The Hawks Nest Koala Working Group is again asking the local community to help them with the plan.

A survey was conducted in 2006 and provided important information for Great Lakes Council and the Department of Environment and Climate Change in an attempt to reverse the decline in the koala population.

One hundred and eleven surveys were returned.

The community identified that the most significant threats were from habitat loss, the removal of corridors and attacks by dogs.

It was recommended that recovery efforts should focus on replanting and conserving koala habitat, controlling dogs and protecting koala habitat through conservation rezoning.

Since the original survey, there has been some effort by the agencies and the community to record koala sightings, evaluate the extent of available koala habitat, work with local businesses for education and awareness, undertake replanting efforts on public lands and install signage in identified roadkill blackspots.

“Despite such efforts, there is no firm data to suggest that the situation for local koalas has significantly improved and further recovery and protection activities remain very important,” Great Lakes Council senior environmental officer Mat Bell said.

The Koala Working Group is preparing to distribute the survey in the coming weeks to test if there has been any change in community opinion.

The survey will be sent to 100 randomly selected residents of the Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens area.

The survey is also available to other residents who can request a copy by contacting Isabelle Strachan on 6591 7301 or visiting the Tea Gardens District Office.