2023-03-07 Planning & Environment Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                   7 MARCH 2023


4    NOOSA COUNCIL THREATENED FAUNA RECOVERY ROAD MAP

Author           Fauna Management Project Officer, David O’Gorman
                 Environment & Sustainable Development Department

Index            ECM / Environmental Management / Fauna/Wildlife 21.08

Attachments      1.   Noosa Threatened Fauna Recovery Road Map (36 page attachment
                      provided separately to this agenda)


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report seeks endorsement of Noosa Council’s Threatened Fauna Recovery Road Map (Road
Map) for the purpose of implementation. The Road Map sets out Council’s approach to threatened
fauna management under commitment 1.3 of the Noosa Environment Strategy (NES): Improve
long-term survival of threatened species and ecological communities.
Twenty-nine (29) conservation significant species have been shortlisted for management
consideration. A desk top analysis process and engagement with Ten (10) key regional
stakeholders was undertaken to identify the 29 significant species. The stakeholders as part of an
Expert Panel were formed to collectively nominate nine (9) species for management priority under
the NES.
Council will continue to work alongside community conservation groups to develop and implement
Threatened Fauna Recovery Plans for each of the Noosa Nine. Through a staged delivery of the
Road Map, sea turtles have been nominated for 2023/2024 priority management implementation.
With the appropriate scientific processes and stakeholder consultation now in place, Council is in
a timely position to meet organisational targets and stakeholder commitments to threatened fauna
recovery.
RECOMMENDATION
That Council review the report by Fauna Management Project Officer to the Planning and
Environment Committee Meeting 7 March 2023 and
A.   Approve the Threatened Fauna Recovery Road Map as referred to in Attachment 1 to this
     report for the purpose of implementation; and
B.   Consider a funding allocation for priority management of sea turtles to commence
     implementation of the Roadmap, as part of Council’s 2023/24 budget deliberations.

REPORT
The NES was endorsed by Council in 2019 to provide for the future protection and enhancement
of biodiversity values in the Noosa Shire. In relation to long-term survival of threatened and
protected fauna, Strategy 1.3 details Council’s commitment to significant implementation actions
for the first three (3) years of the NES. Hence, the objective of the Road Map (Attachment 1) is to
guide Council’s approach to the on-going management and recovery of threatened fauna within
Noosa Shire and adjacent coastal waters. This has been achieved via the pathway presented
within the Road Map:
    Desktop review of internal and external supporting biodiversity assessments
    Review of current and foreseeable threatening processes to regional biodiversity values
    Shortlisting of fauna species for management prioritisations under the Noosa Nine
    Development of a Decision Matrix tool to enable stakeholder contributions
    Completion of a Stakeholder Consultation Program to jointly nominate the Noosa Nine
    Provision of a Delivery Schedule to implement threatened fauna recovery under the NES.

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