2020-02-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                 11 FEBRUARY 2020



6                        FLYING-FOX SUBSIDISED SERVICES INITIATIVES
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                              Environmental Services Manager, Craig Doolan
                                    Environment & Sustainable Development Department

Index                               ECM/Flying Foxes/Bats

Attachments                         Nil



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
No applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Environmental Services Manager to the Planning &
Environment Committee Meeting dated 11 February 2020 and:
A.                       Approve the implementation of an ongoing subsidy program for localities affected by flying-
                         fox colonies, and
B.                       Delegate to the CEO the authority to apply the subsidy program where the program meets
                         all of the following criteria;
                             Support may be offered for those living within 100m of a roost site.
                             The roost should be at least partly on Council-managed land.
                             Flying-foxes will have been at a location in significant numbers for at least 6 weeks.
                             A significant number of the flying-foxes must be Black or Grey-headed Flying-foxes,
                              rather than Little Red Flying-foxes.


REPORT
Flying-foxes fill an important ecological role of forest pollination and seed dispersal, but increased
urbanisation has encroached upon flying-fox habitat and increased human-wildlife conflict.
Although flying-foxes appear plentiful nationally, populations are on the decline and some species
are protected under both State and Commonwealth environmental legislation. It is not possible to
control the movement of flying-foxes across the Noosa landscape and they can feed and roost
anywhere and anytime throughout the shire. It is unknown how long camps will remain in a
particular location, they can last a few days or can stay for many years.
Flying-foxes are a concern to some residents because of noise, smell, property damage from
droppings and potential infection. Queensland Health advises that there are only 3 known cases
of infection from Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) since records began and ABLV can only be
transmitted to humans from saliva of an infected bat penetrating the skin or contacting a mucous
membrane.
In 2015 Council engaged Ecosure to develop the Wallace Park flying-fox roost Management
Options Report to look at ways to reduce the impact of flying-foxes on residents. At the October
2015 Ordinary meeting Council resolved to implement recommended flying-fox actions in the
report, which to date has included;
                        The creation of an increased buffer zone, through clearance of vegetation and installation of
                         sprinklers along the western and south-western edge of the site.

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