2020-08-11 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                              11 AUGUST 2020


1.1   Corporate Plan Theme 1: The Noosa Environment
“Our environment is protected and enhanced and is valued by the community”

Key achievements as we work towards our long term goal include:

Specific Operational Plan Priorities
 The Noosa Environment Strategy was unanimously endorsed by Council and implementation
   has commenced. The progress on implementation actions will be reported back to Council on
   an annual basis and progress on achieving the targets every 2-3 years.
 A key part of the implementation of the Noosa Environment Strategy was the introduction of a
   new, multi-year, environmental grants program. The first round of the grants allocated
   $750,000 over three years to community and non for profits organisations to support projects
   that aligned directly with Environment Strategy priorities including;
   o Work to assist in the restoration of coastal sand dunes to provide better habitat and
        improve resilience to future climate change impacts.
   o Keep It In Kin Kin project supporting landholders to repair degraded riparian areas in the
        upper catchment of the Noosa River.
   o Supporting business and community behaviour change in the use of plastics to reduce
        resource use and the amount of plastic and litter flowing into our rivers and creeks.
 Council undertook extensive community consultation on the second draft of the Noosa River
   Plan. A stakeholder reference group will be convened to finalise and implement the Plan.
 Additional vertical wells were installed in Council’s Eumundi Rd waste landfill site which has
   increased the capture and flaring of methane, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas
   emissions.
 Council has successfully implemented the State Government’s $70 per tonne landfill levy that
   commenced on 1 July 2019.
 Council worked with key partners to transition the Yurol and Ringtail forestry areas to
   National Park. Harvesting of pine and hardwood forests has commenced and a community
   tree planting at Ringtail saw 140 volunteers plant 2,000 trees.
 Solar systems were installed at Noosaville Library,
   Noosa River Holiday Park and Cooroy Butter
   Factory as part of Council’s Zero Emissions Noosa
   Action Plan. Council also partnered with Australian
   Energy Foundation to provide a free advice line for
   the community on solar and battery power and
   energy efficiency which has been well utilised.
 Former Mayor, Tony Wellington, was awarded
   the Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership
   Climate Ambassador Award in recognition of his
   leadership driving climate action and emissions
   reduction in his community and beyond.
 The three-year partnership between Noosa Council and The Nature Conservancy
   commenced with the initial aim of starting to restore the lost oyster habitat that once formed
   the basis of the Noosa River ecosystem ultimately improving biodiversity in the river.

Other Initiatives to enable Council to achieve its goal for this theme
 Noosa Council became the first Queensland local government to declare a climate
   emergency, joining other governments across Australia in calling for swift action to minimise
   significant global repercussions caused by rising greenhouse gas emissions and climatic
   change.


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