Koala Conservation Australia’s journey towards sustainability in leaf collection

At Koala Conservation Australia we’re always looking for opportunities to improve our sustainability practices and our koala food collection is no different.

We looked at our current leaf collection and harvesting processes and noticed that in feeding our koalas, we were actually generating excessive waste. Koalas must have two kinds of eucalypts at every feed and in presenting fresh leaves every day there was a lot of still good quality browse thrown away. Also we were wanting to better quantify the amount of leaf that each koala ate. We collect koala poo, so we know that they are eating, but our vets wanted greater clarity in how much food each koala ate.

With an estimated two years' supply left at the current harvest rate, we knew it was time for a change. Collaborating closely with Rory Thoms, our Plantation Manager, and our veterinary team, we embarked on a mission to revolutionise our approach. Our goal was clear: to accurately quantify and allocate leaf servings to each enclosure without slowing down our koala care feed preparation routine.

One of our incredible volunteer team, Trevor Berrange, an electronics guru, assisted KCA in developing an innovative solution, based on a previous trial and looking at the existing flow of the koala care leaf preparations.

Drum roll please! Introducing our new electronic scales, designed for easy user interface and conceived with speed in mind! Our scales, seamlessly integrated into our workflow, ensure precise measurements with just a single press of a button. With a visual indicator changing between blue, green, and red, our workers can instantly identify whether the leaf allocation is under, within, or over the designated weight range. We sought feedback from each of the Koala Care Teams to ensure they understood how the new scales worked and why we were implementing improvements. Everyone had some feedback so we listened and adjusted the weight ranges until everyone was comfortable and the process was smooth and seamless!

By accommodating for a healthy clinical surplus, endorsed by our vets, and considering factors like wet leaves and larger branches, we ensured optimal nutrition while minimising waste. Our waste amounts decreased remarkably once the scales and new feeding process was implemented too!

Flexibility is key. At any time, we can adjust the food weight values based on the vets' recommendations. However, with our current setup, we've achieved a remarkable reduction in wastage, thanks to diligent daily use of the scales.

Recently, we faced a challenge when a connector in the weighing scale broke, halting our scales' functionality. The rapid increase in leaf wastage was alarming. However, swift action by volunteer Trevor, and continued commitment to using the scales diligently turned the situation around.

Together, we're making strides towards a more sustainable future for our residents and our environment. Join us in celebrating this journey of innovation and conservation!