2021-12-07 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda - Updated

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               7 DECEMBER 2021


6.   REPORTS FOR NOTING FOR THE COMMITTEE


8    CURRENT STATUS OF COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVES

Author           Environmental Services Manager, Shaun Walsh
                 Environment and Sustainable Development Department

Index            ECM/ ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT / 21.17

Attachments      Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Noosa Council facilitates three Community Conservation Partnership initiatives, the Community
Bushland Care, Land for Wildlife, and Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) programs. In
recent years, due to strong community interest, these programs have experienced significant
growth. The following report demonstrates this growth by providing a comparative snapshot of
historical and current participation data. It also provides a brief overview of the outputs and/or
outcomes these programs provide to the Noosa community and at what cost to the rate payer. It
highlights the ever-growing community interest and the pressures faced regarding continued
effective delivery and expansion of these programs.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Environmental Services Manager to the Planning &
Environment Committee Meeting dated 7 December 2021 and note the growth in recent years in
participation in voluntary conservation activities in the community.



REPORT
The purpose of this report is to provide Council with an overview of the current status of Council’s
Conservation Partnership initiatives.
Noosa Council’s Community Conservation Partnerships consist of three core programs:
    Community Bushland Care Program or Bushcare. A program which aims to involve local
     community members in ecological restoration projects, instil community pride, foster
     community awareness, and improve local environmental outcomes.
    Land for Wildlife Program. A free, voluntary conservation program which supports
     rural/rural residential landholders who wish to manage part or all of their property for nature
     conservation. The program offers ongoing incentives and extension services.
    Voluntary Conservation Agreement Program or VCA. Through the VCA program Council
     supports private landowners who wish to protect environmentally significant bushland areas
     on their property in perpetuity.
In addition, there are various other allied community programs that are funded or supported
including initiatives with Noosa Integrated Catchment Association, Noosa Parks Association,
Noosa and District Landcare and other partners which have not been documented in this report.
Community Bushland Care Program.
The Community Bushland Care program is a partnership between Council and the community that
has been in place since 2002 when there were just three active groups. With strong community
interest the program grew at a steady pace and supported 16 groups by 2014, with 18 groups
currently supported.
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