Please find below Redlands Institutes Draft Koala Policy.  We welcome your feedback and suggestions on how we may improve this paper.  Please email redlands.institute@gmail.com

Release Date – 23 February 2011

The following is a draft policy position for the Redland Institute and is provided to all members and stakeholders for their comment.

This Draft Policy will be open to comment until close of business on 21March, 2011. 

BACKGROUND

The Koala Phascolarctos cinereus is an internationally recognised faunal symbol of Australia and its unique native fauna. There is widespread concern, within all levels of community, for the viability of the Koala and particularly within the local region.

Redland City and surrounds has long been recognised as holding important Koala habitats and population and has for many years been viewed as a part of the “Koala Coast”.  The concept of the Koala Coast was first used officially by the Queensland State Planning Policy 1/97 Conservation of Koalas in the Koala Coast to describe parts of Logan and Brisbane City and the entire mainland of Redland City local government areas. The Koala Coast was essentially bounded by Moreton Bay to the east, the Logan River to the south and the Gateway Motorway to the west.

Despite the State Planning Policy 1/97 and other subsequent State Government planning instruments in the interim the Koala population is recognised as declining. The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) released a paper in April 2009 titled “Decline of the Koala Coast Koala Population: Population Status in 2008”.  Apart from revealing a significant decline in the Koala population, the paper highlighted the significance of urban Koalas in regard to management of species and even that Urban Koalas are important in bolstering the bushland population.  The paper included the result of predictive modelling (see figure below) demonstrating, if the current rate of decline continues, there will be less than 500 Koalas remaining in the Koala Coast by 2010.

The Koala is currently listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the south east Queensland bioregion under Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act 1992 and Redland City Council recognises Koala as ‘endangered’ within the Koala Coast Region.

Koalas in South East Queensland are well recognised as being under significant threat from urban pressures and specifically habitat loss from development, car strikes, dog attacks and stress related diseases. In December 2008, the Queensland Government introduced the Koala Response Strategy, committing to a number of planning and management actions to protect koalas.

In May 2010, the Queensland Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Kate Jones, and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Stirling Hinchliffe, announced the release of further state planning instruments towards protecting koala habitat and to manage conflicts with urban development.

The state planning instruments are:

• State Planning Policy 2/10: Koala Conservation in South East Queensland
• South East Queensland Koala Conservation State planning regulatory provisions

 

The above policy and provisions commenced on 31 May 2010 and are currently in effect for development assessment purposes.

As part of the Koala Response Strategy the Queensland Government has released the Offsets Policy for Net Gain of Koala Habitat in South East Queensland which looks to ensure that environmental offsets for unavoidable impacts on high quality koala habitat contribute to a net gain in Bushland Koala Habitat in south-east Queensland by 2020. This policy provides a framework and direction for using environmental offsets to meet that objective.

At the local level The Redland City Council (RCC) adopted its own Koala Policy and implementation Strategy 2008 which was approved at Council’s General Meeting in January 2008.  The RCC plan states an aim to take immediate action to recover the Koala population to more than 5,000 in the Koala Coast area by 2014.  This is an ambitious aim and from recent figures the target will not be achieved.

The Redlands Institute (REDI) is an independent, community-based not-for-profit organisation working to create, implement and promote a shared vision for the Redland city and surrounds future.  The Institute consists of committed community representatives who share a desire to preserve and enhance the unique characteristics and lifestyle of our community and the protection of Koalas and their habitat are viewed as a high priority.

On 17 November 2010 the Australian Senate referred the following matter to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 1 June 2011, with effect from the first day of sitting of 2011:

The status, health and sustainability of Australia’s koala population, with particular reference to:

1. the iconic status of the koala and the history of its management;
2. estimates of koala populations and the adequacy of current counting methods;
3. knowledge of koala habitat;
4. threats to koala habitat such as logging, land clearing, poor management, attacks from  feral and domestic animals, disease, roads and urban development;
5. the listing of the koala under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999;
6. the adequacy of the National Koala Conservation and Management Strategy;
7. appropriate future regulation for the protection of koala habitat;
8. interaction of state and federal laws and regulations; and
9. any other related matters.

It is envisaged this policy will respond to the findings of the above inquiry at the relevant time.

REDI has developed this Koala Policy in response to our members and community expectations to seek improvement in Koala Conservation responses and overall management in the local area to prevent the Koalas continuing decline and ultimate loss from our City.

The Institute calls on the people and government of the Redlands to act now to protect the Koala and its habitat,

This Policy was formally adopted by the REDI executive council on 22 February 2011.

The REDI calls on all areas of community and government to respond to the policy and strategy’s provided below.

 

Education

 

Increased education and public awareness is recognised a an effective tool in Koala management particularly in urban areas.  Although it is often included in management strategy as a standard response it is vital to effective Koala management.

Education and awareness is particularly critical when the science and research has clearly shown anthropogenic issues as a primary cause of increased mortality and reduced breeding success in the local Koala population.

Redlands has more people sharing their lives with more Koalas than any where else in the world.  We have arguably the most urbanised koala population and a relatively intact island population (on North Stradbroke Island) which provide ongoing news and stories of relevance to our community.

It is considered important that there are ongoing awareness messages regarding dog control, speed limit reductions and habitat retention disseminated to the general public, local authorities and State departments. 

The Redland City Council has recently shown significant improvement in its education responses and it is vital that such actions are continued and funding allocated within relevant council and state budgets. We strongly endorse the RCC stated aim “To educate the whole community that Redlands habitat and its koalas are special, unique and integral to the environmental, social, cultural, and economic wellbeing of our community”.

REDI calls on all persons within Redland City to support and promote Koala awareness programs.

 

Mapping

 

Currently, Koala habitat mapping and controls are based on geo political mapping.  In order to achieve sound and informed management responses there is a need for baseline mapping and ranking of all koala habitat and movement corridors across Redland City. 

All available data should be compiled into a single data set and made available to the public.  The maintenance, storage and dissemination of this data should be entrusted to a single entity – such as RCC, EPA or by third parties under the guidance/authorisation of RCC.

A set protocol should be determined for the studies and research for collection and storage of the data across the RCC.  It should be made mandatory for all professionals carrying out habitat and fauna surveys to meet the protocols and to lodge their results with the entity administering the data set.  This way public information can be garnered utilising private resources. 

Information provided to RCC as part of development applications should be required in suitable format and incorporated into such a data set.

With true unbiased mapping of habitats and linkages, areas can be prioritised for specific treatment and preservation.   Areas of less significance can then be clearly identified as more suitable for other purposes.

Land acquisition

 

Protection of habitat is a key component of Koala Management responses.  It is apparent that a coordinated approach to the acquisition and protection of high value habitats and linkages and inclusion within the overall conservation estate is vital to successful management responses. REDI endorses and/or calls for the following actions:

(1)       A Koala habitat acquisition strategy is required for the city and surrounds.  With accurate mapping there will be specific areas identified as being priority lands and those suitable for acquisition and attention.

(2)       A system of transferable development rights (basically an extension of the current “environmental offsets”) is now available and should be finessed and promted to development industry.

(3)       A coordinated approach between RCC and DERM to the establishment of Koala offsets as required by the Offsets Policy for Net Gain of Koala Habitat in South East Queensland should be ensured.

(4)       Important Koala habitats within proposed development areas should be actively protected and incorporated into the conservation estate. 

Government Lands

There are significant areas of Crown, State and local council lands within the RCC area which should be subjected to review and where available suitable sites should be immediately rehabilitated. 

REDI calls on all levels of government to ensure such areas are identified, and Koala habitat restoration plans developed.  This action should be undertaken immediately.

Rehabilitation Initiatives

(1)           State Lands :

A program be immediately initiated to identify and rehabilitate land in state ownership to increase extant Koala Habitats where practical/possible.

(2)           Incentives for private owners:

1. Land Tax and/or Rate reductions for private land owners whose properties support Koala habitat and can are protected within hte conservation estate.   There are many properties which support farming and grazing activities solely to minimise payment of land tax. 

REDI endorses the RCC Koala Conservation Agreement Program (KCAP) which provides for a partnership between a landholder and RCC to protect and reinstate koala habitat, manage dogs and improve koala movement on private land. The program is voluntary and free to join.  Landholders who join the KCAP currently have the option of signing a three or five year agreement.

As part of the KCAP, Council will financially assist management of  koala habitat on private property. The agreement does not alter the title of the property and is extinguished at resale.

REDI calls for the ongoing promotion and expansion of this program and seeks investigation of further incentives for protection of koala habitat on private lands.

1. Tax Incentives

The Federal government has announced the ability in certain circumstances to write off costs of rehabilitation against taxable income.  This is predominantly based on the demuniition of property caused by imposition of environmental covenants.  Such actions can be extended  to provide tax rebates for maintenance of  lands retained as habitat. 

REDI calls for RCC and DERM to actively promote and seek tax deduction for habitat retention and rehabilitation within Koala Habitats.     

1. VPO’s

Vegetation Protection Legislation is often counter productive regarding rehabilitation of habitat.   Currently there are large areas which are kept as actively managed as open grassland/pasture because owners/managers rightly or wrongly consider rehabilitation of habitat will reduce future development potential. 

This is further compounded in that those persons who have retained vegetation and particularly Koala habitats are those most disadvantaged when seeking alternative uses through the development assessment process.

To encourage land owners to retain or plant trees, vegetation protection should not apply to trees and habitat which have been planted and maintained by an owner.  

REDI calls on the RCC and DERM to further investigate ways to compensate private landholders who have retained fauna habitat and to explore methods by which those persons who have not retained habitat to also contribute towards habitat protection and reinstatement actions.   

Development Controls

 

The current development controls within the urban footprint are failing to protect sufficient Koala habitat and safe movement options.

Property owners will be justifiably upset by recommendations or state actions to remove existing development rights by surreptitious methods solely designed to remove the states obligation to compensate owners who have had the value of their property reduced.   As a principle “If it is in the overall community interest to remove actual or potential development rights then the community should adequately compensate individuals so affected”. 

Under planning legislation there is a set method to change planning controls.   Injurious affection is dealt with under the Sustainable Planning Act (SPA) with a 2 year “use it or lose it” provision.

If it is considered necessary to remove development rights from Koala Habitats then the following provisions should be used and appropriate compensation paid where appropriate by through the following methods:

1. Expand Koala Habitat Protection Areas to include a network of major corridors and the High Value Bushland Habitat areas.  This will require input from experts utilising accurate aerial and spatial mapping (which is available) and based on ground truthed field data, ignoring urban and cadastral boundaries.
2. Place a 6 month moratorium on all development approvals and clearing of native habitat within the areas identified as Koala Habitat Protection Areas.   .
3. During the above moratorium, amend the relevant Planning Schemes to decrease development densities or prohibit development within the Protection Areas. This would also include mandatory actions for future  development to ensure a net increase in habitat, no reduction in Koala movement options, and mitigation of potential detrimental impacts.  This may include a system of transferable development rights or compensation.
4. An alternative response should also be reviewed to identify and allow increased densities within areas of lesser environmental significance.
5. With new tougher planning controls included in the local Planning Schemes, land owners have 2 years under the SPA  to make a development application under the superceded provisions.
   1. Within the 2 year period development applications will be assessed by the Local Authority in conjunction with the State who will decide:
      1. To allow the development to proceed under the previous provisions; OR
      2. To allow the development to proceed subject to conditions and/or modifications- e.g. clustering development or using a form of transferable developments rights; OR
      3. Refuse the application to be assessed under the superceded provisions – these parcels of land would be subject to injurious affection claims by the land owners.

Road Traffic

There has been detailed assessment of this issue in the local area. Redland City Council has previously commissioned local ecological consultants Biodiversity Assessment and Management (BAAM) Pty Ltd to update their 2004 Action Plan to Reduce Koala Hits from Vehicles in the Redlands. See http://web01.redland.qld.gov.au/robo/plans/Koala_Hits_AP/Action_Plan_To_Reduce_Koala_Hits.htm 

While there are many factors involved in conservation planning for Koalas the Action Plan focussed specifically on the issues associated with Koala-vehicle collisions in Redland City, with an aim to identify technically and economically feasible actions that can be applied to roads identified as major contributors to Koala hits.

There has been significant improvement in management responses in recent times. However, the issue remains a significant threat to Koala viability.

The Koala – Vehicle interaction issue requires an all of government response and community support to reduce the current toll on local Koala population.

REDI calls on RCC and DERM to further fund research and actions further reduce Koala and vehicles interaction.

REDI calls on the MRD, whose roads are recognised as the major contributor to vehicle strikes on Koalas to immediate review the Redlands road network to identify key locations and actions required to reduce Koala mortality.

Local Growth Management Strategies (LGMS)

 

RCC and nearby local authorities should be encouraged to review their LGMS’s in the light of more accurate mapping and the option of more stringent planning controls.   They should ensure they undertake every opportunity to reduce proposed densities in high value habitat areas and increase densities in lesser value locations.

This is particularly applicable to RCC who have chosen to increase urban footprint infill targets to 20%, in excess of the Regional Plan recommendations.

Implementation Strategy

A detailed implementation strategy will be developed as part of policy finalisation. It is envisaged the strategy could include, but not limited to, the following items:

• Immediate compilation of initial mapping to identify critical areas.
• Public awareness program.
• Moratorium (maximum of 6 months) on development within the critical areas identified until:
  • Better mapping and science is available; and
  • Range of proposed additional development controls are formulated; and
  • An acquisition fund and strategy to purchase critical properties is in place.
  • Amend planning schemes for additional controls.
  • Amend the Local Growth Management Strategy to reduce development in areas of high conservation and to increase development densities in areas of lesser conservation value.
  • Enact acquisition strategy.
  • Determine and monitor Tree planting targets by State Departments and Redlands Council;
  • Rehabilitation of habitat on state and local authority lands;
  • Construction of appropriate fauna barriers along major roads and rail lines;
  • Identification and funding for Koala/fauna movement facilities on major roads;
  • Creation of low speed environments in critical areas on lower order roads;
  • Strict enforcement of dog controls and education of owners; and
  • Ensure Council’s web site “Koala Central” is adequately maintained and resourced.

Your feedback is sought and valued.

 

The REDI seeks feedback on this draft policy and interested persons can provide comment via email to redlands.institute@gmail.com or by return post to

Po Box 178 Cleveland, 4163. …. 

REDI intends to hold a koala forum with key stakeholders in May 2011 to review current Koala management responses and formally adopt this policy following community and industry input.