Council’s Koala Conservation Project Announced as Finalist for Award

Published on 04 October 2024

The Wingecarribee Shire Council's Environment team have been recognised for their dedicated work on the Southern Highlands Koala Conservation Project “Future proofing Southern Highlands Koalas” with a finalist nomination in the 2024 LGNSW Excellence in the Environment Awards

This nomination marks a significant milestone, celebrating the project's 10th anniversary and highlighting the team's unwavering commitment to safeguarding local wildlife. The project has been nominated in the Natural Environment Protection and Enhancement category due to its impressive achievements in koala habitat restoration, private land conservation, vehicle strike minimisation, and community engagement.

"It's been a really big year for the Southern Highlands Koala Conservation Project. Koalas are under threat from habitat loss, vehicle strike, chlamydia disease and climate change, but we've worked really hard over the past year to help secure a future for our local koala populations," stated Casey Taylor, Wingecarribee Shire Council's Environment Officer, Koala and Private Land Conservation.

"With support from the NSW government, we've used a multi-pronged approach to achieve conservation actions across a range of focus areas."

The Southern Highlands Koala Conservation Project is a collaborative effort between the council and the NSW Government, involving local koala research, monitoring, and conservation initiatives. It is funded by the NSW Koala Strategy and Council's Environment Levy.

The Excellence in the Environment Awards will take place on Wednesday 4 December at Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney.