2015-10-13 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                            13 OCTOBER 2015


6                    WALLACE PARK FLYING FOX MANAGEMENT PLAN
MENT INF ORM ATION




Author                          Principal Environment Officer, Peter Milne
                                Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index                           ECM/Fauna/Wildlife

Attachments                     1.    Wallace Park Draft Flying Fox Management Plan
                                      (39 page Attachment provided separately to this Agenda;
                                      2 hard copies have been provided in the Councillors Room)



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Principal Environment Officer to the Planning &
Organisation Committee Meeting dated 13 October 2015 and:
A.                   Commence public consultation on the Wallace Park Draft Flying Fox Management
                     Plan; and
B.                   Provide a further report to Council on the results of public consultation and
                     recommended flying fox management actions.


REPORT
At its Ordinary Meeting held on 30 July 2015, Council resolved to develop a Wallace Park
Flying Fox Management Plan. As a result, Ecosure Consulting was engaged to develop a
draft Plan due to their extensive experience with flying fox management and professional
reputation. During the development of the draft Plan, the consultants have assessed the
flying fox camp and met with park neighbours including Noosa Parks Association and the
Tewantin-Noosa Bowls Club.
The development of the draft Plan involved Ecosure reviewing the various management
options available for managing Flying Fox colonies as follows:

1.                   Flying Fox Management Options
Mitigation
Mitigation measures including:
                   Education on flying fox ecology, actual health risks and management options.
                   Park neighbour actions: Prune/remove/replace flying fox feed trees, protective covers,
                     double glazed windows, avoiding disturbances to roost, turn off non-essential lighting
                     (Bowls Club), construct visual, sound or smell barriers.
                   Install wires/nets/flagging to redirect flight paths (Bowls Club).
                   Create buffers through vegetation removal and/or deterrents such as sprinklers, smells
                     from python excrement and colourful/moveable objects and noise disturbance
                     (nudging).
                   Planning instruments: Provide for a minimum 50m buffer between new developments
                     and existing and potential flying fox camps.
                   Aircraft strike management: Communications with Noosa Hospital regarding risk
                     management.


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