#146 Greater Koala Park and Saving Tuckers Nob with Meredith Stanton and Tim Cadman

Tuckers Nob State Forest is prime koala habitat but sits outside the proposed Great Koala National Park because it is zoned as plantation. Under New South Wales regulations, plantation zoning allows clearfell logging, meaning entire areas can be logged without safeguards for wildlife. Although koalas live in these forests, they are effectively rendered invisible by planning frameworks that assume plantations are not suitable habitat. Without protecting core koala habitat, Tim Cadman argues, there is no future for koalas either in the region or more broadly.Tim works with Meredith Stanton and a team of around thirty citizen scientists, Tim has been mapping important habitat trees and documenting koala presence using drones, night vision equipment, and on-ground surveys. The aim of this community-driven science is to demonstrate that plantation forests are functioning ecosystems. Meredith reflected on her own experience living in Clouds Creek State Forest, once known for a high koala population that has steadily declined over decades of repeated logging. Long before the 2019 bushfires, she noticed fewer sightings, the absence of breeding females, and the disappearance of familiar seasonal calls.More Informationhttps://www.facebook.com/timothymarkcadmanIf you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a comment and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you.Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.