2020-07-07 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                          7 JULY 2020


Ordinary Meeting Minutes, 17 January 2019, Item 2, Page 5
That Council note the report by the Director Environment and Sustainable Development and
Environmental Services Manager to the General Committee Meeting dated 14 January 2019,
consider the proposal from the Nature Conservancy as detailed in this report, and
A     Consider in the finalisation of the Noosa River Plan the inclusion of an aquatic and marine
      ecosystem restoration program as a core element of the Noosa River Plan 2019; that:
      1.    combines local knowledge and scientific expertise to inform advocacy, policy, planning
            and on-ground action;
      2.    coordinates and integrates the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review of
            investment across a range of sectors and community groups;
      3.    respects both the traditional owner and historic commercial fishing family heritage;
      4.    addresses the priority threats to natural resource productivity and fish habitats to
            improve ecosystem health;
      5.    aims to enhance the biological and structural complexity across the network of fish
            habitats;
      6.    has a goal of increasing the overall carrying capacity of the river in terms of biodiversity
            and fish abundance.
B.    Note that Council considers the proposal from the Nature Conservancy as detailed in this
      report to be a significant opportunity to advance aquatic and marine ecosystem restoration
      in the Noosa River;
C.    Agree in principle to partner with the Nature Conservancy in accordance with the Partnership
      Proposal 2019 (Attachment 1);
D.    Develop a Partnership Agreement outlining at a minimum, partnership and project
      governance arrangements, funding requirements and accountabilities, monitoring,
      evaluation and reporting requirements, and that this agreement be reported back to Council
      for endorsement; and
E.    Note that any partnership agreement would commence from 1 July 2019 and refer
      consideration of the funding to the 2019/20 budget process.
Finance
Noosa Council has already paid the first instalment of the Alliance & Funding Agreement –
AUD$179,237 upon the execution of the agreement.
The second payment of AUD$200,000 is due upon demonstrated achievement of measurable
outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 13(a) of the Alliance & Funding Agreement. This is budgeted for in
the 2020/21 financial year, however, payment is made on demonstrated achievement of the
measureable outcomes.
Risks & Opportunities
The Project Management Plan attached contains significant detail and clearly illustrates the skill
and commitment of project partner, The Nature Conservancy, to effectively monitor, evaluate and
report on the project. Having Noosa Council linked with one of the globes most successful on-
ground conservation organisations, and it’s highly skilled network of scientists and project
managers, has the potential to reap benefits for Noosa beyond the scope of just this initial
agreement.
COVID-19 has created some specific challenges for the project, especially around meaningful
engagement with the community, including starting citizen science opportunities. Engagement with
businesses about the ‘Shuck don’t Chuck’ program has also been put on hold. This was
enthusiastically received when TNC members spoke with businesses in November 2019, however
the ability of this program to provide adequate sources of base oyster shell to the project, while the
local economy recovers, may be challenging. If unviable, other related engagement opportunities
will be created to ensure the local community is appropriately engaged in this project.


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