New South Wales legislates Great Koala National Park

The parliament of New South Wales has passed legislation creating the Great Koala National Park, according to Mongabay. The protected area will cover 475,000 hectares, including 178,000 hectares of state forests and other government land, and is scheduled to open before the end of 2026. It is intended to protect 12,000 koalas and more than 100 other threatened species. Lawmakers rejected several attempts to amend the carbon credit scheme that will fund the park over the long term.