Doyles River Koala Habitat Environmental Plantings Project

Doyles River Koala Habitat Environmental Plantings Project is an environmental planting project located at Doyles River, approximately 70km inland from Port Macquarie in NSW. It was registered in October 2023 and covers 123.19 ha.

Environmental planting projects involve establishing permanent plantings of a mix of native tree species on land that was predominantly used for agricultural purposes for at least five years prior to project commencement. The methodology typically requires planting these native trees at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover, which generally means at least 200 stems per hectare capable of reaching a height of at least 2 metres.

The Doyles River and wider Port Macquarie-Hastings region is historically known for beef and dairy cattle grazing, as well as significant timber and forestry operations. The hinterland area is considered a high rainfall zone, and the soils are generally a mix of clay, podzolic, and basalt.

Notably, as the name suggests, this project has been established to support local koala populations. The Port Macquarie-Hastings area is a critical region for koalas, where they are a declared vulnerable species, and restoring native tree species on previously cleared agricultural land helps create and connect vital habitat for them. The proponent for this project is Lignin Pty Ltd.