Students get water-wise to save their trees

Romeo and Juliet are very lucky mulberry trees. They are two of more than 100 trees that will be watered by residents of the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Residential Colleges as part of the adopt-a-tree initiative.

Under the water-saving plan, 120 students have volunteered to use buckets in the shower and deposit the water on trees around the three residential colleges.

Associate Director (Residential Life) of the colleges, Brad Everton, said given the current situation it was a great way that the colleges could contribute to fixing the water problem.

'Because of the drought residents in the community are using grey water and there was a realisation that the colleges weren't really contributing,' Mr Everton said.

'This is our way of contributing to improve the current water situation.'

About one quarter of the 400 residents across the colleges have taken up the initiative and Mr Everton expects more will come on board as the idea grows.

Students get to choose which tree they would like to water and some students have even named their tree.

Second-year resident at McGregor College Tasha Marsh and her room mate Sarah Bates chose to adopt the mulberry trees outside their windows, naming them Romeo and Juliet.

'I thought it was a good idea. Every bit of water counts,' Tasha said.

Originally from Wondai, just north of Kingaroy, Tasha thought the adopt-a-tree initiative was an easy way to help save water.

'You just use the water from the shower until you get the temperature right,' she said.

The adopt-a-tree idea is initially a trial, which is set to continue if interest is maintained.

Media Contact: Jane Urquhart USQ Media +61 7 4631 2559