2015-11-10 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                              10 NOVEMBER 2015


2.   Capacity of Existing Staff Resources
The pest management unit consists of 3 employees who undertake vector control, pest plant
control and pest animal control. Each staff member specialises in one of these areas with some
sharing of activities.
   Dog trapping and feral animal control was a fulltime activity undertaken by the principal
     pest control officer.
   The Vector Control Officer is fully engaged in mosquito control from now until the end of the
     financial year.
   The Pest Plant Control Officer is focused on pest plant control and main roads vegetation
     spraying contracts. He has limited experience in controlling wild dogs and foxes. He is
     undertaking very limited wild dog control functions given his other priorities.
   A temporary staff member has been engaged to assist in both pest plant and feral animal
     control activities. Whilst his knowledge of the rural area is not as thorough (and therefore
     less efficient) as the incumbent principal officer his engagement is essential to handle the
     number of public enquiries previously handled and initial investigations associated with
     feral animals. This officer will continue to be employed until the principal pest control officer
     returns. He will also assist with a 1080 baiting program in the more remote areas of the
     shire.
3.   Proposal
A temporary change in service levels is proposed to support wild dog and fox trapping using
contract dog catchers, given the absence of the principal pest control officer and the resulting
productivity loss. If dog numbers are allowed to increase for a year, wild dogs will be much more
difficult to control in future years.
The estimated cost of an intensive trial trapping program using external contractors is $650 per
day. Considering the extent of areas to be controlled it is suggested that a trial program be
established for a period of 3 months. While this is not a substantial program, allowing less than 1
week trapping in every known problem area, it is anticipated it will achieve some reduction in pest
numbers.
Based upon the known problem areas and from past involvement with rural landholders the
following areas would be targeted.

 Region              Locations
 Rural               Black Mountain
                     Federal
                     Ridgewood
                     Cooroy
                     Cooroy Mountain
                     Kin Kin
                     Pinbarren
                     Cooran
                     Como
                     Lake MacDonald
                     Ringtail Creek
                     Cootharaba
 Coastal             Noosa
                     North Shore
                     Teewah Beach
                     Noosaville
                     Noosa Heads
 National Parks      An approach is being made to National Parks seeking approval to trap within their
                     areas to improve the effectiveness of the proposed program and encouraging
                     National Parks to conduct their own control program




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