2019-03-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                     12 MARCH 2019


5                        KOALA CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN UPDATE
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                              Principal Environment Officer, Peter Milne
                                    Environment and Sustainable Development Department
Index                               ECM/Koala Conservation Plan
Attachments                         1.    Koala Conservation Action Plan-update
                                    2.    Koala Infrastructure Audit & Feasibility Report (139 page attachment
                                          provided separately to this agenda)


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Principal Environment Officer to the Planning & Environment
Committee Meeting dated 12 March 2019 and:
A.                       Note the status of actions in the Noosa Koala Conservation Action Plan as outlined in
                         Attachment 1 to this report and continue to:
                         1.   Focus efforts towards large scale koala habitat protection and restoration projects
                              such as the Yurol-Ringtail State Forests Conservation Project;
                         2.   Support research into the abundance, distribution, movement and health of koalas in
                              Noosa Shire in partnership with University researchers and koala groups; and
                         3.   Investigate the latest citizen science data collection applications, particularly for
                              recording fauna hit by vehicle, to help inform management actions; and
B.                       Note the outcomes of the Koala Infrastructure Audit & Feasibility Report as an action of the
                         Koala Conservation Plan and as a result of this audit, agree to:
                         1.   Include existing koala road infrastructure such as fencing, underpasses, escape
                              poles and gates in Council’s asset management register in consultation with the
                              Asset Planning Manager to enable ongoing maintenance funding and renewal of
                              these assets;
                         2.   Refer appropriate capital works such as extending fencing and installing two koala
                              signs at Eenie Creek Road (Monks Bridge to Links Drive section) and an additional
                              koala sign along Weyba Road-Noosa Drive, for consideration as part of the 2019/20
                              budget process;
                         3.   Investigate through the Traffic Advisory & Speed Management Committee a speed
                              limit reduction to 50km/hr along Noosa Drive to Weyba Bridge;
                         4.   Where possible, retain regrowth vegetation along fence lines at Walter Hay Drive and
                              Eenie Creek Road because of the scale and impact of maintenance clearing that
                              would be required;
                         5.   Develop new koala infrastructure for the Council road network only under the
                              following circumstances:
                                   When it is a requirement of a development application;
                                   When it is a road/bridge renewal in a koala hotspot area as identified by the
                                    Koala Infrastructure Audit & Feasibility Report; or
                                   When data suggests that vehicle strike is the greatest threat to koalas in a
                                    particular location and the new infrastructure will mitigate that threat.



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