Explore how we protect koala habitat and reduce disturbance during timber harvesting operations.
Koala protection
The Australian Government and Queensland Government are addressing koala population decline through conservation strategies.
Koalas face threats such as:
- urban expansion
- disease
- habitat loss
- vehicles
- dogs
- drought
- fire.
Koalas are listed as endangered in Queensland under the:
Selective harvesting
Queensland's native timber harvesting is selective. Individual trees are harvested across a planned area, with large habitat trees left in place and some areas left unharvested. This approach helps maintain a suitable koala habitat in state forests.
Find out more about Queensland's approach to selective harvesting.
Preserving forest canopies through responsible harvesting
Find out more about how selective harvesting preserves forest canopies, ensuring the maintenance of wildlife habitats, supporting ecosystem health and promoting biodiversity.
Show transcript
[How are forest canopies preserved during selective harvesting in Queensland?]
Selective harvesting leaves an extensive forest canopy that ensures fauna can move around in their natural habitat.
Canopies support the overall health of the forest ecosystem.
They play a critical role in climate regulation, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration.
With selective timber harvesting, only certain mature trees are removed, as many mature trees are not suitable for wood products, and a significant number are retained for habitat purposes.
Gaps in the canopy left from harvesting support biodiversity by promoting forest regeneration.
These gaps are filled by existing saplings that have been waiting for an opportunity to develop into trees.
Compliance
Forest harvesting operations on state-owned land must comply with planning and policy requirements for koala protection, including:
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- Nature Conservation Act 1992
- Code of Practice for Native Forest Timber Production on Queensland's State Forest Estate 2020 (PDF, 4.33MB).
Koala safeguards during harvesting
A range of measures is used to protect koalas during harvesting operations.
Before operations:
- reviewing koala records on WildNet and the Atlas of Living Australia
- checking Queensland Government koala habitat mapping
- applying practices as though there could be koalas on a proposed harvesting area, even if they aren't
- conducting inspections for the presence and distribution of koalas (e.g. scat searches, tree markings, incidental sightings)
- undertaking significance assessments under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and assessments for each harvesting operation.
During operations:
- identifying and protecting high-use koala trees, which are indicators of a koala's home range
- training staff and forest operators to spot koalas and ensure trees are inspected for the presence of koalas and any other wildlife before harvesting
- conducting harvesting operations to maintain habitat links within the harvesting site and between the site and adjacent areas
- temporarily stopping operations or moving to another part of the forest if a koala is found, until the koala moves.
Research by the New South Wales Resource Assessment Commission shows that koalas will tolerate low levels of disturbance, such as the selective harvesting that we authorise, and they continue to occupy forests once harvesting is complete.
Also, there is no discernible change in koala density from pre-harvest to post-harvest periods in the control locations (national parks) or harvested state forests.
Contact us
Email ForestryEngagement@dpi.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 16 Feb 2026