Balancing Agriculture and Koala Habitat Much of our good quality agricultural land is found on floodplains with higher fertility and higher soil moisture. Before historical clearing occurred in our region, these same floodplains were some of the highest quality eucalypt forests and best koala habitat in the landscape. Koalas will travel large distances to feed on the leaf of nitrogen rich paddock Eucalypts on farmlands. In doing so, encountering livestock, domestic dogs, fences and water impoundments. Trees on farms provide a multitude of benefits including shade for livestock, soil stabilization and water quality improvements. Opportunities exist to enhance both agricultural sustainability and koala habitat values by retaining paddock trees and also revegetating gullies, waterway zones (riparian areas) and steep slopes. Incorporating koala food trees into revegetation species lists and replacement paddock tree programs can support the creation of local koala corridors. Various assistance programs exist for agricultural producers to enhance the sustainability and habitat values of their farms. Koalas on farms 17
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