2016-12-12 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                                           12 DECEMBER 2016



6                        ENDORSEMENT OF BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT REPORT
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                              Principal Strategic Planner, Rebecca Britton
                                    Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index                               ECM/ Subject/ Environmental Management/ Environment Strategy/
                                    Biodiversity Plan

Attachment                          1.    Biodiversity Assessment Report
                                          (143pg attachment provided separately to this report; 2 x hard copies available in
                                          Councillors’ Room)



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Principal Strategic Planner to the General Committee Meeting
dated 12 December 2016, and:
A.                       Endorse the Biodiversity Assessment Report provided at Attachment 1 for the purpose of
                         informing the development of an Environment Strategy and supporting Biodiversity
                         Conservation Plan; and
B.                       Request staff to prepare a discussion paper for the purposes of community consultation for
                         the development of an Environment Strategy and Biodiversity Conservation Plan.



REPORT
Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd were engaged to prepare a Biodiversity Assessment Report and
Biodiversity Conservation Plan for Noosa Shire. Council staff also commissioned experts with
local knowledge to peer review the results. Both documents will help to identify biodiversity
values, threats and management challenges, guide decision making and set management
priorities, as well as identify and align conservation partnership opportunities with the broader
community.

The draft Biodiversity Assessment Report has been completed and will be an important reference
document for the development of the Biodiversity Conservation Plan and an overarching
Environment Strategy.

The Biodiversity Plan is still under development, subject to further input from the community.
Preparation work on the Environment Strategy will commence in early 2017.

This report provides an overview of the Biodiversity Assessment Report and its
recommendations, and also outlines a process for developing the Biodiversity Conservation Plan
and Environment Strategy through stakeholder and community consultation.




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