NOOSA ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY - YEAR THREE (2021/2022) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ANNUAL UPDATED (Referred from Planning & Environment Committee dated 11 July 2023 - Item 6.2) · REPORT- NOOSA ENIVIRONMENT STRATEGY - YEAR THREE

Page 2

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                             17 JULY 2023


REPORT
At the June 2019 Ordinary Meeting Noosa Council endorsed the Noosa Environment Strategy
and Noosa Environment Strategy Implementation Plan 2019-2023. The Noosa Environment
Strategy is the key strategic policy document for Council related to our environment and the way we
live within it. The Noosa Environment Strategy identifies key strategies, outcomes, and measurable
targets that guide decision-making and support prioritisation of investment over the 10-year life of
the strategy.

The Noosa Environment Strategy provides a clear monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework
that consists of:
    •    Annual reporting on the progress of specific implementation actions associated with the
         Environment Strategy.
    •    Biennial reporting against the 12 targets identified in the Environment Strategy to measure
         the success of implementation.

A summary of the Environment Strategy, Implementation Plan and reporting requirements are
summarised in Figure 1.




Figure 1. Environment Strategy, Implementation Plan, and reporting requirements

This Year 3 (1 July 2021-30 June 2022) Summary Report provides an update on the progress
of the 42 actions outlined in the Noosa Environment Strategy Implementation Plan for the
2021/22 FY. These actions are made up of four (4) enabling actions that will deliver outcomes
across all four themes of the Environment Strategy, and 38 actions that are specific to each
of the four themes: Biodiversity; Waterways, wetlands & coasts; Sustainable living; and
Climate change resilience and adaptation.


The Year 4 (1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023) Monitoring Report and review and update of the
Environment Strategy Implementation Plan will be prepared and presented to Council by
September 2023.

Page 3

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                            17 JULY 2023



Implementation Plan - Summary of Progress
Progress of each of the actions in the Environment Strategy Implementation Plan have been
assessed against the following criteria:
   • Completed: action is complete, and no further action is required.
   •   On target: action is progressing in accordance with the delivery schedule/ implementation
       plan requirements.
   •   Progressing: steps have been taken towards this action, but the action is not being delivered
       in accordance with the delivery schedule/implementation plan requirements due to issues
       such as resourcing, financial constraints, or other delays.
   •   Needs attention: action either has not started, or not significantly progressed in accordance
       with the Implementation Plan.
   •   Scheduled for future: action has not begun and is intended to be initiated in future years,
       as identified in the Implementation Plan.

Of the 42 actions, only one was not planned to begin until the 2022/23 FY. Attachment
1 provides details on the progress of each individual action item.




Significant achievements in Year 3 (2021/2022)
A summary of the significant achievements delivered by Council against the actions nominated in
the Environment Strategy Implementation Plan are provided below:
   •   Continuation of the Environment Grants Program supporting 8 community groups and 10
       projects. The program also provided operational support to 6 community groups.
   •   The Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan identified 57 priority reserves requiring
       a Bushland Operational Assessments (BOAs), all of which were completed in the 2021/22
       FY.
   •   In the 2021/22FY, 82 properties were visited as part of Council’s approved Biosecurity
       Surveillance Program, targeting Cats Claw Creeper and other priority weeds, with 3 advisory
       letters and 2 biosecurity orders issued.
   •   Rehabilitation actions are on target with Greenfleet and Noosa Landcare continuing
       revegetation works at Yurol and Ringtail State Forests.

Page 4

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                             17 JULY 2023


   •   Continued growth of the Land for Wildlife and Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA)
       properties in the Noosa Shire, with 2 new VCAs signed up in the financial year. A highlight
       was the registration of a 32-hectare rural residential zoned property at Cooroibah that
       includes endangered regional ecosystems.
   •   Delivery of the second year of the Urban Wildlife Gardens Program (UWG), with continued
       growth of landowners involved in the program in the Noosa Shire.
   •   Commencement of the fine scale regional ecosystem (RE) mapping project of the Noosa
       Shire to improve knowledge of the region’s environmental values and correct discrepancies
       between the Council biodiversity overlay and State vegetation management mapping. At the
       close of the 2021/2022FY approximately 29% of the Shire was completed.
   •   Delivery of fauna monitoring programs, including koala surveys using drones of Yurol Ringtail
       State Forest by QUT, monitoring Glossy-black Cockatoos through the Glossy Black
       Conservancy, and flying-fox monitoring under the National Flying-fox Monitoring Program.
   •   Wild dog control including trapping and baiting has been undertaken in some of the identified
       Koala Habitat Areas mostly on private land in the localities of Como, Kin Kin, Cootharaba,
       Cooran, Federal, and Ridgewood with 3 wild dogs trapped in these areas.
   •   Consolidation of water quality monitoring data for the Noosa Shire into the SWIM local
       database to allow long term trend analysis and identification of catchments requiring further
       management actions to be identified.
   •   The foundations for oyster reef ecosystems in place at four restoration sites in the Noosa
       River Estuary as part of the Noosa Oyster Ecosystem Restoration Project.
   •   Council has supported 18 Bushland Care Groups involved in various projects working
       towards the preservation of riparian vegetation under Bushland Restoration Plans.
   •   Scoping for the Eastern Beaches Coastal Foreshores Management Plan (EBFMP)
       commenced, and good initial progress made. A draft is scheduled for completion in the
       2022/23 FY.
   •   The introduction of green waste bins saw approximately 16,000 tonnes annually of organic
       waste, that previously would have gone to landfill, diverted, and recycled for consumer use.
   •   The Waste Education and Sustainability Officer has worked collaboratively with key
       stakeholders to deliver multiple education programs and events. More than 1300 students
       attended talks at the new waste education centre at the landfill.
   •   Council has extended its’ solar array to 680kW to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
       GHGs. The total GHG emissions footprint for the 2021/22 financial year was 45,259 tonnes
       of CO2 equivalent, representing a 12% reduction on the previous year.
   •   ‘Give a Sheet’ was delivered in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul and BlockTexx Textile
       Recovery Technologies. The event was a Queensland-first circular economy initiative to
       reduce environmental impact by textile recycling.

Actions requiring review and further attention
Actions which were identified as requiring review and further attention to deliver the outcomes of the
Environment Strategy include:
   1. Implement an Environment & Sustainability Roundtable to provide a mechanism for local
      community groups, government stakeholders and experts to have input into the development
      of Council policy.
   2. Identify priority land parcels that enhance landscape connectivity and seek to have them
      managed for environmental outcomes, either through direct purchase by Council, or utilising
      other appropriate protective mechanisms.

Page 5

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                             17 JULY 2023


   3. Work with stakeholders to review current fishing practises and achieve sustainable
      recreational and commercial fishing outcomes in the Noosa River.
   4. Implement propagation programs that grow threatened plant species and result in new
      populations at appropriate, low-risk locations.
   5. Implement a septic system inspection program in high priority areas (such as Noosa North
      Shore) to better understand the impact of these systems on the quality of surface water and
      groundwater systems.
   6. Advocate for mandating minimum energy efficiency and renewable energy generation to all
      new development in the shire, including domestic residences.
   7. Identify potential areas for carbon sequestration in the Noosa Shire and support landholders
      to take advantage of available opportunities.

Summary of outcomes from Environment Grants Program 2021/22 FY
Council has a long history of working with and supporting the community to achieve significant
environmental outcomes. The Council’s Environment Grants Program is funded by the
Environmental Levy intends to support the implementation of the Noosa Environment Strategy, as
well as Council’s other key environment strategies and plans.

The Environment Grant Program is designed to enable collaboration with the community in initiatives
that work towards the outcomes and targets identified in the Noosa Environment Strategy. All
initiatives funded by the Environment Grants Program must have tangible and measurable
outcomes.

There are three types of grants currently available under the Environment Grants Program:
   1. Environment Project Grants: 1-year grants for projects, programs or events that align with
      the Noosa Environment Strategy, as well as Council’s other key environment strategies and
      plans, and have a positive impact on the environment.
   2. Multi-year Environment Collaborative (MEC) Grants: 3-year grants that support longer-term,
      larger-scale strategic initiatives that align with the Noosa Environment Strategy and have a
      significant positive impact on the Noosa environment.
   3. Environment Organisation Alliance Grants: 3-year grants that provide organisational support
      to community groups that are primarily focused on environment activities.

The following funding amounts were allocated to the Environment Grants Program in 2021/2022 FY:
   1. Environment Project & Climate Change Grants - $75,000
   2. Multi-year Environment Collaborative (MEC) Grants - $261,574
   3. Environment Organisation Alliance Grants – $68,615

A summary of outcomes arising from the Environment Grants program is included in Attachment 2.
This information has been gathered from the grant acquittal process and indicates that significant
positive environmental outcomes are being delivered by the Environment Grants Program.
Link to Corporate Plan
Theme No 1. - Environment

Focus areas include the natural environment, built environment, waterways and coasts and conservation
and heritage.
The Environment Strategy and this summary report link to all Environment objectives (1.1 - 1.8) of the
Corporate Plan.

Page 6

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                              17 JULY 2023



Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting, 17 February 2022, Item 2, Page 4
That Council note the report by the Acting Environmental Services Manager to the Planning &
Environment Committee Meeting dated 08/02/2022, providing the year 2 annual report on the
implementation of the Noosa Environment Strategy.

Finance
The Noosa Environment Strategy 2019 and Implementation Plan is a funded program. Budget was
allocated for the 2022/23 FY in the following areas to maintain and improve performance in the
delivery of the Environment Strategy:
   1. Biosecurity surveys to improve the knowledge on the distribution and abundance of invasive
      species through shire wide targeted plot survey, combined with an education extension
      program on selected land parcels, consistent with Action 5.0 of the Noosa Biosecurity Plan
      2020.
   2. New position (1 FTE) and supporting budget for accommodating growth in the Community
      Bushcare Program.
   3. Continued funding for the Project Officer Fauna Management position (1 FTE) for threatened
      species management and Environment Officer Coastal Management position (1 FTE) to
      continue the preparation of foreshore management plans.
   4. Support the growth in the Private Land Conservation Partnership program with increase in
      extension and education services through an additional 0.3 FTE.
   5. Modernise Water Monitoring Programs for Noosa and Mary River by working with the
      Peregian Digital Centre and NRM Groups to use new technology and create new public
      dashboards so data can be used in decision making.


Risk & Opportunities
The highest risks associated with the implementation of the Noosa Environment Strategy 2019 lie
with the actions which are identified as ‘progressing’ or ‘needing attention’ in Attachment 1. These
actions have been reviewed and will be considered in more detail as part of the Year 4 (2022/2023)
report and review the Implementation Plan and Environment Strategy.

Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
There has been no external consultation for this specific report, though it is noted that many of the
programs have external implementation partners who are key community stakeholders.

Internal Consultation
Departments/Sections Consulted:

     Mayor                       Community Services                         Corporate Services

     Councillors                 Director                                   Director

                                 Community Development                      Financial Services

     Chief Executive Officer     Community Facilities                       Fleet

     Executive Support           Libraries & Galleries                      ICT

Page 7

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                         17 JULY 2023


                              Local Laws                              Procurement

                          x   Waste & Environmental Health            Property

                                                                      Revenue Services



   Executive Services         Environment & Sustainable Development   Infrastructure Services

   Director               x   Director                                Director

   Community Engagement       Building & Plumbing Services            Asset Management

   Customer Service           Development Assessment                  Buildings and Facilities

   Governance                 Economic Development                    Civil Operations

   People and Culture     x   Environmental Services                  Disaster Management

                          x   Strategic Land Use Planning             Infrastructure Planning,
                                                                      Design and Delivery