2020-09-14 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                              14 SEPTEMBER 2020



7    NOOSA RIVER OYSTER ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROJECT – ANNUAL REPORT
     NO. 1 AND OUTCOMES OF INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF MONITORING AND
     EVALUATION PLAN


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

Index            ECM/ Waterways Management – Noosa River

Attachments      1.    Noosa Oyster Project: Annual Report No. 1
                 2.    Independent Scientific Review of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
                 (Note: Both attachments have been provided separately to this report)



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At the July 2019 Ordinary Meeting Noosa Council endorsed entering into an Alliance & Funding
Agreement with international conservation organisation The Nature Conservancy, establishing a
strategic partnership and for the purposes of undertaking oyster ecosystem restoration in the
Noosa River over three years.
The Alliance and Funding Agreement provides for a series of deliverables and measurable
outcomes to be achieved over the 3 years. This report provides Council with one of those key
milestones, an annual report presented to Noosa Council within 90 days of the end of the financial
year.
RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Environmental Services Manager to the General Committee
Meeting dated 14 September 2020 and approve the Noosa River Oyster Project: Annual Report
No. 1 (provided as Attachment 1 to the report) as meeting the requirements of the Alliance &
Funding Agreement.


REPORT
The Alliance & Funding Agreement Schedule A provides a Project Description, project milestones
and outcomes as well as outlining the scope of the partnership over three years. As part of the
deliverables for the project, an annual project report must be provided each year that addresses,
at a minimum:
    Activities undertaken during the subject financial year, status and progress against
     deliverables, budget progress, income and expenditure, report against monitoring and
     evaluation program and measurable outcomes and outline of proposed upcoming
     works/activities for future period.
Measurable Outcome 10, as part of this Agreement, states that the annual report and, when
applicable, final report, in Measurable Outcome 9 is presented to Noosa Council by TNC in
conjunction with Noosa Council officers for its approval for endorsement within 90 days of the end
of each financial year during the term of the Agreement, and (if acceptable) approved by Noosa
Council.
Noosa River Oyster Project: Annual Report No 1, attached to this report, fulfils this requirement.
The report provides;
    An overview of progress on the project and key activities in the first year of the Agreement.
    Progress against all Deliverables identified in the Alliance & Funding Agreement.

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