2014-03-31 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                                                 31 MARCH 2014


to manage nature and human activities are tested and demonstrated. It is intended to be an
inclusive process where a community works together to achieve the ultimate environment in
which they wish to live and work.

Prior to amalgamation into the Sunshine Coast Regional Council (SCRC) in March 2008, the
former Noosa Council designed their preferred management arrangements for the Noosa
Biosphere Reserve. SCRC implemented the model which incorporated the previous Noosa
Council Community Sector Boards, under a Council owned company called Noosa Biosphere
Limited (NBL). The Sector Boards had originally been established by the former Noosa Council
prior to any consideration of a Biosphere Reserve application.

Considerable progress has been made in advancing the objectives of the Noosa Biosphere
Reserve over the past 6 years. The volunteers on the NBL Board and various Sector Boards
have done a considerable amount of work to get to where we are today.

The return of the Noosa Council as a result of a community driven de-amalgamation campaign,
sees the Noosa community interested in how it can have greater involvement in a range of issues
including the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. With the re-establishment of the Noosa Council from 1
January 2014 it is seen to be opportune to embark on the next phase of realising the benefits of
the Man in the Biosphere Reserve designation.




                                                                       The Third Phase
           First Phase                                            The new Noosa Council is
                                         Second Phase
  Original establishment of the                                  created and new Biosphere
                                  The Sunshine Coast Regional       Reserve Management
   Noosa Biosphere Reserve
                                         Council Years          arrangements are established
  management arrangements




The Council has expressed a desire to review the current Management Model with the objective
of more clearly defining and clarifying the vision, objectives and preferred outcomes for the
Noosa Biosphere Reserve. The review aims to broaden the level of community involvement and
provide an enhanced focus on the community’s aspirations for a sustainable future.

To facilitate the review, Council established a Working Group with membership comprising Cr
Noel Playford (Mayor), Cr Bob Abbot (Deputy Mayor), and Crs Frank Pardon and Tony
Wellington. The role of the Working Group is to report to the Council on the best approach for
the future management of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. The purpose of this report is to provide
Council with the views of the Working Group on the best future approach and to seek approval to
undertake further community consultation. The Working Group intends to undertake a further
public meeting on the proposed approach and provide a final report to the Council.


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