2021-01-18 GC - Item 1 - Attachment 1 - Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation 2019 20 Annual Report

                                                       NOOSA BIOSPHERE RESERVE FOUNDATION – 2019/20




KOALA SYMPOSIUM 2019

Bring Back the Koala: Identifying priority actions and investment areas for critical on-
ground koala conservation and management actions in Noosa.
The Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation hosted                 gained from research, an overarching
a one-day Koala Symposium in November 2019 to                 conservation framework, and a willingness from
seek key stakeholder input into the development               the local community, the Noosa Biosphere
of a program of work that aims to identify on-                Reserve Foundation as a promoter and advocate
ground koala conservation, care and research                  of “Big Ideas” has an opportunity to invest in the
efforts in Noosa. The output of the Symposium is              next important step in local koala conservation.
a prospectus, to be taken to market by the NBRF
with its DGR status, seeking substantial funds for            Project Development
critical on-ground koala conservation and                     Stage 1: Hold a one-day Symposium to collect
management actions that invest in potential gaps,             information from key koala conservation and
and avoid duplication of effort from the excellent            management stakeholders in Noosa, and seek
initiatives already being implemented and                     input for a prioritised list of actions (November
supported by key stakeholder organisations.                   2019)

Rationale                                                     Stage 2: NBRF collate the prioritised list of actions,
The Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation                        and prepare a draft koala conservation prospectus
together with the University of Sunshine Coast                for the Noosa Biosphere koala population
has been integral in leading the development of
an innovative research program into better                    Stage 3: Circulate draft koala conservation plan
defining koala distribution and genetic diversity             prospectus for review by recognised koala
across the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. The two                   specialists
projects are providing significant insights into the
local koala population distribution and structure.            Stage 4: Finalise prospectus and seek funding
The two projects, together with Noosa Council’s               sources to implement (Current)
recently developed Noosa Shire Koala
Conservation Plan (2016) – a response to the                  Stage 5: With funding granted/secured, prepare
Noosa Council’s 2015 Koala Conservation Policy,               call for applications to support implementation
support conservation efforts for wild koala
populations in the Noosa Shire. In parallel,                  Project Lead: David Dique
ongoing efforts from community volunteer care
and rescue groups continue to invest significant              Funding Prospectus
resources into rescuing, caring and releasing                 Please find a copy of the Koala Funding
koalas back to the wild delivering an important               Prospectus here:
management outcome.
                                                              Media Coverage
Despite these efforts, the status of Noosa koalas             NBRF holds Symposium to bring back koala
remains unclear, with reported declines across                Bringing back Noosa’s koalas
the greater south-east likely a trend also be                 Expert bid to save koalas
experienced locally. It has been more than 5 years            Shock statistics show koala population decline
since an initiative brought together recognised
koala specialists to Noosa to discuss important
management priorities for the species in the
region. Since this time and with new information




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