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

                                                               Noosa Biosphere Reserve - Periodic Review 2018




8.5   Appropriate zonation to serve the three functions

The NBR retains an appropriate zonation to serve the three main BR functions. The combined terrestrial
and marine zone sizes are: Core Zone approx. 42,282 ha; Buffer Zone approx. 17,717 ha; and
Transition Zone approx. 50,729 ha, making a total BR size of 110,728 ha.

8.6   Organisational arrangements

Strong arrangements are in place for the carrying out of the three main functions of the BR, and the
involvement of relevant public authorities, plus local community and private interests. The NSC is the
local government which administers within the boundaries of the NBR. As one of two LGAs located on
the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, the NSC has cooperative links with the State Government, regional
organisations and surrounding LGAs, and also consults with individuals and groups within the local
community on a continual basis.

8.7   Mechanisms for implementation and cooperative activities

a)    Mechanisms to manage human use and activities – Draft Noosa Plan (town planning
      scheme), and a range of Noosa Shire socio-cultural and economic development plans.
b)    Management policy or plan – the Noosa Biosphere Plan of Management 2009-2012 (refer
      annexures) is currently under review.
c)    Authority or mechanism to implement this policy or plan – the NSC and the NBRF Board
      have a triennial Funding Agreement, focused on the achievement of KPIs for the NBR.
d)    Programs for research, monitoring, education and training – the NBRF conduct regular grant
      funding rounds, consulting with the community to determine research priorities for the NBR.

At the national level:

NBRF is planning to attend the national BR conference in GSBR in 2019. Some collaboration has
occurred with other BRs but no recent significant engagement.

At the regional level:

In the past decade, representatives from the NSC, the NBR and the GSBR have discussed issues
relevant to both areas. There are no current joint initiatives.

Through twinning and/or transboundary biosphere reserves:

In 2011, the Sunshine Coast Rivers Initiative won the National River Prize. (This was when Noosa was
part of the SCRC). The award involved a cash prize and a caveat to develop a Twinning Program to
share expertise with another organisation in Australia looking after waterways. This resulted in NSC
becoming engaged in a twinning project with Capricorn Catchment near Rockhampton, north of Noosa.

Within the World Network:

From 2008-2014, the NBR enjoyed a valuable international profile within the UNESCO MaB’s World
Network of BRs. An international Conference entitled Balance-Unbalance 2013 and sponsored by the
NBL was held in Noosa. It focused on activation of the BR principles and attracted over 120 delegates.
During 2013-14, the then Chairperson of the NBL (Dr Sue Davis) was invited to attend UNESCO MaB
meetings of the Asia Pacific BRs Network in Vietnam, the World Island and Coastal BR Network in
                                     th
Korea and to present a paper at the 4 Pacific MaB Meeting held in Fiji. In addition, the development of
the NBL’s Noosa Climate Action Plan through community consultation was selected for inclusion as a
Case Study in two UNESCO publications, and used as a model for other regions.

Mr Scott Williams, the then Chairperson of the NBRF also more recently attended the 5th Meeting of the
World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves in Malta held in 2015 where the subject of the
meeting was ‘The Impact of Climate Change and Sustainable Development on Island and Coastal
Biosphere Reserves.’ The participants introduced their biosphere reserves and shared knowledge of
their biosphere activities in addition to consideration of future action plans.



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