Student Kim Bedwell refines eucalypt fodder - growing methods

“Photograph supplied courtesy of The Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton"

By CARYN METCALFE

Kim Bedwell's studies of eucalypt trees will bring her into close contact with some of the cute and cuddly creatures at Rockhampton Zoo.
The koalas at the zoo will be the first to taste new eucalypt plantations grown in conditions different from those currently used to feed them.

Ms Bedwell said she was trying to find a method that would efficiently grow large quantities of shoots. "Koalas only eat the tips of shoots, so if it is possible to grow large quantities of shoots and increase the shelf life of harvested fodder, we will be able to maintain healthy, captive colonies of koalas.

I will be experimenting with two different eucalypt growths. One will be at Central Queensland University, where eucalypts will be grown densely to try to produce as much shoot tip as possible.

"The other will be on council land, using a different horticulture method than used in current plantations, and using recycled water from the Fitzroy River water treatment plant. This plantation will also be looking at several eucalypt species.".

Ms Bedwell chose to study eucalypts and koalas for her CQU thesis because they were both uniquely Australian.

She will be feeding the koalas different fodder to identify which shoots the koalas prefer, and will test the nutritional value of that fodder.

“If I can develop a method to make growing these tips faster and more efficiently, and the koalas accept these tips as fodder, it will make looking after the koalas a lot easier