2015-10-13 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                          13 OCTOBER 2015


Dispersal
Dispersal measures include passive dispersal with vegetation removal, where vegetation is
gradually removed to make habitat unattractive to flying foxes, or active dispersal, without
vegetation removal. This involves regular and long term disturbance of the flying foxes to
discourage them from the area.
2.   Risk assessment
Ecosure undertook a risk assessment of the existence of the flying fox colony in the area
and the risk of applying the various flying fox management actions.
Risk assessment of the flying fox roost in its current location (Table 5.1 of the Draft
Management Plan – Att 1).
Ecosure has assessed the risks to neighbouring landholders concerning disease transfer,
general hygiene issues, financial loss, noise/smell/well-being impacts and flying fox strike by
aircraft. By residents, businesses, Council and State Government applying Ecosure’s
recommended mitigation actions, risks are assessed as being substantially reduced to a
low/moderate level.
Risk assessment of management options (Table 5.2 of the Draft Management Plan Att 1).
Ecosure has assessed the risks of implementing the various management options of
education (at Wallace Park and at Bowls Club), general mitigation measures (neighbouring
landholders trimming/removing fruit trees, cover vehicles and structures, install double
glazed windows, avoid disturbance, turn off lighting, visual/sound/smell barriers), in situ
management (buffers through habitat modification and/or deterrents); dispersal (with or
without vegetation removal).
By residents, businesses, Council and State Government applying recommended
management actions, risks are rated from low to extreme, with in situ management being
assessed as low risk and dispersal rated as an unacceptably high risk due to:
   The risk of splintering the roost to other locations and creating multiple problems for
     residents
   Potential mortality to flying foxes
   Potential air craft strike
   Expense and ongoing long term maintenance of dispersal attempts
   Negative publicity from attempting to scare off protected wildlife
Ecosure Consulting has advised against dispersal.
3.   Recommendations
Ecosure has made eight (8) specific recommendations:
   Park neighbour management actions: Cover vehicles, structures and clothes lines,
     trim/remove fruit trees, install double glazed windows, construct visual/sound/smell
     barriers.
   Education program and interpretive signage.
   Buffer management: either through habitat modification and/or deterrents.
   Investigate the use of deterrents such as wire/netting/flagging to redirect flying fox fly
     outs (i.e. away from Bowls Club).
   Investigate grant opportunities for mitigation works for neighbouring landholders.
   Communicate with the Noosa Hospital regarding aircraft strike management.
   Include adequate flying fox buffers in planning instruments for future developments.
   Encourage re-establishment of the Goat Island roost through limiting disturbance
     around the island where possible.




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