Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00555:body:0:p75
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00555
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 233633–236551

al. 2021). At the expansive scale of the distribution of the listed Koala across much of Queensland and New South Wales, this is confounded by the absence of data on Koala distribution and abundance and consequently their habitat requirements in those areas.
The preceding section provides an overview relating to the functional ecology of the Koala and its habitat that forms the basis for determining habitat critical to the survival of the listed Koala. The functional ecology of the Koala is described in terms of the combined assemblage of habitat qualities (extent, arrangement, attributes) theoretically required to stop decline and promote recovery. Key questions to ask in evaluating habitat for Koalas are:
a) whether the habitat is used during periods of stress (examples flood, drought or fire)
b) whether the habitat is used to meet essential life cycle requirements (e.g. foraging, breeding, social behaviour, dispersal)
c) the extent to which the habitat is used by important populations
d) whether the habitat is necessary to maintain genetic diversity and long-term evolutionary development
e) whether the habitat is necessary for use as corridors to allow the species to move freely between sites used to meet essential life cycle requirements
f) whether the habitat is necessary to ensure the long-term future of the species or ecological community through reintroduction or re-colonisation
g) any other way in which habitat may be critical to the survival of a listed threatened species or a listed threatened ecological community (EPBC Act).
Importantly, the understanding of the Koala's habitat requirements is increasing (and changing) over time as we better understand the behaviour and physiology of Koalas, and the physiology and chemical composition of their food trees and how they respond to differing conditions. Consequently, in determining whether an area has the attributes constituting habitat critical to the survival of the listed Koala, or the potential to develop those attributes (e.g. via revegetation), it is important to examine the up to date literature, and to refer to local sources of information (especially with regard to preferred food and resting trees) and collect complementary data as close as practicable to the site. Potential proponents should also refer to such supporting documents as are available in the Species Profile and Threats database (SPRAT) which may include referral or significant impact guidelines if their production is deemed necessary.
While the complexity described above precludes detailed guidance here to cover all situations, it is clear that in order to halt decline and promote the recovery of the listed Koala, the following should be avoided:
    * clearing of habitat used by Koalas for feeding and resting
    * reducing connectivity between patches of habitat used by Koalas for feeding, resting, commuting and dispersing (either by