Federally approved destruction of koala habitat in 2025 is the worst on record, conservationists say, as they urge the government to act to halt the rampant decimation.
Almost 4000 hectares have been approved to be bulldozed across eight projects, the Australian Conservation Foundation said in a study released on Sunday to coincide with National Threatened Species Day.
The foundation's nature campaigner Darcie Carruthers said the federal government's revision of national nature laws must set clear rules to protect habitat for threatened species such as the koala, close loopholes that enabled rogue bulldozing and establish an independent watchdog to enforce the law.
The government is overhauling the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and has committed to introducing legislation to parliament before the end of 2025.
"Given that the koala has been recognised as threatened with extinction since 2012 and therefore should be protected from harm, this underscores the total failure of the current laws to keep trees in the ground and prevent the further decline of the species," Ms Carruthers said.
Since 2011, almost 38,000ha of koala habitat have been approved to be destroyed under the Act, the foundation says.
The 4000ha approved in 2025 includes 1166ha at Vulcan South Coal Mine in Queensland's Bowen Basin.
"Even worse, 98 per cent of koala habitat has been bulldozed without even being assessed under the national law," Ms Carruthers said.
"The very law meant to protect nature is so poorly enforced that it has failed to stop nearly 2.3 million hectares of likely koala habitat from being bulldozed and cut down."
Koalas are an endangered species and the Environment Department's conservation advice for koalas notes habitat destruction and fragmentation is a major and increasing threat to the iconic marsupial.
Agriculture is the biggest driver of koala habitat destruction and native forest logging continues to destroy koala habitat, particularly in NSW.
Threatened species ecologist Kita Ashman said the way regional forest agreements operated under the EPBC Act was effectively "a back door for destructive practices like logging to continue with very little scrutiny".
"If we remove this loophole, it will mean climate refuges and places that are critical for the survival of the species will remain intact," Dr Ashman said.
Wildlife ecologist Desley Whisson said the "broadscale destruction" of koala habitat must stop to prevent their extinction.
"We know habitat loss is the leading cause of koala decline," Associate Professor Whisson said.
"If we are serious about preventing extinction of this iconic species, our national laws must be strengthened to keep trees standing."
