2014-03-31 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                                                 31 MARCH 2014


3.   NOOSA BIOSPHERE RESERVE – REVIEW OF MANAGEMENT MODEL

Author           Noosa Biosphere Reserve Working Group
                 Councillors Playford, Abbot, Pardon and Wellington

Index            ECM/ Subject/ Noosa Biosphere Reserve-Management Model Review

Attachments      1.    Schematic outline of Biosphere Reserve Management Model



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Noosa Biosphere Reserve Working Group established by the Council has received over 65
submissions and conducted a number of workshops to seek feedback on the future Management
Model for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. This report provides the Council with a suggested
Management Model for the future of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve for the purpose of further
community consultation.

The focus of the Working Group has been on identifying a proposed vision, the different roles
required and a structure that assists in working towards that proposed vision. The report from the
Working Group sets out details that, if considered appropriate by the Council, can be used as the
basis for further community consultation prior to a final report to Council from the Working Group.

RECOMMENDATION

That Council note the report by the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Working Group to the General
Committee Meeting dated 31 March 2014 in relation to the review of the Noosa Biosphere
Reserve Management Model and:
A.   Note the community consultation that has been undertaken to date and the key issues that
     arose as part of that community consultation;
B.   Adopt the proposed Noosa Biosphere Reserve Management Model as set out in the report
     by the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Working Group for the purpose of further consultation;
C.   Seek further input from the community via a community consultation session to be held on
     15 April 2014 and also seek further feedback from the Sector Board members about their
     preferred roles within the new arrangement; and
D.   Request the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Working Group to report back to the Council once
     that further community consultation has been undertaken.



REPORT

The purpose of this report is to recommend a revised Management Model for the Noosa
Biosphere Reserve for the purposes of further public consultation prior to formal adoption of a
preferred Noosa Biosphere Reserve Management Model by the Council.

1.   Background

The Noosa local government area was designated with Man in the Biosphere (MAB) Reserve
status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2007.
Biosphere Reserves are considered to be sites of excellence, where new and optimal practices


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