2016-04-19 P&E Committee - Item 4, Attachment 1 - Draft Koala Conservation Management Plan

outcomes in the planning and delivery of government supported community
infrastructure such as roads and buildings.

Similar to National legislation, in most cases State planning provisions do not stop
development, but provide measures to avoid/mitigate/offset impacts to koalas.

Local

The State Planning Policy (SPP) 2014 states that local government planning schemes
are to appropriately integrate State and National interests including biodiversity
matters. The SPP states that the planning scheme needs to facilitate a net gain in
koala habitat.

At a local government level vegetation protection across the Noosa Shire is currently
achieved through the Noosa Plan Biodiversity Overlay Code which protects significant
vegetation. Development within these mapped areas requires assessment by Council
and under the Noosa Plan certain activities such as clearing for access and fencing
purposes are exempt. Landholders or contractors can be prosecuted for illegal clearing
within the mapped Biodiversity Overlay area and may be required to re-instate
vegetation. Outside of the mapped Biodiversity Overlay, protection provisions for all
trees are proposed in the current round of Noosa Plan planning scheme amendments.

In terms of Council infrastructure development projects such as roads, there are two
Council non-statutory adopted policies that apply to koalas and their habitat:

Noosa Koala Conservation Policy
This policy states that impacts on koalas and koala habitat from Council planned
capital and operational works are to be assessed through the following process:
   i)     In the first instance, investigate measures to avoid any impacts on koalas
           and koala habitat from planned works;
   ii)    Mitigate unavoidable impacts from works;
   iii)   Offset unavoidable impacts as close as possible to the impact site

Tree Management on Public Land Policy
This policy applies to all Council public land including parks, road reserves and other
council-owned land including community facilities. The policy states:
   i)     Trees are valuable assets and must be managed accordingly
   ii)    Council maintains a general commitment to the sustainable management of
           trees on public land and also the greening of open space
   iii)   Unavoidable removal of trees from public land may be offset with planting to
           ensure there is no net loss of trees on Council controlled land

In terms of Council’s infrastructure planning and design, it is the intent of this Koala
Conservation Plan that developments within Koala Habitat Areas (Map 3) are
consistent with these policy provisions.

Summary of Koala legislation and policy

In summary, there are several layers of koala legislation and policy with the aim of protecting
koalas. However, National, State and Local Government legislation and policy does not
preclude development if a landholder has a right to develop their land. Under the

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