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Prepared by (company): ________________________

Date submitted to DELWP: ______________________

Approver name: _______________________________

Approver signature: ____________________________

Date approved by DELWP: ______________________

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Koala Management Plan template

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... 3

Plantations..................................................................................................................................................... 3

Section 1 – Responsibilities......................................................................................................................... 4

Section 2 – Training and capability..............................................................................................................5

Section 3 – Planning...................................................................................................................................... 6

Section 4 – Operations.................................................................................................................................. 8

Section 5 - Koala welfare............................................................................................................................. 10

Section 6 - Evaluation and review..............................................................................................................12

Appendices.................................................................................................................................................. 13

Appendix 1 – Double Count Koala Survey Methodology.........................................................................13

Appendix 2 – Minimum requirements for koala spotters.........................................................................16

Appendix 3 - Acronyms, abbreviations and definitions...........................................................................17

Update the table of contents prior to submitting to DELWP for review.

Koala Management Plan Version: Approved by: Date approved: 2

Contents

IntroductionKoalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975 (Wildlife Act). Koalas are widespread in the Blue-gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantations in the Green Triangle Region of Victoria and authorisation from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is required to disturb them during plantation management operations in this region.

This Koala Management Plan supports the authorisation to disturb koalas and sets out the requirements for training and induction of staff, planning plantation management operations, undertaking plantation management operations, addressing the welfare of impacted koalas and review of this plan.

It is mandatory that the approved Koala Management Plan is implemented. Failure to comply with the approved Koala Management Plan or the conditions of the authorisation to disturb koalas may result in the authorisation being revoked and/or compliance action being taken by DELWP.

PlantationsThis Koala Management Plan applies to operations undertaken in the following plantations:

<Insert list of plantations>

You can add any additional information to this section that is not covered by the sections 1-6.

Information provided could include:

background information about your company

information about your plantation estate and the situation regarding koalas in your plantations

information on related documents etc.


Section 1 – ResponsibilitiesObjective: All personnel involved in plantation management activities know their responsibilities for koala management and welfare and are able to perform the required tasks to minimise koala welfare risks.

1.1 Nominated Person responsible for the Koala Management Plan

Following is the person who has been nominated as responsible for maintaining, implementing and reviewing the Koala Management Plan. This person will be the main contact for DELWP in relation to this plan. DELWP must be notified by email within 48hrs if a new person is appointed in this role.

Name:

Position title:

Telephone (office):

Telephone (mobile):

Email:

1.2 Induction to the Koala Management Plan and responsibilities of personnel

All personnel must receive an induction to this Koala Management Plan and be made aware of their responsibilities under this Koala Management Plan and their legislative responsibilities under POCTA and the Wildlife Act. All personnel must sign a declaration stating that they have received an induction to the Koala Management Plan and been made aware of their responsibilities. Copies of the signed declarations must be kept and made available to a DELWP Authorised Officer on request.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates how you will ensure that all personnel will receive an induction to the Koala Management Plan and be made aware of their responsibilities under the plan and relevant legislation.


timing of inductions for existing staff timing of inductions for new staff who will provide the induction what topics the induction will cover how participation in the induction will be recorded how induction records will be kept etc.

A summary of relevant offences under POCTA and the Wildlife Act is available in Appendix 8 of the fact sheet.


1.3 Responsibilities when there is a change of plantation owner or manager and koalas remain on site

If there is going to be a change of owner/manager of a plantation and koalas remain on site, any ongoing owner or manager of a plantation must be made aware of the following:

a. the estimated number of koalas remaining on siteb. their responsibilities under POCTA and the Wildlife Act, andc. that authorisation under the Wildlife Act may be required if management of retained

trees/coppice is undertaken and koalas are present.

DELWP must be notified who the ongoing owner/manager will be and that they have been notified of items a-c above.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates how you will make ongoing owners or managers aware of the above.

Information provided could include: when you provide this information to the ongoing owner/manager what information you will provide who will provide the information to the ongoing owner/manager how you will provide the information to the ongoing owner/manager how you will notify DELWP who the ongoing owner/manager will be

A summary of relevant offences under POCTA and the Wildlife Act is available in Appendix 8 of the fact sheet.

Section 2 – Training and capability

Objective: There is an effective training regime that ensures all relevant personnel (staff and contractors) are capable of performing their duties such that koala welfare is protected and impacts on koalas are minimised.

2.1 Development of training materials

Training materials must be developed in consultation with an animal welfare expert. If training materials are revised they must be provided to DELWP for review and approval prior to the training being implemented.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates how you will consult with an animal welfare expert if your training materials are revised and how you will provide the materials to DELWP for review prior to implementing the revised training.


who will revise the training why training may be revised


who will be consulted during the development of the revised training the process for providing the materials to DELWP prior to implementation (eg. who is

responsible, when it will be done, how it will be done)

2.2 Provision of training and training records

All personnel must receive appropriate training for their roles and responsibilities regarding koala management, including koala behaviour, detection, welfare assessments, euthanasia and handling of koalas. Records of training must be kept and provided to a DELWP Authorised Officer on request.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates how you will ensure that all personnel receive appropriate training for their roles and responsibilities regarding koala management and how records will be kept.

Note: Not all personnel need to receive training in all aspects of koala management listed above. The training an individual staff member receives must be consistent with how their role relates to koala management and what they will be expected to do. For example, if a machinery operator is not expected to undertake welfare assessments then they would not need to receive training in this aspect of koala management.


the training requirements of each role who will conduct the training information on topics covered for each role resources required for training when the training will be undertaken how you will determine an individual’s competence in relation to the training provided how often training will be provided (e.g. refresher training) how training records will be completed and kept etc.

Section 3 – Planning

Objective 1: Ensure that when planning plantation operations, the welfare of koalas during and post-operations is considered.

Objective 2: Koala density and distribution in plantations is known in order to improve the Owner/Manager’s management response and management of koalas in the landscape.

3.1 Risk assessments

Risk assessments must be conducted that identify potential risks to koalas from plantation management operations, including stress, injury, exposure, death and orphaning of joeys, and options to mitigate these risks. Risk assessments must be included in plantation management operations plans.


In this section you must provide information that demonstrates how you will conduct risk assessments that identify potential risks to koalas from plantation management operations and options to mitigate these risks.

For each type of plantation management operation that may pose a risk to koalas (e.g. harvesting, roading, fire treatment, mechanical coppice management, etc.), you must consider each activity within that operation and whether it poses a risk to koalas. Use the outcome of your koala population assessments to determine if the risk is amplified due to higher densities of koalas and if the mitigation actions will be sufficient to address the risk. If it is identified that the activity may pose a risk to koalas then at least one mitigation option must be identified.

For example, for harvesting operations you might identify that koalas may be at risk due to the following activities:

being run over by machinery or trucks being in a tree that is felled being in a tree that is hit by a tree that is felled entering felled timber on the ground

For each of these individual risks you would then identify how you will mitigate the risk, e.g. notifying truck drivers and machinery operators to watch for koalas on the ground or using spotters if truck drivers or machinery is moving through a plantation, using spotters to identify and mark trees with koalas as per the spotting procedure, using spotters to monitor identified koalas to ensure they do not move into felled timber etc.

Note: This Koala Management Plan can have one general risk assessment that covers all operations in all of your plantation. However, if there is a plantation which poses additional risks to koalas, for example due to the terrain requiring different methods of operations, or planned use of onsite chipping for a particular plantation etc. then an individual risk assessment must be conducted for the relevant operations in that individual plantation.

3.2 Plantation management operation plans

Plantation management operation plans must consider the following information in order to minimise impacts to koalas:

a. koala density based on the results of the koala population assessmentb. harvest rate and harvest system usedc. presence of appropriate neighbouring remnant native vegetation or Blue-gum plantation

that the koalas may disperse tod. sequence of harvest to prevent isolating populations from neighbouring habitat, ande. plantation management operations in neighbouring plantations and their potential impacts

on koalas.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates how your plantation management operation plans will consider the above in order to minimise impacts to koalas.


how you will use the koala density to plan operations (e.g. specifying types of machinery used, number of spotters used at start of operations at different densities)

how you will consider what habitat surrounds the plantation (e.g. using maps etc.) process for planning direction and sequence of harvest depending on surrounding habitat how you will determine what operations may be happening in neighbouring plantations


3.3 Welfare of koalas remaining on site after operations

Plantation management operations must be planned to ensure the welfare of koalas remaining on site after operations have ceased. This must include facilitating the safe dispersal of koalas into surrounding habitat or survival of koalas in retained refuge within the plantation. If dispersal into surrounding habitat is not possible, the amount of plantation likely to be needed to be retained for koala refuge must be considered.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates how you will plan plantation management operations to ensure the welfare of koalas remaining on site after operations.

Information provided should include:

how you will facilitate the safe dispersal of koala into surrounding habitat how you will consider the amount of plantation likely to be needed to be retained for

koala refuge if dispersal is not possible. An example of the type of information you could provide in relation to this second point is:

‘In plantations where dispersal into surrounding habitat is not possible due to a lack of connectivity with native forest or other plantations, XYZ Company is aware that as harvesting progresses the koala density is likely to increase significantly as the koalas move into a smaller area of plantation that has not yet been harvested. For these plantations, XYZ Company will use the results of the koala population assessments to consider the likely koala density towards the end of harvesting when a small amount of plantation remains.

Once the koala density reaches a point where harvesting cannot continue without the risk of incidents increasing to unacceptable levels, then harvesting will cease. In plantations found to have higher koala densities during the pre-harvest surveys, this is likely to be when a greater area of plantation has not yet been harvested, compared to plantations found to have lower koala densities.

XYZ Company will return to the plantation a month after harvesting ceases to determine if koalas have voluntarily moved to allow additional trees to be harvested from the groups of 9 retained trees surrounding individual koalas and the area of plantation left when harvesting ceased due to the increased risk to koalas.’

Section 4 – Operations

Objective: Ensure koala welfare and minimise the impacts on koalas during and post operations conducted in plantations.

4.1 Koala detection and retention of trees during operations

Systems must be in place during and post operations to maximise detection of koalas using an effective methodology. If spotters are to be used, the requirements in Appendix 2 must be used at a minimum. Approval must be sought from DELWP for methods that do not involve spotters.

The koala detection methodology must demonstrate that the following requirements will be met:

a. Detection methods must be implemented within one hour prior to operations commencing.


b. All koala detection checks and koalas located must be recorded.

c. When a koala is detected prior to or during harvesting, a minimum of nine live trees must be retained per koala. The tree in which the koala is located should be in the centre of the retained trees. Retained trees must only be harvested once koalas are no longer present.

d. When a koala is detected prior to or during coppice management operations, a minimum of nine live stumps must be retained per koala. The stump in which the koala is located should be in the centre of the retained stumps. Retained stumps must only be removed or treated once koalas are no longer present.

e. Trees/stumps where koalas are located and the additional trees/stumps to be retained must be clearly marked using a standardised marking system that is clearly visible to machinery operators.

f. Felling of trees likely to impact any tree in a retained clump must be directed away from the clump and the koala tree.

g. Where koalas are detected they must be monitored by a spotter until the operation is complete to ensure they do not move into the path of the machinery.

h. Where felled timber with retained foliage remains on site and there is an interruption in harvesting, or the timber will be left on the ground for three hours or more prior to processing, checks of the felled timber must be made prior to operations resuming to ensure that koalas are not present in the felled timber.

i. The amount of remaining refuge left for koalas in a plantation when an operation is completed must be recorded and provided to DELWP.

In this section you must provide your koala detection procedures that meet the requirements identified above. If spotters are to be used, the requirements in Appendix 2 must be used at a minimum. If a methodology other than spotters will be used, you must seek approval of the methodology from DELWP prior to the methodology being implemented.

The methodology must clearly demonstrate that it will meet or exceed the requirements in the minimum spotting procedure in Appendix 2 and will maximise the detection of koalas prior to and during harvesting or coppice management.

4.2 Spraying herbicides or pesticides

When spraying trees or coppice with pesticides or herbicides, spraying must be conducted in such a way that spray drift onto koalas and retained trees/stumps is minimised.

In this section you must demonstrate how you will conduct spraying of trees or coppice with pesticides or herbicides in a way that minimises spray drift onto koalas and retained trees/stumps.


Types of pesticides or herbicides used Spraying procedure (equipment used, method of spraying when koalas are present etc.)


Section 5 - Koala welfare

Objective: That injured or orphaned koalas are managed in a humane manner.

5.1 Koala welfare assessment process

A koala welfare assessment process must be in place which includes checking koalas in trees and on the ground for injuries and unusual behaviour. Koalas in trees must be observed using binoculars. The welfare assessment process must include undertaking assessments at the operational site:

a. at the end of each day during plantation management operationsb. one day post-completion of all operations at the sitec. three days post-completion of all operations at the site, andd. between 5 and 7 days post-completion of all operations at the site.

The welfare assessment records must be kept and send to DELWP as soon as practicable after the assessment, preferably within 24hrs, using the DELWP welfare assessment reporting template.

In this section you must provide your koala welfare assessment process which meets the requirements identified above.

Your welfare assessment must also include record keeping and a process to send the results to DELWP as soon as practicable after the assessment, preferably within 24hrs, using the DELWP welfare assessment reporting template.

It is recommended that you consult with a wildlife rehabilitator experienced in the rehabilitation of koalas, or an experienced vet regarding indications of injuries in koalas when developing your assessment process.

5.2 Details of local veterinarians and wildlife carers

Details of local vets and carers must be kept on site at all times and must be available to all employees.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates that you have an ongoing arrangement with local vets and/or carers, how you will ensure that you have their details on site at all times and that they are available to employees.


who the vets and wildlife carers are what kind of agreement you have with them regarding injured or orphaned koalas where their contact details will be recorded who will keep the information how employees will gain access to that information etc.


5.3 Access to a person authorised to humanely destroy koalas in emergency situations

There must be 24hr access to a person authorised under the Wildlife Act or POCTA to humanely destroy koalas in emergency situations and who has the appropriate equipment to humanely destroy the koala.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates your capability to humanely destroy koalas in situations where it is clear the koala cannot be treated or won’t recover from its injuries and must be euthanased to avoid further suffering.

To demonstrate meeting this requirement, information provided should include:

who this person is what authorisation they have under the Wildlife Act or POCTA what equipment they have what agreement you have with them regarding euthanasia of injured koalas how you will provide staff on site with their details etc.

5.4 Personnel trained in koala assessment and handling procedures

At least one person trained in koala assessment and handling procedures must be on site at all times and there must be appropriate koala handling and transport equipment available on site at all times.

To demonstrate how you will meet this requirement, information provided could include:

who is responsible for koala assessment and handling how you will notify staff who to contact the equipment that will be available for handling and transport of koalas where the equipment will be kept who is responsible for checking the equipment and how often it will be checked

Note: Further information on appropriate koala handling and transport equipment is provided in the fact sheet – ‘How to apply for authorisation to disturb koalas during plantation management operations’, available on the DELWP website at http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/wildlife/koalas/koalas-in-blue-gum-plantations.

5.5 Koala incident process

A koala incident process must be in place. The process must include the following at a minimum:

a. Name and contact details of personnel trained in koala assessment and handlingb. Procedure to follow if an incident or near-miss occurs within an plantation, this must include

actions to be taken and a procedure for reporting incidents to DELWP via email [email protected] and a cc to [email protected] within 24hrs of the incident occurring and providing detailed incident and near-misses to DELWP at [email protected] with a cc to [email protected] using the provided reporting form within a week of the incident or near-miss occurring.

c. Procedure that must be followed when an injured, distressed or dead koala is found. The procedure must include checking for pouch young if a dead koala is found.


http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/wildlife/koalas/koalas-in-blue-gum-plantations

http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/wildlife/koalas/koalas-in-blue-gum-plantations

d. Procedure that must be followed when a separated or orphaned juvenile koala is found.e. The procedures must consider the requirements of POCTA and must identify when a

veterinarian must be consulted, when a wildlife carer must be consulted and when the koala must be euthanised on site.

In this section you must provide your koala incident process that meets the requirements above.

Section 6 - Evaluation and review

Objective: Continuous improvement of the koala management system to ensure that the Koala Management Plan is effective and includes the most up-to-date information.

6.1 Koala management plan review

A review of the Koala Management Plan must be undertaken annually, taking into account:

a. Incidents and near-missesb. Welfare issues encounteredc. Procedural issuesd. New technology or scientific understandinge. Results of compliance recommendations, andf. Changes to the requirements set by DELWP.

The outcome of the review must be recorded and retained. Where the review identifies that amendments to the Koala Management Plan are necessary, the plan must be updated to reflect the required amendments. Changes to the Koala Management Plan must be provided to DELWP for review prior to the changes being implemented.

In this section you must provide information that demonstrates your process for undertaking a review of the Koala Management Plan annually, taking into account the information above.

Information that should be provided include:

timing of the review person responsible for the review the information that will be used to undertake the review how and where the outcome of the review will be recorded etc. who will provide amended plans to DELWP for review when the amended plans are to be submitted to DELWP for review


AppendicesAppendix 1 – Double Count Koala Survey Methodology

This koala survey methodology involves using transect lines and a double count technique within plots and to survey for koalas. The survey methodology can be used to provide an estimate of the number of koalas per hectare for each plot.

Setting plots and transect lines

Plots are set up with dimensions of 600 meters by 50 meters. Plots should consist of a centre line and two parallel boundary lines, spaced 25m either side of the centre line, and marked out with flagging tape tied to trees directly on each transect line.

A straight line is maintained by positioning flagging tape directly in line with the previous two markers. The centre line is marked with pink and blue tape whilst the boundary lines are marked with pink tape only to facilitate orientation when traversing the plot.

A Global Positioning System (GPS) should be used to determine the end position of each transect line by measuring the distance back to the start of the line.

Double count technique

Koala densities are assessed in each plot using the ‘double count’ technique described by Caughley and Sinclair (1994). This involves two observers working independently to search every tree in the plot and record observations of any koalas seen on a field data sheet. The same two observers conduct all plot surveys to reduce variability resulting from differences in the sighting efficiencies or skills of different observers.

The first observer walks the transect line. When a koala is sighted, notes must be taken on the distance along the transect, side and perpendicular distance from the centre line, tree species in which it is located, its position and height in the tree, and whether any back young are present.

The second observer starts the survey 10 minutes after the first so that observations were independent of each other. At the end of each plot, data collected by each observer were compared to identify those koalas seen by the first observer but missed by the second, those seen by the second observer but missed by the first, and those seen by both.

The plots are then surveyed again by both observers together, in order to confirm the results by checking the koalas each observer saw.

Correction factor

As it is unlikely that all koalas in a plot will be found by observers on every occasion, a correction factor is required to account for those koalas that may not have been found. This is based on the sighting probability of each observer and is applied in the below formula.


The following formula is to be used to calculate the number of koalas in each plot:

Where, N = population sizeS1 = Number of koalas seen by observer 1 but missed by observer 2S2 = Number of koalas seen by observer 2 but missed by observer 1B = Number of koalas seen by both observers

The sighting probabilities for each observer (P1 and P2) are calculated as:P1 = B / (B + S2)P2 = B / (B + S1)

Source: Caughley and Sinclair (1994)

Accounting for back young

To account for back young on koalas that were not seen during the survey, the number of back young in the population is required to be estimated by multiplying the proportion of adults carrying back young in each plot by the population value calculated for each plot using the above formula. This value is then added to the adult population value to give an estimate of the total koala population.

Koala Density

An estimate of density in terms of the number of koalas per hectare for each plot should be calculated by dividing the population value as calculated above by the area of the plot.


Koala Population Density Field Data Sheet

NOTE THAT EACH KOALA SURVEY WILL HAVE TWO DATA SHEETS: OBSERVER 1 AND 2.

ENTER FULL DATA FROM ONE OBSERVER, THEN ADDITIONAL SIGHTINGS ONLY FROM SECOND.

Site / Transect* Date

Observer 1 Observer 2

Koala no.

Distan

ce alo

ng tran

sect (m

)

Left or r

ight o

f transe

ct (L

/ R)

Distan

ce perp

endicular to

tran

sect

Y if b

eyond 25 m

Height in

tree

(m)

Y if b

ack yo

ung pres

ent

Tree s

pecies

code

Seen by o

ther obser

ver?

(1/0)

Comments123456789

1011121314151617181920

Species:BG = Blue Gum (Euc. globulus )n/a = unknown or other


Appendix 2 – Minimum requirements for koala spotters

Note: The safety of personnel should always come first. Companies should consider their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 and any other requirements set by WorkSafe Victoria when implementing these procedures.

1. Spotters must be used at the commencement of harvesting and coppice management. If, after five working days of harvesting or coppice management, the number of koalas does not exceed the thresholds set in point 2, then spotters may be removed.

2. In areas where spotters have previously been removed, spotters must be introduced where the density of koalas is greater than:

a. For a single grip harvester:i. Two koalas in the area to be harvested by a single machine in that shift; orii. Three koalas in the area to be harvested by a crew of single grip harvesters

in that shift

b. For a feller buncher, any koalas in the area to be harvested in that shift

c. For coppice management, any koalas in the area to be managed in that shift.

3. Where a threshold to require a spotter is reached, spotters must be used for a minimum of five working days. If after five working days the threshold has not been reached again the spotter may be removed.

4. Spotter requirements:

a. All spotters must have completed appropriate trainingb. In densities of less than 20 koalas per harvest zone, one spotter can spot for up to three

single grip harvesters, or one feller buncher. Areas must have been checked by the spotter prior to harvesting and must be continuously monitored.

c. Once koala numbers are greater than 20 per harvest zone, or where koalas are highly mobile between trees in the area to be harvested in that shift, then spotters must be increased to: one spotter per one single grip harvester or two spotters per one feller buncher. Areas must have been checked by the spotter within one hour prior to that area being harvested and must be continuously monitored.

d. For coppice management, one spotter is required per operation.e. Koala location must be communicated to machinery operators.

5. In plantations where the spotter has been removed, machinery operators must undertake 3 hour checks of the area being harvested to locate koalas. These checks must be recorded.

6. During harvesting, machinery operators must monitor koalas that may have moved or not been identified during pre-harvest checking, particularly if spotters are not being used.

7. Where koala spotting is being undertaken at night, a torch with sufficient power to clearly illuminate koalas in the tops of trees must be used.


Appendix 3 - Acronyms, abbreviations and definitionsAcronymsPOCTA – Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

DELWP – The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

AbbreviationsThe Wildlife Act – The Wildlife Act 1975

DefinitionsAuthorised Officer – A DELWP employee authorised under section 83(1) of the Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 for the purposes of the Wildlife Act 1975.

Authorisation to Disturb Koalas – The written authorisation under section 28A(1A) of the Wildlife Act which may be given by DELWP to an owner or manager of a plantation to disturb koalas, or cause koalas to be disturbed during plantation management operations. An authorisation will only be given where a complete application form is received and a DELWP-approved Koala Management Plan is in place.

Coppice – Stumps of harvested trees left to regenerate.

Coppice management – Any activity which is undertaken on coppice that may impact koalas. At a minimum it includes the application of chemicals (herbicide or pesticide), fire treatment and the mechanical removal or destruction of coppice. This excludes coppice thinning operations where coppice stems are selectively removed.

Coupe – Area designated for harvesting.

Crew – A group of three single grip harvesters working in close proximity in a plantation.

Feller buncher – A harvester that can rapidly cut and gather a number of trees before felling them.

Fire treatment – Any activity which is undertaken using fire. For example, burning coppice or slash.

Harvest zone – The area to be harvested in a shift by either a feller buncher or single grip harvest system.

Incident – Any incident where a koala is physically impacted during plantation management operations, either by trees, machinery, chemicals, fire or people, or where a koala falls from a tree as a result of plantation management operations, or where a juvenile koala is separated from its mother as a result of plantation management operations.

Juvenile koala - A koala joey that is dependent on its mother and is not yet weaned.

Juvenile koalas start to emerge from their mother’s pouch around 6-7 months of age, when they weigh approximately 300 - 500g. They emerge from the pouch permanently, from 6-12 months of age (700g - 2.2kg), depending on size and habitat conditions, during this time they ride on their mother’s backs and are often referred to as ‘back young’. At this stage, juvenile koalas are still entirely dependent on their mother and consume both milk and eucalyptus leaves. Juvenile koalas are weaned at approximately 12 months of age (2 - 2.5kg), however they will remain close to their mother for a period of time post weaning).

Koala density – The number of koalas per hectare.


Koala Management Plan – The document which details how the owner or manager of a Blue-gum plantation will manage their operations across all plantations to minimise impacts to koalas and protect koala welfare. The plan must be approved by DELWP. Having an approved Koala Management Plan is a condition of an Authorisation to Disturb Koalas.

Manager – A plantation management company that leases a Blue-gum plantation from the owner of the plantation for the purposes of managing the plantation (eg. undertaking harvest planning, harvesting, silviculture, roading etc.), or who has been contracted by the owner of a Blue-gum plantation to undertake the management of the plantation.

Near-miss – Any incident where a koala is almost physically impacted during operations, either by trees, machinery, chemicals, fire or people.

New plantings – All activities involved in planting new trees in a plantation.

Owner – The owner of a Blue-gum plantation, this can be either a natural person or a body corporate. (This is not necessarily the landowner).

Personnel – Employees and contractors of the authorisation holder involved in site operations, including the planning of site operations. It does not include visitors to site such as mechanics or couriers.

Plantation – Managed stands of trees planted or sown primarily for timber production purposes. For the purposes of these standards it refers to the Blue-gum plantation in which the plantation management operations will be undertaken.

Plantation management operations – Any activity that poses welfare risk to koalas, at a minimum this includes harvesting, roading, fire treatment, coppice management and new plantings.

Plantation operations plan – A detailed plan for a site that explains where, when, how and by whom an operation will be conducted, and any constraints or prescriptions that apply to the operation. At a minimum, the plan would define the location and timing of the operation, the type of equipment required to do the work, and the management of special values, such as koalas, on that specific site. A Timber Harvest Plan is an example of a plantation operations plan.

Separated juvenile – A juvenile koala that has been, or is suspected of being, separated from its mother.

Silviculture - The science and practice of managing harvesting, forest establishment, composition, and growth, to achieve specified objectives.

Single grip harvester – A harvester that fells, debarks and cuts individual trees.

Slash – Woody debris left after harvest operations.

Spotter – A person trained in spotting koalas in a plantation.

Welfare assessment – An assessment of koala welfare which involves checking the patches that remain in the harvest area for koalas (either in tree or on-ground), and assessing their welfare (injuries and behaviour).


Other appendicesIn this section you can add any other appendices relevant to the Koala Management Plan.


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