The man set up his platform late Sunday night in the middle of a stand of White Box Woodland, in which protestors say is home to koalas and 27 other threatened species.

Spokesperson Phil Spark said the protest action is to raise awareness that offsets for the planned clearing of 625 hectares of “critically endangered ecological community” have not been independently reviewed.

“It appears that Idemitsu have exploited a loophole to avoid scrutiny of the quantity and quality of White Box Woodland in their offsets,” Mr Spark said.

Idemitsu was required to submit an independent review of their biodiversity offsets to Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt, but Mr Spark said the review did not include any assessment of the White Box Woodland in the offset areas, instead focusing on habitat for woodland birds and bats.

“It is alarming that Idemitsu can raze critically endangered forest for an open cut coal mine, when there is no assurance that the same quality and quantity of that ecological community exists in their offsets,” Mr Spark said.

“As the Federal Minister is responsible for protecting endangered ecosystems, Greg Hunt must require Idemitsu to obtain an independent review of the White Box Woodland in their offsets before this precious forest is destroyed.”

The man is intending to maintain his tree-top vigil until a stop-work order is issued.