2019-01-14 General Committee Agenda - Attachment 1 to Item 2 - Noosa River Partnership Proposal

The Nature Conservancy


1.0.   EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Noosa River Partnership
This project proposes to establish an innovative and regionally significant Noosa River
Partnership, between the Noosa Council and the global conservation organization The
Nature Conservancy, which seeks to improve the health and resilience of the Noosa River
and the industries and local communities that rely on its long-term wellbeing.
The focus of the Public-Private Partnership is to:
   •   Capitalize on the expertise of The Nature Conservancy’s global networks and
       experience (through knowledge brokering, mentoring, study tours and access to
       subject matter experts) to improve River management and strengthen the long-term
       social, environmental and economic health and resilience of the River;

   •   Demonstrate a leading example of a replicable, environmentally focused, Public-
       Private Partnership that achieves superior outcomes for the environment and local
       communities compared to existing river management models; and,

   •   Increase government (State and Federal), private, industry and community support
       for restoration and conservation-focused activities that improve the long-term social,
       economic and environmental health and resilience of the River.
The Partnership will initially prioritize the restoration of oyster reefs in the lower estuary (as
described below) as the first activity, with other potential activities including:
   •   General strategic support/advice for planning, management and evaluation
       associated with the new Noosa River Plan and other initiatives and projects
       associated with the river system;
   •   Coordination of research required to inform the delivery of the implementation of the
       Noosa River Plan; and
   •   Critical evaluation and potential reform of current and future management activities
       (e.g. commercial and recreational fishing, recreation, tourism, wetland restoration,
       sediment and nutrient inflows, community engagement).
The partnership will commence from July 2019 and will run for at least three years with the
outcomes of the first three years of the partnership to be reviewed in July 2022. The total
operating budget is $2.4M, inclusive of $1.2M from The Nature Conservancy and $1.2M
from Noosa Council with the expectation that further funding will be raised from a variety of
other sources to support on ground management activities. $1.36M of the available $2.4M
will be quarantined to support the next phase of oyster reef restoration as described in
Section 3 in this proposal.
The terms of reference for the partnership will be finalized between January - June 2019,
culminating in a Memorandum of Understanding and grant agreement between The Nature
Conservancy and Noosa Council executed by July 2019.
Oyster reef restoration
Oyster reefs were once common throughout the lower sections of the Noosa River estuary,
particularly around Tewantin but have been lost over the last century, primarily as a result
of historical overfishing and physical and ecological changes to the estuary. The project will
help deliver community aspirations identified in the Noosa River Plan (Noosa Council, 2019)
particularly objectives relating to upholding and improving the ecological resilience and fish
life within the lower estuary by restoring oyster reefs created by the native rock oyster,
Saccostrea glomera.

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