land in the first stage of this program.
“This Stage 1 project was developed in partnership with the Queensland Koala Crusaders and involved undertaking weed control and revegetation of eucalypt species in the most northern section of ex-pine plantation in Ringtail State Forest,” Noosa Landcare said.
The next stage will be funded by Peppers Noosa Resort, having raised close to $35,000 towards helping regenerate another 15 hectares of important part of Koala habitat.
The larger Noosa Koala Habitat Rehabilitation Project is an initiative of Noosa Parks Association, Noosa Council, and the Queensland Environment Department.
Noosa Council has applauded the work undertaken by Landcare on behalf of its funding organisations in the Ringtail Forest area.
CEO Brett de Chastel said Landcare has played a pivotal role in the project’s success.
“This is a major environmental initiative put together by three project partners, namely the State Government, Noosa Council and Noosa Parks Association. We are pleased to see that other community organisations are working hard with to achieve this great environmental outcome,” Mr de Chastel said.
“Landcare has worked closely with the Koala Crusaders and the Body Shop to source philanthropic funding and undertake community tree planting days. This is a great example of a community working together for a common goal.”
“Perhaps one of the most pleasing elements of the community tree planting days organised by Landcare was the large number of younger people getting involved in this project,” Mr de Chastel said.
