Appendix C - Ecological Assessment Report

7.2     PURPOSE AND OVERALL OUTCOMES OF THE BIODIVERSITY WATERWAYS AND
        WETLANDS OVERLAY CODE
1.     The purpose of the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands overlay code is to protect, rehabilitate
       and enhance ecologically important areas and improve connectivity and ecological linkages across
       Noosa Shire.
2.     The overall outcomes sought for the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands overlay code are:
          a) The natural resources and ecosystem values of Noosa Shire are protected and enhanced
              including ecologically important areas and land and environmental values of scenic,
              aesthetic, cultural, educational, recreational, scientific, economic and social value.
          b) Development is designed, sited, constructed and operated in a way that avoids adverse
              impacts on ecologically important areas, ecological systems and processes.
          c) Development design and layout provides for ecological connectivity across the landscape
              through        the      protection,       rehabilitation       and     enhancement       of
              native vegetation and ecological linkages.
          d) Ecological linkages and riparian vegetation are conserved, managed, enhanced and
              rehabilitated to protect and improve biodiversity, ecosystem health, landscape stability
              and resilience.
          e) Development design and layout provides for the protection and establishment of
              appropriate buffers to waterways, wetlands, native vegetation and significant fauna
              habitat.
          f) The terrestrial and aquatic native flora and fauna and their habitats are protected and
              enhanced.
          g) Development and its associated landscaping provides for the rehabilitation of ecologically
              important areas, degraded ecosystems and habitats to achieve a functional and healthy
              ecosystem state that requires minimal human intervention.
          h) Development is designed, sited, constructed and operated to avoid or minimise adverse
              impacts on koalas and their habitat and to provide for connectivity and safety for the long
              term viability of the koala population.
          i) In urban areas, biodiversity values are protected and enhanced to assist with ecosystem
              health, flora and fauna, urban amenity and quality of life.
Table SC1.2.2 of the Noosa Plan 2020, defines an Ecologically important area to mean:
 a) an area which contains or is likely to contain listed threatened species and/or ecological
    communities, critical habitat, or listed migratory species as defined by the Environmental
    Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Cth) Act 1999;
 b) a protected area under the Natural Conservation Act 1992 or Environmental Protection and
    Biodiversity Conservation (Cth) Act 1999;
 c) Endangered and Of Concern Regional Ecosystems under the Queensland Vegetation Management
    Act 1999;
 d) an area which contains or is likely habitat for endangered, vulnerable or near threatened species
    under the Nature Conservation Act 1992;
 e) an area which contains a spring as defined under the Water Act (Qld) 2000;
 f) an area which contains protected marine plants or is defined as a fish habitat area under the
    Fisheries Act 1994;

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                                  157 LAWNVILLE ROAD, BLACK MOUNTAIN