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

6. Current Management Planning &
   Resourcing

6.1    Reserve Planning History
Managing Councils’ bushland reserves for their biodiversity values actively commenced in the mid
1990’s when Council’s Weeds Inspector recognised that a range of invasive weed species were
overtaking many reserves. Although the focus was on declared species under the then Land
Protection Act, management also extended to some non-declared species in certain areas.

From 2000 onwards, additional Council staff were progressively employed to manage the bushland
reserve network through both planning activities, and a range of operational activities addressing
the pressures described in section 6. From 2007 to 2011, additional resourcing was directed into
managing the bushland reserve network through developing reserve classification protocols,
additional management plans, flora surveys, bushland operational assessments (BOAs) and on-
ground management.

Since deamalgamation Council has undertaken additional BOAs on some of its reserves and has
continued operational management of the bushland reserve network via Council staff and
contractors. Noosa Council also has a fire management plan for its bushland reserves, to
specifically deal with this aspect of reserve management.

Management resources have been prioritised over the last 2-5 years (2014-19) through a detailed
prioritisation matrix where individual reserve values and threats were evaluated. Management
Plans and BOAs have been the principle planning tools used to guide resource investment at the
reserve level.

Numerous Ecological Restoration Plans have been developed and these plans contain BOAs as a
primary guide to prioritising on-ground actions, however Council has identified the need to develop
an overarching and consistent approach to planning and operational activities across our whole
reserve system.


6.2    Reserve Tenure
The bushland reserve network comprises land parcels owned by Council as freehold land either
purchased under the environment levy or longer term properties acquired for other purposes (such
as landfill, sewerage treatment and compulsory acquisition following rate arrears). There are also
many land parcels owned by the State Government with Council as trustee. State lands with
Council as trustee includes developer contributions as part of a development assessment process
and are generally gazetted as ‘Reserves for Conservation’.

There are several State-owned reserves gazetted under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 that
have joint State/Council management arrangements in place. These are currently called
Conservation Parks or Regional Parks

Some of the Council-owned freehold parcels have a Nature Refuge under the Queensland
Government Nature Conservation Act 1992 registered on title. Freehold lands with a Nature
Refuge have a conservation agreement in place which stipulates that the owner must manage the
land for conservation values.




Noosa Bushland Reserves Strategic Management Plan 2021 – 2026                               Page 23