2016-12-12 General Committee - Attachment 1 to Item 6 - Biodiversity Assessment Report

                                                   Noosa Biodiversity Plan – Biodiversity Assessment Report




At a local scale there are a number of conservation management programs and initiatives that are
currently underway within Noosa Shire. These are focused on areas and species of key interest and
importance to both the local and the wider community. Some are founded in legislative requirement and
are therefore driven and overseen by Council. However, many initiatives are undertaken by the
community and are reflective of the unique relationship the residents of Noosa Shire have with their
surrounding environment.

Key programs and initiatives include:

    •   Council environmental operational plans such as the Noosa Shire Koala Conservation Plan
    •   Environmental Levy Program that funds land acquisition, Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation
        projects and supports Council’s Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) Program
    •   Numerous volunteer programs such as Landcare, Land for Wildlife (LFW) and a variety of
        bushcare and coastcare groups.

The existing conservation initiatives at a local level demonstrate that there is good momentum across
Noosa Shire for undertaking positive environmental programs and activities. Going forward, there is a
need for a clear direction and integrated strategy that builds on the information available and the on-going
programs of both Council and the community. This will ensure future conservation management actions
will be both targeted and effective at managing conservation issues relevant to Noosa.

Future direction for local conservation management across Noosa

There are a number of values of conservation significance across Noosa, which are not currently
addressed by existing protection mechanisms governed at a State and Federal level. These conservation
values are of relevance to local planning and conservation management. For the Noosa Shire this
includes:

    •   Remnant vegetation
    •   Locally and regionally significant species habitat
    •   Endangered regrowth vegetation
    •   Regrowth vegetation with TEC, riparian, corridor and significant species habitat values.

Climate change as well as weeds and pests are threats that occur across Noosa irrespective of the level
of protection. Nonetheless there are management actions that can be done at a local level to reduce
these threats and build adaptive capacity through healthy, well connected ecosystems. Both issues
require a local scale approach in addition to state and national initiatives.

Drawing from the overall results of this study, and in particular the relevant conservation issues for council,
the key conservation priorities that are emerging for biodiversity in Noosa are:

    •   Protecting and enhancing local and regional values.
    •   Building resilient ecosystems. Our climate is changing and the key way to mitigate risk and build
        adaptive capacity is through having strongly resilient ecosystems.
    •   Maintaining and enhancing connectivity.
    •   Working together. Biodiversity conservation is everyone’s responsibility and together, we can
        achieve great outcomes.

Utilising these key conservation priorities to develop conservation actions will ensure an effective and
targeted approach to future conservation management across the Noosa Shire.




  © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD                                                                           xi