Tim’s first memory of environmental destruction is vivid. As a child growing up in the UK, he watched bulldozers level the forest at the end of his street. It was a defining moment—not just of grief, but of clarity. From that day on, the trajectory of his life shifted. Years later, he moved to Australia, drawn by the richness of its wild landscapes. With him came a vow: to dedicate his life to protecting forests and the creatures within them.
Now based on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Tim Cadman has become one of Australia’s most determined forest defenders. His focus? Saving the region’s native ecosystems from industrial logging and exposing the quiet disappearance of koala habitats—particularly in areas no one expected.
A Battlefield for Logging
Despite the Mid-North Coast’s reputation as a pristine haven, it is, in Tim’s words, “a battlefield.” Logging continues with alarming speed, carving into both public and private lands under the banner of industry. The proposed Great Koala National Park is being hailed by many as a long-overdue breakthrough for conservation. But to Tim, it’s a dangerously incomplete gesture.
At the heart of his concern lies a little-known truth: plantation forests—often dismissed as ecological dead zones—are, in fact, home to thriving koala populations. These zones are not included in the current park proposal. According to government estimates, between 10,000 and 12,000 koalas inhabit the proposed park footprint. Tim and his team believe there are at least 1,000 to 2,000 more living in plantation areas adjacent to and within the proposed park footprint. If logging resumes there, it could permanently wipe out 10% of the regional koala population.
“Koalas don’t care where we draw lines on a map. They go where the food is. And right now, that includes plantations that haven’t been touched in 50 years.”
Dr Tim Cadman
Tim’s campaign is about more than numbers. It’s about rethinking what conservation looks like in the 21st century. Instead of clinging to the idea that only untouched old-growth forests are worth saving, he argues for a broader vision—one that protects functioning ecosystems, wherever they are found.
His team’s work is equal parts science, grassroots organising, and ground-truthing. Armed with little more than GPS devices, iPads loaded with historical aerial images, and field notebooks, Tim and a dedicated network of citizen scientists are uncovering what government maps and policy documents have missed—or ignored. Their findings have consistently shown that supposed “plantation” land often includes remnant native forest teeming with life.
One of their most promising tools is a trial GPS backpack system that could allow for accurate tree-level mapping under thick canopy. If successful, it could eliminate one of the forestry industry’s key defences: plausible deniability.
“No more pretending they didn’t know the koalas were there. This tech could change everything.”
Dr Tim Cadman
Citizen Scientists Are Like An Informal Army of Volunteers
But it’s not just technology making the difference. It’s people. Tim credits much of the progress to an informal army of volunteers—teachers, tradespeople, students, and retirees—who spend their weekends hiking into remote forests, scanning satellite imagery, and holding logging operations to account. Outfitting each volunteer costs around $800, but every single one plays a role. Some do the boots-on-the-ground work. Others stay home and analyse aerial data. All of it matters.
Tim’s vision goes beyond the current proposal. He and his team have put forward a bold alternative: the Greater Koala National Park, a 492,000-hectare World Heritage proposal that would include essential plantation areas and highlight Australia’s eucalypt diversity. It has attracted federal interest, but the state government remains silent. Even so, Tim remains cautiously optimistic. “Silence,” he says, “means they haven’t said no yet.”
His frustration with the system is palpable. Current forestry operations, he argues, benefit private corporations while the public bears the environmental cost. Cities that prohibit tree removal in suburbs are simultaneously demanding timber sourced from ancient forests hundreds of kilometres away. “The whole model is upside down,” he says. “We treat timber like it’s sacred, and forests like they’re disposable.”
Still, despite setbacks, Tim finds hope. In the early hours of morning vigils, standing between ancient trees and encroaching machinery, he draws strength from every koala scat found under a canopy, every old tree marked with scratchings, every small but significant win.
“This work is exhausting, but if we keep showing up, if we stay grounded in science and speak truth to power, the tide can turn.”
Dr Tim Cadman
Tim’s message is simple but urgent: real conservation is already happening. And there’s space for everyone. Whether it’s in the forest with a GPS in hand or at a desk reviewing data, every action counts. The fight for Australia’s forests and its wildlife is far from over—but thanks to Tim and his growing network, it’s a fight that still has hope.
You can listen to Dr Tim Cadman talking about Old Growth Forests, Logging and The Greater Koala National Park on The Citizen Science Show Podcast.
At first glance, the concept of a tiny forest might seem like a contradiction. But for Anna Noon, it’s a powerful tool for regeneration—of ecosystems, communities, and even hope. Anna, founder of the not-for-profit The Groundswell Collective and 2024 Lake Macquarie Volunteer of the Year, discovered tiny forests in 2019 during a period of deep…
