2018-08-07 P&E Agenda - Attachment 1 to Item 3 - Noosa Biosphere Reserve 10 Year Periodic Review

                                                                Noosa Biosphere Reserve - Periodic Review 2018




NSC has continued to facilitate these community aims through:
•     A strong Noosa Plan, with Shire-wide vegetation protection provisions and extensive biodiversity
      and riparian overlays which contain development away from ecologically-significant areas
•     An Environment Levy program which supports funding for acquisition of environmentally-
      significant land, conservation programs on private land and support for the NBR grants programs
      for community conservation projects
•     Council-supported Bushcare Program with up to 300 volunteers who undertake conservation
      works on public land
•     Council-supported Land for Wildlife and Voluntary Conservation Agreement programs with a
      membership of over 300 landholders who undertake conservation works on privately owned land,
      and
•     An an expanding estate of protected lands including National Parks, Conservation Parks, Nature
      Refuges and Bushland Reserves.

Important conservation lessons in the NBR have been learned over the past 10 years. New strategies
and approaches have been adopted in order to be more effective with conservation efforts. Equally,
sustainable development objectives have been maintained and expanded, including:

•     Greater understanding of ecosystems, species and habitats and re-focusing efforts areas where
      there is a greater chance of long term and sustainable conservation. For example, koala habitat
      conservation efforts are being re-focused to rural areas where there are fewer risks.
•     In consultation with the Noosa community, adopting and implementing environmental strategies
      and plans such as the Koala Conservation Plan, the Pest Management Plan, the Waste
      Reduction and Recycling Plan and the Zero Emissions Strategy to help guide priority and cost
      effective actions.
•     The development and adoption of NSC’s Sustainability Principles so that environment, economic
      and social elements are integrated when considering Council and community plans, policies and
      programs.
•     Working closely with Indigenous stakeholders who have a close connection and understanding
      with the land and water.
•     Planning for the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and assessing the resilience of
      ecosystems to sea level rise and more severe weather events.
•     A connected and informed community through targeted stakeholder consultation and use of the
      ‘Your Say’ Noosa community engagement program. This program utilises a mix of media
      including newspapers, online resources and showcase events.
•     Enhanced knowledge of what the most significant impacts are in the NBR. For example, LiDAR
      mapping in the upper Kin Kin catchment indicates that a very significant amount of sediment is
      being mobilised into waterways and is therefore a target for remedial works.

4.6   Other comments/observations from a BR perspective.

The NBR is a demonstration of what can be achieved when an informed and engaged community works
together to achieve a sustainable future.


5.    THE DEVELOPMENT FUNCTION

5.1   Prevailing trends in each main sector of the economic base

Population growth
Population growth in the NBR is slowing, currently at 0.8% per annum. This compares with 2.5% per
annum (Sunshine Coast), and 1.3% per annum (Queensland). The South East Queensland Regional
Plan 2017 forecasts Noosa’s population to grow from 54,000 in 2016 to 63,000 in 2041 at a rate of less
than 1% per annum. The slowdown is primarily due to an ageing population structure, limited land for
residential development and fewer jobs in Noosa compared with other areas.




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