Introducing the concept and state of the Noosa Biosphere - Queensland first UNESCO biosphere reserve. by Noosa Biosphere Chair Dr. Susan Davis

1. Noosa Biosphere Reserve
A Celebration of Community and Environment

3. Noosa achieved biosphere
status in September 2007
and was incorporated in
December 2008.
Biosphere area
•
•
•
•
The Noosa Biosphere
one of 14 UNESCO
MaB reserves in
Australia,
•
•
UNESCO MaB program in 1971
– beyond environmental
protection to recognise human
wellbeing and relationship
between people &
environment
1980s-1990s – concept of
sustainable development
recognised as important
1995 – Seville strategy
2000 Millenium development
goals – No 7 sustainability
2008 Madrid Action Plan
2014 – Evaluation of MAP

4. A history of community activism & government
decisions
• Creation of national park
• Lobbying to stop sand
mining
• Creation of Cooloola and
Tewantin National Parks
• Noosa Woods park and
vegetation
• Environment levy
• Limits on high rise and
developments
• No traffic lights – roundabouts
• Living smart, Travel smart, Ecobiz
programs
• Population ‘cap’ – planning
scheme zonings
• Green Arts and cultural programs
– Floating Land

6. Conservation
Sustainable
development
Community
forum &
engagement
Learning and
research

8. Why Noosa?
UNESCO in declaring the Noosa Biosphere Reserve particularly
noted:
– “a sophisticated level of human settlement and a high level of
inter-relationship with the natural environment.”
– “the strong sense of community involvement and community
co-ordination over a broad range of human settlement and
natural environment issues.”
An important component was the Noosa Planning Scheme which
had been adopted by the former Noosa Council and the
community sector board model.

9. Previous Noosa Council Governance model
Noosa
Council
Tourism
Noosa
Economic
Social
Culture
Environment
• Community sector boards with approx 10 reps
each
• Councillors assigned to each board, council staff
involved with each as well
• Advice provided to council
• Strategies and projects operationalised by council
• Supported by one staff secretariat member +
others through sector board activities
• Budget + staff

10. Community involvement through main board and 6 advisory
sectors
Culture
Tourism
Economic
Biosphere
Governance
Social
Education R&D
Environment
11 member governance board drawn from the community (3)
, sector boards (6) and Council (2)
Over 60 community volunteers contribute time and effort to
benefit the biosphere

11. NBL Current model & related working parties &
projects
BalanceSustainable
Tourism Working
party and
activities
• 2 Councillors were on
Governance Board
• Advice provided to
council
• Strategies and
projects
operationalised by
boards and partners
• Supported by 1.6 staff
secretariat
• Budget allocation
from Council for
operations and
projects (Estimate
community in kind
contribution
$314,840)
Voices of the
Biosphere
Radio program
Communications
Director & Web
Managers
Unbalance
Conference &
committee
Partners program
Culture
Tourism
Economic
Information
sessions &
programs for
international
visitors
NBL
Governance
Board
Social
Education R&D
Environment
State of the
Biosphere
Report &
working party BISN – Biosphere
Institute for
Sustainability
Noosa planning
Biosphere Festival
& working party
BISN: Centre of
Excellent working
party
Sample projects

12. People are proud of their Biosphere
Our goals for
2018 …
People know that environment and people can co-exist
People are involved in and talking about biosphere projects
People know the story and what UNESCO MaB status means
People are consciously making an effort to conserve and sustain
& to communicate knowledge (Biosphere principles)
Local schools have biosphere information in their curriculum and
are proud of it
Positive relationships with different levels of Government
UNESCO acknowledges our reputation & part we play in the
strong network of Biosphere Reserves
People understand their environment…
Knowledge about local
environment, birds, animals, the community available
in multiple forms
Regular workshop and seminar series, biennial
conference
Wide range of studies, Masters and PhDs completed
around Biosphere topics
Graduates of Biosphere learning and programs are in
the community and around the world
Knowledge of Indigenous peoples & culture
embedded in learning programs
Noosa Biosphere
collaborative
action for a
healthy
community and
place
People are actively engaged in Biosphere
activities
Extensive partnership and membership base of
individuals, businesses, organisations and community groups
Involved in Biosphere related programs,
Acting for sustainability
High levels of accreditation in programs such as Ecobiz, Living
Smart, The Glossies Network
Social diversity visible in the community and Noosa Biosphere
activities
Tourism operators say ‘Welcome to the Biosphere’, and know what
it means
The Noosa Biosphere
brand is known
Well designed signage and
interpretive maps in important
destinations & places
Bins are branded
Biosphere Art Prize and exhibitions
promote local arts and culture
Online presence is pervasive
People know the Biosphere is
good for business
Quality/principled tourism & businesses,
You can buy quality locally produced
products/gifts featuring local designs
Businesses are proud of their accreditation
by Noosa Biosphere
Retailers have biosphere logo and they
enact what it means – staff know what it
mean
People are coming here because we are a
destination of choice for sustainable tourism
People live in the iconic landscapes
Quality, sustainable design in built environment
Planning Scheme (residential development, whole
built environment) reflects Biosphere Reserve
principles
Iconic natural landscapes is protected and
maintained
Healthy Indigenous landscape

15. Increasing recognition on the international scene – participation in UNESCO
MaB network meetings 2013

16. Sustainable Tourism
•
•
•
•
Sustainable Tourism working party
Certification research and report
Communications project
Australia’s Nature Coast – partnership
with Great Sandy Biosphere , Fraser
Coast, SCDL, & Gympie
• Global eco-tourism conference in
November

17. Noosa Climate Action
Plan - Partnership with
SEQ Catchments and
community groups

18. Environmental projects
and partnerships –
e.g. ‘Fall of the
Singapore Daisy’ with
NICA, Noosa & District
Landcare, Sunshine
Beach Surf
Club, Sunshine Beach
Bushland Care Group &
Environment Board
NBL

19. Biosphere Report Card
The Brief:
• A set of performance indicators relating to
UNESCO Biosphere principles and relevant
to Noosa Biosphere Reserve to be
identified, analysed and presented in a
report.
• Indicators should cover the
environmental, educational, social, cultural
and economic health of the biosphere.
• Sourced from existing reliable, reputable
sources. Must be relevant, verifiable and
repeatable.
• The report must provide information that can
be presented to the public in a
simple, concise, engaging and easilyaccessible format

20. State of the Biosphere Report Card
The Spirit of the Biosphere…
• We… give back (volunteers, conservation)
• We… tread lightly (waterways, land use)
• We… choose wisely (transport, waste
management)
•
•
•
•
•
We… think positively (bus.confidence, GRP)
We… join in (events, partners)
We… create change (ecobiz, Living Smart)
We… welcome others (Welcome to Noosa, Noosa attributes)
We… foster creativity (funding, Floating Land, Bal-Unbal)

21. Biosphere Partners criteria for partnership
• Embrace the values and principles of the Noosa Biosphere in their approach
to being who they are and what they do
• Participate with Noosa Biosphere on activities that deliver outcomes
relevant to the community, industry and business
• exhibit good stewardship of the environment, conservation, preservation
and sustainability of endeavour
• Promote the values and principles of biosphere to their staff, customers and
others
• Reducing carbon footprint and encouraging others to also seek best-practice
outcomes
• Support Noosa Biosphere in its endeavours wherever practical and possible.

22. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Biosphere Partners
Phase I, II Bark Design Architects
& III
Noosa and District Landcare
•
Noosa Integrated Catchment •
Association
•
SEQ Catchments
•
Noosa Residents and
•
Ratepayers
University of the Sunshine
•
Coast
•
Sunshine Coast Institute of
TAFE
Sheraton Noosa Resort and
Spa
The Original Eumundi Markets
Noosa Federation of the Arts
CQUniversity Noosa
Noosa Ferries
Noosa Outrigger
Noosa, Sunshine Beach
and Peregian Surf Clubs
Tourism Noosa
Wildlife Rehabilitation
Centre
• Creative Alliance Sunshine Coast
• Kanu Kapers
• Kayak Noosa
• Kin Kin State School
• Noosa Community Training
Centre (Brite Side
Industries)
• Noosa Longboards
• Noosa Museum
• Slow Food Noosa & the
Noosa Community Garden
• The Outdoor Education
Consultants

23. Biosphere Partners & inaugural Biosphere
Art Prize Winners – Bark Design

24. Art/Science/Environment programs –
Balance/Unbalance International Conference 2013
Floating Land Green Art Festival - biennial

25. Dynamic Website

26. Information Channels
New Infosheets
Voices in the Biosphere
Weekly ~ 2 hr live

28. We welcome everyone to cultivate ‘the Spirit
of the Bioshere’

29. We look forward to the next phase of our
biosphere reserve journey …