Paddock Trees for Koalas
Fencing paddock trees to encourage the natural regeneration process within Areas of Regional Koala Significance (ARKS)
Community Participation - LEP23 - 026_RLC
The issue
In many parts of the MidCoast and Hunter, old paddock trees remain scattered across heavily grazed land, with little to no regeneration occurring beneath them. This presents a broader landscape issue, weakening connectivity and impacting biodiversity across farmland in general and specifically within Areas of Regional Koala Significance (ARKS).
The Paddock Trees for Koalas Project tested whether natural regeneration could be encouraged by simply fencing off 0.25-hectare areas around existing paddock trees for at least four years. With minimal intervention and limited weed control, the aim was to support wildlife, improve tree health, and offer landholders a practical, low-cost conservation option.
The solution
Seventeen landholders with eligible paddock trees were selected, with a total of 30 trees to be monitored.They were provided a solar energiser for each tree and enough temporary electric fencing & posts to run two strands of wire for livestock exclusion. Each site needed to protect at least 0.25 hectares from grazing for a minimum of four years, allowing natural regeneration from the existing seed bank. The fencing designed to keep out livestock while still allowing koalas and other wildlife to pass through freely.
Baseline data collection happened in 2023 and then repeated in 2024 and 2025. Data measured included tree health, condition and type of surrounding vegetational presence of wildlife and feral animals.
The fencing and monitoring of the sites was funded by Hunter Local Land Services and carried out by Coordinators from MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare, Hunter Regional Landcare and Koala Project Officers from the MidCoast Council.
The impact
Monitoring results from the project sites show a modest increase in the number of saplings establishing beneath parent trees. Other native species have also regenerated, alongside a mix of exotic grasses, forbs and woody weeds. While still early in the process, the results suggest that, given more time, natural regeneration could continue to strengthen.
Limited weed control proved helpful in managing lantana and blackberry during the monitoring period. At one site, a tree was lost to lightning and the landholder chose to remove the fencing. Another property was sold during the period of the program with the new landholders not interested in continuing to participate.
Learnings
Key Learnings:
- Maintaining fencing and conducting follow-up monitoring in 3–5 years would likely provide more accurate information on the project’s effectiveness.
- Ongoing landholder engagement, including opportunities to connect and develop plant identification skills, may encourage longer-term engagement with the monitoring.
- 51% of monitored paddock tree sites showed sapling growth from the parent tree.
- 31% of paddock trees were estimated to be 100–150 years old; fewer than half of these had any parent tree saplings.
- All sites contained a mix of native regeneration alongside pasture weeds and exotic grasses.
- Low-level weed control (e.g., line trimming or woody weed removal) was carried out on 20% of sites and helped with weed management.
Key facts
- Maintaining fencing and conducting follow-up monitoring in 3–5 years would likely provide more accurate information on the project’s effectiveness.
- Natural regeneration is not a guaranteed outcome given the past intensity of grazing and health of some paddock trees