Meeting papers

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                              11 JULY 2023


   •   Continued growth of the Land for Wildlife and Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA)
       properties in the Noosa Shire, with 2 new VCAs signed up in the financial year. A highlight
       was the registration of a 32-hectare rural residential zoned property at Cooroibah that
       includes endangered regional ecosystems.
   •   Delivery of the second year of the Urban Wildlife Gardens Program (UWG), with continued
       growth of landowners involved in the program in the Noosa Shire.
   •   Commencement of the fine scale regional ecosystem (RE) mapping project of the Noosa
       Shire to improve knowledge of the region’s environmental values and correct discrepancies
       between the Council biodiversity overlay and State vegetation management mapping. At the
       close of the 2021/2022FY approximately 29% of the Shire was completed.
   •   Delivery of fauna monitoring programs, including koala surveys using drones of Yurol Ringtail
       State Forest by QUT, monitoring Glossy-black Cockatoos through the Glossy Black
       Conservancy, and flying-fox monitoring under the National Flying-fox Monitoring Program.
   •   Wild dog control including trapping and baiting has been undertaken in some of the identified
       Koala Habitat Areas mostly on private land in the localities of Como, Kin Kin, Cootharaba,
       Cooran, Federal, and Ridgewood with 3 wild dogs trapped in these areas.
   •   Consolidation of water quality monitoring data for the Noosa Shire into the SWIM local
       database to allow long term trend analysis and identification of catchments requiring further
       management actions to be identified.
   •   The foundations for oyster reef ecosystems in place at four restoration sites in the Noosa
       River Estuary as part of the Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration Project.
   •   Council has supported 18 Bushland Care Groups involved in various projects working
       towards the preservation of riparian vegetation under Bushland Restoration Plans.
   •   Scoping for the Eastern Beaches Coastal Foreshores Management Plan (EBFMP)
       commenced, and good initial progress made. A draft is scheduled for completion in the
       2022/23 FY.
   •   The introduction of green waste bins saw approximately 16,000 tonnes annually of organic
       waste, that previously would have gone to landfill, diverted, and recycled for consumer use.
   •   The Waste Education and Sustainability Officer has worked collaboratively with key
       stakeholders to deliver multiple education programs and events. More than 1300 students
       attended talks at the new waste education centre at the landfill.
   •   Council has extended its’ solar array to 680kW to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
       GHGs. The total GHG emissions footprint for the 2021/22 financial year was 45,259 tonnes
       of CO2 equivalent, representing a 12% reduction on the previous year.
   •   ‘Give a Sheet’ was delivered in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul and BlockTexx Textile
       Recovery Technologies. The event was a Queensland-first circular economy initiative to
       reduce environmental impact by textile recycling.

Actions requiring review and further attention
Actions which were identified as requiring review and further attention to deliver the outcomes of the
Environment Strategy include:
   1. Implement an Environment & Sustainability Roundtable to provide a mechanism for local
      community groups, government stakeholders and experts to have input into the development
      of Council policy.
   2. Identify priority land parcels that enhance landscape connectivity and seek to have them
      managed for environmental outcomes, either through direct purchase by Council, or utilising
      other appropriate protective mechanisms.




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