2015-08-18 Planning and Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               18 AUGUST 2015


as high value or medium value suitable for rehabilitation habitat on the regulatory maps. All
offset plantings are required to be permanently secured for conservation purposes.
A total of 300 new koala habitat trees are proposed to be planted to meet the required 5:1
offset ratio for each tree cleared. This also includes approximately 20% extra planting
contingency to account for potential tree failures.
The land surrounding the Settlers Cove resort site was investigated for the purpose of
providing the offsets as close as possible to where the koala habitat is to be cleared. This
area was determined to be unsuitable as there is insufficient area to plant 300 koala trees
and the current land tenure does not provide suitable conservation protection. It is also
preferable to ensure koala habitat trees immediately adjacent to the area of impact are
protected and retained with the additional provision of successional koala habitat trees by
planting. However, the area around the Settlers Cove development could not successfully
accommodate the required planting due to the previously mentioned constraints.
The closest and most suitable offset planting site has been identified in Girraween Nature
Refuge (Attachment 1). The selection of the site has been made in consultation with
Environmental Services and the Natural Areas team and is located east of the sewerage
treatment plant. The site is used by koalas and the proposed plantings will augment and
expand upon existing koala habitat as well as providing additional biodiversity values. The
Girraween Nature Refuge is a legally secured site by virtue of its Nature Refuge status under
the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the provision of koala habitat trees aligns with the
management intent of the refuge.
The proposed planting area meets the requirements of the State’s Offsets for Net Gain of
Koala Habitat in SEQ policy. The proposed plantings are in an area identified as medium
value suitable for rehabilitation habitat on the regulatory maps, provide a minimum offset
ratio of 5:1 and the land is legally secured by virtue of its Nature Refuge status.
The planting of koala habitat also accords with the recently adopted Council Policy Koala
Conservation by identifying public land suitable for offsets and through the protection and
conservation of koala populations and habitat.

2.   Koala Habitat Offset Site Costing
The Natural Areas team has obtained an estimate of the costs associated with the provision
of the koala offset plantings, which include the site preparation, planting and a 5 year
maintenance period. The estimate is $30,000 which averages out to $100/tree.
A residual amount of approximately $14,000 remains, noting the $920/tree offset contribution
amount includes a land cost component. A number of options are available to Council which
can be used to advance koala conservation in the shire. These options include, but are not
limited to;
1.   Increasing the amount of tree plantings in the Girraween Nature Refuge by 140 trees
     and maintaining them for a minimum period of 5 years; or
2.   Implementing an enhanced program of bushland rehabilitation on public lands that
     surround the impact site, Serenity Close, Noosa Heads to ensure continued availability
     of Koala food trees through weed control and supplementary plantings; or
3.   Engaging a researcher to assess the health of the koala population(s) of Noosa
     Heads/Weyba Creek; or
4.   Improving koala road crossing safety by addressing koala mortality hotspots through
     the provision of additional fencing, speed reduction, and/or provision of koala furniture
     to culverts.




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