Mayor Karen Williams correctly states (RCB, Dec 3) that koalas have been on the decline for years due to disease, vehicle strikes and dog attacks.
What she didn't mention is that habitat loss is actually the key threat to koalas.
When their trees are cut down, they become stressed and prone to disease and are forced to travel further in search of food which puts them at greater risk of falling victim to vehicle strikes and dog attacks.
Mayor Williams also states that koalas are an important part of the Redlands, but the recent actions of her council suggests otherwise with koala trees continuing to be felled all across Redland City.
Blaming the state government for council's inability to protect habitat is a cop-out. Council is responsible for developing their city plan which is a blueprint of where development can and cannot occur.
They also write and control their own local laws including vegetation protection and animal control laws.
Of course the community also play a role in protecting koalas by needing to retain koala trees in their yards, driving carefully and confining dogs at night.
But council must lead the way and now has an opportunity to provide a genuine commitment to koala conservation by firstly embedding legislation into the new City Plan 2015 that protects existing habitat.
Secondly, with several large scale developments on the radar in the Redlands, approval should not be considered unless all koala habitat within the development areas is protected.
Debbie Pointing, Koala Action Group Qld.