For this post, I will assume the reader is familiar with the hypothetical proposal to plant genetically modified, cold tolerant eucalyptus at FGCU. The eucalyptus tree is found in areas such as Australia and Africa where certain marsupials (namely the Koala) ingest it as their primary food source. It is a very invasive tree which pulls a great deal of water from the ground and therefore has been used in some areas to eliminate swamps. For this reason they have been used around the Malaria Belt, as the elimination of sitting water also eliminates mosquito breeding. In this area we are dependent on our water table to provide us with the water supply we use every day. These trees could spread and suck up our water tables which could be quite disastrous. At FGCU, much of our conservation efforts around campus would be ruined if we eliminate the majority of water from our eco-system. Because they are so invasive they have also taken over many areas (such as areas of California) creating monocultures and drastically reducing natural biodiversity. Another pitfall is that the natural oil produced is highly flammable and we all know about the dangers of wildfires in Florida during the summer. Some positive aspects of this technology are that in some areas these trees can be used now as an economic boost. Eucalyptus is great for producing paper, firewood, disinfectants from their oils, and there is even some research that suggests it would make a good biofuel. From what I have read the risks far outweigh the benefits in this area, although it may make more sense to put some near the panhandle where water is more plentiful. I really do not see any other ways to make it a viable project in this area.
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