This week the Victorian Koala Management Strategy has been released.
The strategy includes $3 million over two years to deliver on-ground koala works, a state-wide survey to improve understanding of koala abundance, and research.
At first glance the strategy seems like a positive step towards doing more to understand and support koalas across the state.
But unfortunately, the over 50 per cent of Victoria that is managed for agriculture quickly gets a brick to the head.
"Land clearing for urban, industrial, and agricultural development is the primary cause of koala habitat loss in Eastern Australia".
No mention of impacts of fires or drought.
No mention of State managed native timber logging.
No mention of the power of good agriculture has done in modern times to put back the trees many were historically required to clear to get finance from banks to feed Victoria and gain support from government.
I have been a direct witness to how primary producers (including plantation forestry) in my area of south-west Victoria are active koala custodians.
I have seen how their voluntary management of established vertebrate pests like feral pigs and foxes to protect their farm assets, also protects koalas.
How their self-funded establishment of biodiversity corridors between Crown Reserves including along roadsides boundaries, have enabled koalas that used to have to walk long distances between trees to find connected safe refuges and food.
How farmers' willingness to voluntarily fence off huge lengths of private land along waterways and replant them with support from catchment management authorities have produced ribbons of koala pathways across historically cleared land.
These riparian plantings have also connected places where many of the old gum trees remained; plantings that have rebuilt koala safe access to water during heatwaves and drought.
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Trees outside of reserves and parks are what give koalas an escape route from wildfires, fuel reduction burning, traffic, and other dangers.
When large fires are sweeping through Crown land its private land that is often better protected by firefighting mechanisms and thus better able to provide the fodder displaced wild koalas need.
They also help wildlife rescuers to get access to unburnt fodder for any recovering animals in their care.
Koalas' ability to build their own genetic diversity to resist diseases is also reliant on private land tree pathways that connect those diverse individuals and allow their genetics to disperse across Victoria.
Koalas also prefer tree leaf from older trees which are well-watered and fertilized - conditions more likely to be found in Eucalyptus trees in farm shelterbelts or paddock remnants than in the tight nutrient and water resources of state parks on land historically reserved because it was too difficult to clear for other land uses.
I am optimistic that part of the $3 million for koalas in Victoria will be put towards flexible financial incentives to encourage more koala habitat plantings on private agricultural land.
But when I read in the strategy that "koala habitat conservation and restoration is not solely the responsibility of government" I fear the attitude of government that agriculture should give and not receive continues.
- Lisette Mill, Agvocate, is a native vegetation and conservation practitioner based in south-west Victoria.
