EnviroMatters Magazine Spr-Sum 2024-25

10 | Environment Matters

Enviroplan protects koala habitat

Council’s largest conservation land acquisition in more than 10 years will protect a substantial koala priority habitat area. Two blocks of land at Peak Crossing, totalling 93 hectares, were voluntarily acquired through the Enviroplan Initiative. The majority of the site is mapped as priority koala habitat and high value to the endangered species. The site’s undulating hills and ridgelines kept much of the property’s natural environment intact, including areas of dense vegetation and trees approaching the size where hollows form. The blocks border the Flinders-Goolman Conservation Estate and will be consolidated into the Enviroplan estate.

We’re going on a Bioblitz! From 20–23 September citizen scientists across the Southern Hemisphere will be snapping pictures of flora and fauna in the Great Southern Bioblitz 2024. The Little Liverpool Range Initiative, which includes Ipswich and Lockyer Valley, has scored some amazing finds in its previous Great Southern Bioblitz events. Last time a group of keen conservationists braved the pouring rain to look for interesting plants, bryophytes, insects, mammals, birds and frogs across a 3,237 hectare host property. In all, more than 600 observations were made on the iNaturalist app of 344 species – not including all the birds that were heard but not seen! You can also participate in the 2024 Great Southern Bioblitz: 1 Download the iNaturalist app or register online at Greatsouthernbioblitz.org 2 Make observations of the living things around you between 20–23 September.