In 2024 Koala Clancy Foundation planted 35,092 koala trees, bringing our grand total to 164,789 koala trees planted since 2020. We’re now over halfway to our goal to plant 300,000 koala trees by 2030.
So, how did we get here?
Koala Clancy Foundation have been working on the front line of koala conservation for over 20 years, and in the You Yangs, Victoria, for over a decade.
The You Yangs’ koala population has plummeted by 46% in just ten years, leaving a heartbreaking estimate of only 100-120 koalas remaining. Beloved individuals like Ngardang, Kalama, and Gulkurguli are hanging on by a thread.
When we learned this, we knew we had to fight for the future of these creatures. Koalas are fighters, and so are we. So we set a BIG goal to plant 300,000 koala trees by 2030.
Our community’s effort culminates every year in the exciting winter tree planting season. It’s an extraordinary time, but it’s a big process that requires a lot of dedication, resources, and community support.
But don’t be fooled, the incredible effort seen during the planting season starts months before the planting season even begins.
Behind the Scenes: Koala Tree Planting Process
Let’s rewind to spring, a busy time for our dedicated nursery team, Janine, Vanessa, Peta, Hayley, and Eliza.
These passionate wildlife conservationists (and long-term Koala Clancy Foundation team members) meticulously sow, transplant and propagate thousands of seeds and cuttings before they’re sent to their temporary home at Boomaroo Nurseries.
Here, they’re closely monitored, with factors like sunlight and irrigation constantly adjusted to ensure optimal growing conditions.
Meanwhile, Janine and Eliza begin liaising with local landowners who are integral to our mission. During visits to landowner’s properties, we meticulously assess each potential planting site against our strict criteria. After all, we don’t just plant anywhere; our process involves planting in areas with the greatest chance of success for a koala forest.
Between site visits and getting our hands dirty, lots of planning is involved. Spreadsheets are checked, numbers are crunched, and the logistics of a massive tree-planting operation are carefully considered from our office desks.
This elaborate process continues throughout spring, summer, and autumn until the winter planting season finally arrives.
Next Step in the Process: Planting Koala Trees
Six weeks before a koala tree planting day our highly experienced and reliable contractor Matt from Kingfisher Environmental Services will perform weed control on the planting site to help ensure high survival for our native plants.
One week before the planting day we’ll begin the process of sorting plants: bringing the right species for the project from Boomaroo to our HQ Nursery.
Two days before the planting day, Matt will return to the planting site to drill thousands of holes with a mechanical auger. This can’t be done too far in advance, or else the holes dry out!
This is also when our nursery team will apply Sen-Tree Browsing deterrent to plants, another step in our process to ensure high plant survival.
The day before planting, our team will head to the site to set EVERYTHING up – thousands of stakes, tree guards, and of course – plants.
After ALL that work, it’s finally time to plant some trees!
With months of preparation work, our tree planting days are a breeze. It’s an unforgettable experience that we’re honoured to involve our community in.
The Financial Challenge
Planting brand-new koala forests is expensive work: this process costs us $10 to plant one tree.
We pay a lot for supplies – soil, fertilizers, seeds, water, stakes, guards, equipment. For something meaningful to happen with these supplies, we need knowledgeable and experienced staff. The scale of our work would be impossible without our team- they make what we do possible.
We don’t take shortcuts, and we constantly adapt our approach. Our tree planting process is designed for success, based on years of experience, successful past projects, scientific research, and the guidance of local Aboriginal community members. Every step of this process is crucial.
As a result, we achieve an 85-90% tree survival rate and already have evidence of koalas returning to the areas we’ve planted.
Our journey to restore koala habitat is a labour of love, but we depend entirely on donations to make this work possible.
We’ve made significant strides, raising $40,721 of our $50,000 target (our biggest fundraiser ever). We need your support to reach the finish line.
Your immediate donation will allow us to continue planting trees for koalas until we secure a future for the koalas of the You Yangs.
Donate now to Koala Clancy Foundation and be part of our journey to plant 300,000 koala trees by 2030.
