Free field day for farmers living with koalas

LANDHOLDERS, farmers and graziers can learn how to live alongside koalas with free field day workshop.

FIELD DAY: Lismore City Council invites landholders to a free field day about living with koalas on rural lands. Picture: Brad Mustow

LANDHOLDERS, farmers and graziers on the Wilsons and Richmond floodplains are invited to a free field day about living with koalas on rural lands.

The event is part of Lismore City Council's Rural Landholder Initiative free field days to help local farmers connect, learn and discuss protecting biodiversity.

The field day will be held on Friday, October 18 from 9.30am to 2pm including a free lunch.

The event will be held at a farm in South Gundurimba and council will provide address details on registration.

The workshop will focus on seeing koalas in the field and discussing ways that farmers and graziers can undertake habitat re-establishment within productive environments.

Workshop participants will travel to a number of different habitat sites and discuss the practical and science-based approaches to looking out for koalas, monitoring koala health and reconnecting broken habitat.

There will be a number of presentations on the day, including:

• The impacts of wild dogs on livestock and wildlife from Local Land Services.
• Isolated paddock trees and windbreaks on the floodplain.
• Koala hotspots on the floodplains - where they are and why.
• A vet nurse will explain the differences between a healthy, sick and an older koala, and what to do when you see a sick koala.
• Koala food tree identification and what to plant if you are planning a revegetation program.

The free event will be delivered in association with Monaltrie Landcare, Friends of the Koala and Local Land Services.

Please register to Lismore City Council on 1300 83 87 83.

Lunch is provided and please wear sturdy shoes and a hat for walking.