2022-04-12-P&E Agenda - Item 6 - Attachment 1 - TNC Noosa_Oyster Project _6_Monthly_Report

NSC-TNC Partnership Agreement and Contract 2019
NSC and TNC, in addition to other organizations with an interest in the river’s sustainability (including Noosa Parks Association,
The Thomas Foundation and Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation), through a series of dialogue and presentations to Noosa
Shire Council, have recognized the strategic priorities of both organizations and of others would be more effectively served
through a formal partnership, rather than on an individual project basis. This agreement led to the development of this
Project, and associated contract between NSC and TNC, and is the main delivery mechanism of the TNC-NSC Partnership.

Noosa River Plan, 2020
The completion of the Noosa River Plan by NSC in 2020 will identify current and future threats and management interventions
to abate identified threats within the Noosa River estuary. The Plan will identify the strategic alignment of oyster reef
restoration to the long-term health and resilience of the Noosa River estuary. The Noosa River Plan will support the delivery
of the Noosa Environment Strategy.

TNC Project Management Plan 2020
The TNC Project Management Plan including Communications Plan and Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) Plan was
finalized and endorsed by Noosa Shire Council in November 2020.


Project overview
Past research projects demonstrated that the Noosa River estuary held the promise of sufficient oyster recruitment and
survival, and invertebrate colonization, at a number of locations to make the estuary a viable place to pursue an oyster reef
restoration project at scale.

The primary objective of the Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration Project (“The Project”) is to construct and restore shellfish
ecosystems to the Noosa River estuary. These oyster ecosystems will be here for the benefit of nature and for people.

Historically, oyster-dominated ecosystems were prolific throughout the Noosa River estuary. These ecosystems (beds and
reefs) were created predominantly by Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata) which formed three-dimensional
infrastructure in the river and attracted a myriad of species and their associated ecosystem functions.

The oyster ecosystems added extensive ‘natural infrastructure’ to the estuary and provided the estuary with a range of
environmental services including:
    -   Providing complex habitats for marine species such as fish, invertebrates, corals, ascidians, encrusting sponges and
        algae, and reef communities.
    -   Filtering sediment and pollution.
    -   Aiding bank stabilization and protection, and
    -   Providing complex vertical and horizonal living spaces, and feeding grounds, for a multitude of intertidal and marine
        creatures, which are today important for marine and coastal tourism activities such as fishing, diving and bird
        watching.




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