Local, national and international koala experts are gathering for a timely forum, as Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke enters his final weeks for a decision on whether to add the koala to the list of nationally threatened species.

The Central Queensland Koala Workshop scheduled for February 1-3 is likely to discuss the federal listing process and the two current Nature Conservation Act nominations in south-east Queensland, along with its main focus is on the conservation of CQ koalas.

Among the specialist koala researchers, captive population managers, conservation managers and planners will be a contingent from the world-renowned San Diego Zoo, which coordinates koala breeding stock across the whole of the United States.

This event will be held at CQUniversity Rockhampton Campus, the headquarters for the Koala Research Centre of Central Queensland.

Workshop convenor Dr Alistair Melzer says around 40 participants will spend the three days planning a future for koalas across the species' range in tropical Australia.

Dr Melzer said discussion will cover threats to koalas including drought, fire, severe weather and climate change, as well as habitat changes through resource extraction, infrastructure corridors, and residential expansion.

Apart from the San Diego Zoo contingent, participants are coming from other institutions including CQUniversity, Rockhampton Zoo, University of Sydney, the University of Queensland, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Fitzroy Basin Association, Dreamworld, Griffith University, and Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. The CQ Koala Volunteers are also sending representatives.

"The theme of the workshop, 'Conserving Central Queensland's koalas', encompasses a review of research and monitoring, strategic planning in regional landscapes and the significance of local and international captive populations for global koala conservation, Dr Melzer says.

"We seek to achieve a more holistic and strategic approach to koala conservation founded on the application of ecological knowledge and principals.

"The aim of this workshop is to bring together those with practical knowledge of koala ecology, captive animal managers and conservation practitioners to develop conservation principles informed by direct experience of koalas, their habitat and the environment within which they persist.

"The workshop follows on the recent review by the Australian Senate into the status of the koala and the forthcoming re-assessment of the classification of the koala in Queensland.  It will provide both researchers and managers with a structure for monitoring and managing conservation processes in a rapidly changing region."