THE koalas at Helensburgh’s Symbio Wildlife Park will have a sustainable supply of gum leaves thanks to a partnership with Wollongong City Council and a new Koala Food Forest planted at Koonawarra.

During the week school students joined Wollongong City Council and Symbio in planting around 700 specially selected local eucalyptus trees within Eleebana Reserve at Koonawarra.

The long-term project will take about 18 to 24 months before leaves off the newly planted trees can be harvested. Once the trees have established roots, the leaves will be harvested regularly to feed the koalas that live at Symbio.

Symbio Wildlife Park managing director Matt Radnidge said once the trees have been established in the first 18-24 months, the wildlife park will sustainably harvest 25 to 100 small branches (around a ute-load) every few weeks, depending on growth rate.

“Sustainable koala plantations are critical to the long-term preservation of our most iconic species, the Koala,” Mr Radnidge said.

“We thank Wollongong City Council, and Wild Conservation for their support and partnership in helping create the first public space koala feed forest in our region.”

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said that the Koonawarra Public School students’ hard work planting the new forest would fill many hungry koala bellies.

“It’s not every day we get to launch a project that helps care of one of Australia’s national symbols,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

“It’s fantastic that we’re able to use our open spaces and the staff’s knowledge and expertise to grow much-need eucalyptus trees that will feed the local koalas at Symbio and provide shade and oxygen for the local community.”

The new Koala Food Forest in Koonawarra was planted with a variety of specially selected local eucalyptus species. Symbio’s staff selected these species as they offer the tastiest leaves for koala tastebuds.

 “We’re pleased to be able to work with Symbio to grow a Koala Food Forest here in the City of Wollongong. It’s this kind of collaboration and innovation that we need to embrace if we’re going to protect Australia’s vulnerable species into the future,” Cr Bradbery said.

Also to help with feed the koalas, residents can request Council to plant a street tree on the public verge in front of their home.

The Adopt a Tree program is free and you can apply for a tree online today. All you have to do is promise to take care of your new tree by giving it plenty of water while it settles in so that it has the best chance to thrive.

Free subscription to The Bulli & Clifton Times

OR DONATE BY CREDIT CARD

Don’t have PayPal? Instead, you can support The Bulli & Clifton Times by leaving a secure $2 debit or credit card donation. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help with my continuing publication costs.