More than 120 p
assionate community members gathered for Southern New England Landcare’s Koala Konversations event on 20th March at the Welder’s Dog Brewery in Armidale.
An overwhelming success, the event provided a unique opportunity for participants to hear from leading experts about the current state of koalas in our region, and the urgent need for conservation efforts.
Southern New England Landcare’s Koala Conservation Project Officer, Matt Elsley, said, “Community feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees expressing their appreciation for the expert speaker insights and calling for more events like this in the future.”
Attendees had the privilege of hearing from a panel of expert speakers, including:
- John Lemon, a local ecologist, who spoke about the ongoing decline of koalas in the region, highlighting the alarming trends moving eastward due to climate change.
- Tim Scanlon, NPWS Habitat Restoration Expert, who emphasized the importance of habitat restoration and how maintaining and creating new habitats allows koalas and other species to adapt and move through the landscape.
- Romane Cristescu, a conservation ecologist, who demonstrated cutting-edge technology used for ecological surveys and introduced Bear, a specially trained koala detection dog, who was well received!
- Carolyn Hogg, a conservation geneticist, who delved into the genetic significance of Northern NSW koalas, highlighting their high levels of genetic diversity, which is crucial for the long-term survival of the species at a national level.
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