The Spot Assessment Technique (SAT) and its landscape-scaled big sister (RG-bSAT) are field survey techniques recommended for use by most State and Federal Government conservation agencies. Recently we have also developed a further technique (Rapid-SAT) that quickly enables assessment of large areas of bushland in order to determine koala presence / absence, as well as (if required) inform on range measures such as extent of occurrence.

It is our experience that while many people use the SAT approach, they often do so without fully appreciating how it should be applied and/or how the results should be interpreted. Because of this we offer one-day training programs in the application of SAT/RG-bSAT and Rapid-SAT methodologies.  The first half of the program is devoted to a formal lecture / presentation that communicates key aspects of koala ecology that underpin the SAT approach, as well as mathematical concepts behind the technique. Survey design and site sampling protocols are discussed, as are alternative approaches and the relative merits of other koala habitat sampling techniques. The latter part of the day is spent in the field and deals with issues such as site selection, tree sampling, scat searching and data recording.

Training courses have been conducted for consultancy companies, Local and State Government authorities in New South Wales and Queensland and Landcare organisations.