The final outcomes of the three year Koala Connect project will be unveiled at a special event this Wednesday.

A partnership between the City of Ballarat, Moorabool, Hepburn and Pyrenees Shires, the Koala Connect project uses the koala as an iconic species to educate the community on planning, biodiversity and native vegetation.

Four informative guides have been developed to assist the community to consider native vegetation and wildlife in building and planning activities. The guides include:

• Meet the Locals: A Guide to Living with Wildlife
• Before You Buy or Build: A Guide to Native Vegetation and Planning
• Native Vegetation and Planning in Central Victoria: An Introduction for Council Staff
• Threatened Species of Central Victoria: A Resource for School

City of Ballarat Councillor Ben Taylor said research undertaken prior to the project showed that easy to read information on biodiversity data, native vegetation, conservation and planning was virtually non-existent.

“As a result, we’ve developed four guides for different audiences that cover a wealth of information that needs to be considered around homes in our municipalities”.

“From a guide for Council planning staff through to a fun and educational book for school aged children, the project really has covered all bases.”

The new guides will be easily accessible by the general public, available in hard copy at participating Council offices as well as online. The guide for schools will be distributed to local schools in the coming weeks.

The project was funded through the Victorian Government’s Sustainability Fund under the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord.

For more information please contact Council’s Manager Environmental Programs, Aaron Izzard on 5320 5897.