2022-08-09 Planning & Environment Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    9 AUGUST 2022


5.    REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE COMMITTEE



1     NOOSA COUNCIL FLYING-FOX STATEMENT OF MANAGEMENT INTENT


Author            David O’Gorman - Fauna Management Project Officer –
                  Environmental Services

Index             ECM / Environmental Management / Fauna/Wildlife 21.08

Attachments       1.   Noosa Council Flying-fox Statement of Management Intent



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report seeks endorsement of the Flying-fox Statement of Management Intent (SoMI) for the
purpose of community consultation. The SoMI sets out Council’s approach to flying-fox
management within the Noosa Shire, and provides guidance to staff, contractors, and private
landholders on the management of flying-foxes.
Responsibility for managing flying-foxes under the SoMI depends on where the roost is located.
Council’s primary obligation is to undertake management actions of flying-fox roosts on Council
owned or managed land. However, Council is committed to providing advice and assistance to
residents affected by a flying-fox roost, including landowners, businesses, schools and health care
facilities. Where a roost crosses Council and non-Council land, Council will work cooperatively with
the affected residents to develop appropriate mitigation actions.
RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by Fauna Management Project Officer to the Planning and
Environment Committee Meeting 9 August 2022 on the Flying Fox Statement of Management
Intent, and
A.    Endorse the draft Statement of Management Intent for the purpose of community
      consultation; and
B.    Report back to Council on the findings of the community consultation.


REPORT
Council recognises the need to support impacted communities while also conserving flying-foxes
and the critical ecological services they provide. The SoMI outlines how Council plans to manage
community impacts from flying foxes within the Noosa Shire (refer to attached plan). The SoMI is
a shire-wide policy and applies to public and private land in Noosa Shire, with different
management actions outlined depend on where the roost is located.
Flying foxes are native species protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, and grey-
headed flying-foxes are also protected under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Queensland Government has codes of practice for the
ecological management of flying fox roosts to guide local governments in their management.
Council’s primary focus is on managing the impacts of flying-fox roosts on Council-owned or
managed land, and does not undertake management actions on State or Commonwealth
controlled land or private land. However, a range of assistance is provided to residents and
occupants to help mitigate impacts of flying-fox roost on private land based on the level of conflict
and includes:

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