2021-06-08 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                      8 JUNE 2021


6    NOOSA BUSHLAND RESERVE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN

Author            Technical Officer – Natural Areas, Michael Lyons
                  Environment and Sustainable Development Department

Index             ECM/ Bushland Reserve Management

Attachments       1.   Draft Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan 2021-2026
                       (79 page attachment provided separately to this report)
                  2.   Summary of results of public consultation


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Technical Officer – Natural Areas to the Planning & Environment
Committee Meeting dated 8 June 2021 and:
A.   Note the submissions received as summarised in Attachment 2 and thank the submitters for
     their input into the Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan 2021-2026; and
B.   Adopt the Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan 2021-2026 provided at
     Attachment 1 to the Report.



REPORT
The Noosa Council Corporate Plan 2017-2037 states a 20 year goal: “Our environment is protected
and enhanced and is valued by the community”. The Noosa Environment Strategy also seeks to
“protect and enhance existing ecosystems, vegetation and habitats”. Council’s Bushland Reserve
network, with an area of 3469ha, makes a significant contribution to meeting these aspirations.
Bushland Reserves protect a diversity of vegetation types including rainforest, open forest,
woodlands, coastal heath and wetlands, providing habitat for many fauna species including Koalas
and Glossy Black Cockatoos.
The purpose of the Draft Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan 2021-2026 is to
provide a clear strategic prioritisation for the operational management of the Bushland Reserve
network
The plan provides a clear strategic framework that inform annual operational works across the
reserve network. In some circumstances, complex or high-risk bushland reserves may have their
own, more detailed, management plans to support further prioritisation
Council’s Bushland Reserve network consists of 178 separate bushland reserves, each with their
own environmental, social and cultural values. It is therefore necessary to design management
actions based on priorities that best meet community needs, while recognising that management
resources are not unlimited.
1.   Draft Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan 2021-2026
The Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan is the operational mechanism for the
implementation of several targets identified within the Noosa Environment Strategy. The Noosa
Bushland Reserve Network delivers values across all 4 themes of the Noosa Environment Strategy,
namely: Biodiversity; Waterways, Wetlands and Coasts; Sustainable Living; and, Climate Change
Adaptation and Resilience.

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