2016-03-07 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                   7 MARCH 2016


Corporate Plan Priority 6 – Custodianship of Noosa’s environment
Noosa has a long and proud environmental record. Our Council will continue to apply best
practice to its custodianship of Noosa’s natural environment aiming to enhance local biodiversity
for the benefit of future generations.

Key achievements include:
 Establishment of the new management arrangements for the Noosa Biosphere® Reserve. A
   new NBR Board has been appointed and MOU and funding arrangements put in place. A
   community based Incorporated Association has been established. The Board is finalising a
   number of large projects which the Council has agreed to part fund.
 Council established a significant number of environmental policies. These included the
   Noosa Shire Koala Policy and the Tree Management on Public Land Policy. The Council
   also adopted an Environment Levy Policy and established an Environment Levy Working
   Group to review potential land purchases under the Environment Levy. Council made its first
   major Environment Levy purchase in 2015 through the acquisition of an environmentally
   significant parcel of land with significant Noosa River frontage.
 The Council adopted a number of plans to manage environmental issues. These included
   the Noosa Pest Management Plan and Noosa Bushland Reserve Fire Management Plan.
 Council commenced its first Green Army project in early 2015 with a focus on weed removal
   in bushland reserve areas. Further Green Army projects are planned.
 Council began a program to audit bio-retention basins – both Council owned and privately
   owned bio-retention basins. This audit will be completed shortly.
 Council invested in the installation of power correction equipment to reduce electricity
   consumption at five major Council sites. As well as saving costs, the equipment reduces
   electricity consumption resulting in carbon reduction.
 The ongoing impact of the bat colony at Wallace Park has continued to be monitored with the
   number of bats increasing substantially at times during the year. There has been
   considerable impact on local residents and a Management Plan has been adopted.
 Council has adopted a series of sustainability principles that will help guide the consideration
   of other polices and strategies. A Carbon Reduction and Energy Efficiency Plan is under
   development.
 Council jointly funded a number of research projects on the Noosa River with The Thomas
   Foundation. The projects were undertaken by The Nature Conservancy and included an
   analysis of historic fishing records and a trial of oyster sites for future oyster regeneration
   projects.
 The new cell 2.2 at the Eumundi Road Resource Recovery Centre has been commissioned
   and began accepting waste on 26 February 2016.
 The Council has a clear direction on what the community would like to achieve in terms of the
   long term management of the Noosa River via the work of the second Community Jury.
 A significant amount of work has been undertaken to establish the Electric Bus Trial. A MOU
   has been entered into with Translink following a feasibility study and development of the trial
   program. The trial has been delayed due to supplier issues and will commence later this
   year. The Council continued its free holiday bus program in 2014/15.




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