2021-06-08 P&E Agenda - Item 6 - Attachment 1 - Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan 2021-2026

5.2    Fire
Many native ecosystems within Noosa are fire adapted, which in the absence of a suitable fire
regime may reduce species (both floral and faunal) diversity. Council’s bushland reserves contain
88.5% of fire adapted vegetation communities, with rainforest, saltmarsh and mangrove
communities being the only native vegetation communities that haven’t evolved to tolerate fire.

All other vegetation communities require fire of a certain frequency, intensity and time of year to
maintain the assemblage of flora and fauna species typical of that community. For example, in the
absence of fire heathland can become dominated by tall shrubs such as Hakea actites and trees
such as Melaleuca quinquenervia with resultant loss of habitat for threatened species such as
Ground Parrots (Pezoporus wallicus) and Christmas Bells (Blandfordia grandiflora).

In the absence of fire and in Noosa’s wet climate, dry sclerophyll eucalypt forests can become
dominated by rainforest species. The resultant increased shade and moist microclimate under the
rainforest canopy limits recruitment of eucalypt species. In the longer term this leads to a loss of
eucalypt trees and associated habitat for the range of fauna species dependant on it.

In contrast, some reserves adjacent to urban areas, such as Girraween Nature Refuge, have
experienced arson incidents on a too frequent basis and at the wrong time of the year (usually
October to December). This fire regime has had impacts on native plant diversity as obligate
seeding plants are unable to flower and set seed before the next fire.

Fire risk in Council’s bushland reserve network is managed through the Noosa Bushland Reserve
Strategic Fire Management Plan 2021-2026, that has are two main objectives;
     Mitigate risks to life and property
     Maintain the ecology of fire dependant ecosystems

It is not possible to initiate fire management actions for all bushland reserves at once. A
prioritisation methodology will be developed for each objective. In some cases management
actions will be complimentary for both community risk management and ecological outcomes. In
other cases the actions will be quite distinct.

The State Planning Policy (SPP) Bushfire Prone mapping identifies priority areas at a state wide
level. The CSIRO developed the methodology based on vegetation type fuel load, slope and fire
weather severity. The mapping identifies areas of medium, high and very fire hazard. The State
mapping provides the strategic direction for prioritising fire management across the bushland reserve
network.

The Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Fire Management Plan 2021-2026 also reviews the
condition of existing fire trails and propose new fire trails where required, as an effective fire trail
network is a key action in the plan.
The development of fire trail and fuel reduction zone standards will guide Natural Areas staff and
improve emergency response.



5.3    Nutrient Pollution
Reserves within the coastal area have sandy soils of low fertility. In these environments native
plants have evolved to cope with low nutrient levels, particularly phosphorous. Impacts from human
activities such as sewerage treatment outflow and stormwater runoff from urban areas within the
coastal catchments, has led to nutrient enrichment (eutrophication) within many coastal waterways
and adjacent riparian areas. This has favoured the growth of invasive non-native species at the
expense of native species in areas such as Burgess Creek. Native species not known to occur in
the referenced regional ecosystem can also outcompete endemic species.

Noosa Bushland Reserves Strategic Management Plan 2021 – 2026                                  Page 21