The Koala Recovery Business Partners Program is open to any business in the area and has been endorsed by the Myall Waterways Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.

The program is an initiative of the local Koala Working Group, which is made up of representatives from Great Lakes Council, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Myall Koala and Environment Support Group, with the support of Country Energy and the community.

The group is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the recovery plan for the area's endangered koala population.

It aims to increase the community's awareness of local koalas and threats to their survival as a key way to help recover and restore this significant and important population.

Members from the Koala Working Group will visit businesses in Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens next Monday and Tuesday to discuss the program.

The group recognises that businesses which deal with the community every day have an excellent opportunity to help raise the profile of endangered koalas and to communicate to the community ways of reducing the threats to them.

"Businesses and the local economy benefit greatly from the tourism that the koala population and their natural scenic habitat bring," said Assistant Environmental Officer Kate Adkins.

"The free partnership program offers businesses the chance to further promote the value of the koala and its habitat and to give something back by helping efforts to recover the population."

Business partners receive free educational materials including posters, newsletters, a certificate, an educational booklet and a member window sticker, which allows them to raise the awareness of their customers and staff about the threats encountered by local koalas and what actions can be taken to reduce these threats.

Business partners will also receive free consultation on environmental issues in their workplace and access to information and ideas on how they can improve their practices in relation to the environment, such as reducing storm water pollution, improving waste management, saving water and electricity and improving biodiversity.

More information is available from Kate Adkins at Great Lakes Council on 6591 7306.