News

New research shows selective harvesting had no significant effect on male koala density

09-Oct-2025

Researchers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have resurveyed three state forest sites and three paired national park control sites to track koala density following selective harvesting on state forests. Three years after harvesting, there remained no significant effect on male koala density in the state forest sites—consistent with our immediate post-harvest assessment in 2020. However, researchers observed a significant decline in male koala density at the national park control sites, likely linked to drought and canopy dieback.

These insights reinforce the importance of ongoing monitoring to understand long-term koala response to harvesting.

This work is part of the NSW Koala Strategy, and funded by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Research is overseen by an expert panel, including independent scientists.

Read the full report for more details, insights, and limitations.