2015-01-12 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                   12 January 2015


ENVIRONMENT LEVY GUIDELINES
Specific provisions for implementing Acquisition of Environmentally Significant Land and Support
for Voluntary Conservation Agreements will be detailed in the Environment Levy Guidelines.
With regard to Acquisition of Environmentally Significant Land, the Guidelines will include details
about identification of Strategic Biodiversity Corridors, identification of at-risk Regional
Ecosystems and Species, methodology for developing the Preferred Acquisition List, assessment
criteria for land being considered for purchase, review of the effectiveness of the land acquisition
program, and mechanisms for reporting on the Acquisition program.
With regard to Support for Voluntary Conservation Agreements, the Guidelines will include
eligibility criteria, minimum and maximum financial incentives based on the size and suitability of
the land under covenant, components of the Environmental Management Plan including fire
management planning, and processes for developing a VCA with a landholder.
ENVIRONMENT LEVY WORKING GROUP
The Environment Levy Working Group will make recommendations to Council on the spending
of Environment Levy funds. The Committee will consist of:
Principal Environment Officer
Senior Environment Officer (Planning)
Natural Areas Operations Coordinator
Coordinator Property and Land Management
Principal Strategic Planner (Land Use)
Coordinator Financial Services
One Councillor appointed by Council
DEFINITIONS
“Biodiversity” refers to the variety of all life forms - all the different plants, animals and micro-
organisms, and the ecosystems of which they are a part.
“Environment” refers to the use of the word to describe the natural (not man-made) environment
of the region and includes the natural ecological systems of air, water, soil and associated
species of flora and fauna.
“Environment Levy” ” refers to a Levy raised by Noosa Council (in accordance with section 94
of the Queensland Local Government Act 2009), on all rateable properties within its jurisdiction,
in order to meet the objectives in this policy.
“Regional Ecosystem” refers to distinct vegetation communities associated with specific
landforms and soil types as identified by the Queensland Herbarium.
“Wildlife Corridor” refers to a link of wildlife habitat, generally native vegetation, which connects
core areas of wildlife habitat to allow for the safe movement of fauna species and sustains wildlife
populations.
"Noosa Biosphere Reserve Trust" refers to the entity governed by the Noosa Biosphere
Reserve Trust deed, with Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation Ltd as its sole Trustee.
"Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation Ltd" refers to the company limited by guarantee
governed by the Constitution of Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation Ltd.
“Strategic Biodiversity Corridors” are broad tracts of vegetated, cleared and partly cleared
land, extending across the Noosa landscape that consolidate or connect core habitat, and can
occur across private and/or public land.




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