The presentation slides shared at the Noosa Biosphere Review on behalf of the Noosa Biosphere Ltd community 11/3/14.

1. Noosa Biosphere Reserve
Structure

2. NICA 2013NICA 2013
CommunityCommunity
ArtArt
You will find Instructions to Artists
and an Entry Form
at the NICA website: www.noosariver.com.auwww.noosariver.com.au
Entries close Friday 26th July
and will be displayed at Noosa Library
from 4th to 25th August 2013
Cultural BoardCultural Board
Design a T Shirt
featuring
Noosa’s native
plants
For inspiration
go to
www.noosasurface design.com
www.noosasnativeplants.com.au.

4. Key messages from our presentation
• Evolutionary change that builds on the Noosa model and
strengths
• Shared ownership of ‘structure’ and ‘strategy’ between
council and community – not council controlled
• Different pathways for individuals and groups to engage
• Management structure that coordinates cross-sectoral and
community action
• Ethics & professionalism in working practices & standards
• The structure and initiatives need to be appropriately
resourced and professionally supported &
• Expected outcomes need to be realistic.

5. VISION - BUILD ON OUR STRENGTHS,
WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING OUR
WEAKNESSES
Noosa Biosphere Reserve will be a community and place that is
recognised locally, nationally and internationally as a centre for learning
and excellence in community engagement, sustainable economic &
cultural development and environmental conservation.
Conservation
Sustainable
development
Community forum &
engagement
Learning and
research
Realisation 2020:
• People are proud of their Biosphere
• The Noosa Biosphere brand is known
• People know the Biosphere Reserve is good for business
• There is a Biosphere Centre for Excellence
• People understand & look after their environment
• People live in the iconic landscapes
• People are actively engaged in Biosphere related projects & activities

6. Key actions to date
Timeframe Action Follow on
2000s International Recognition Working Group –
canvas forms of recognition
MaB for now, World Heritage
and Ramsar possible for
future
2006-7 Biosphere Reserve nomination preparation –
Council staff & consultant Steven Poole (pd by
council)
Biosphere nomination signed
off at all levels of Aust govt
and approved by UNESCO
2008 Amalgamation of local government councils.
Proposal that Biosphere Reserve Management
occur through a not-for-profit company,
Governance Board of Directors, sector boards
maintained, Council as ‘owner’
UNESCO agreed the new
structure still provided good
cooperative approach
2014 De-amalgamation – ownership of NBL company
passed back to Noosa Council. NBR gaining
traction, 60,000 hits/wk on website, invitations
to international UNESCO meetings, Voices of
Biosphere radio repeat, more community
interest, etc
Council called review process.
No budget allocation,
reduction in staff support.
Criticism of achievements to
date

7. Previous Noosa Council Community Governance Model
Noosa
CouncilTourism
Noosa
Social
Environment
Culture
Economic
• Community Sector Boards with approximately 10 representatives 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
• Small budget + 1 project officer

8. NBL Current Model & selected Working Parties
& Projects
NBL
Governance
Board
Tourism
Social
Environment
Culture
Economic
• Two Councillors on Governance Board
• Advice provided to Council
• Strategies and projects (2-3 major per year, av 20 others operationalised by Boards and
Partners
• Up to 2013 supported by 1.6 staff secretariat member (Project Officer & Exec Officer)
• Budget of $170,000 (Estimate Biosphere community in kind contribution $314,840)
Education
Councillors on
Governance Board.
Secretariat staff
support activities
Communications
Director & Web
Managers
Balance –
Unbalance
Conference &
Committee
Partners
Program
Voices of the
Biosphere Radio
Program
State of the
Biosphere
Working Party
Biosphere
Festival &
Working Party
BISN Centre of
Excellence
Working Party
Information
Sessions &
Programs for
International
Visitors

9. Proposed Noosa Biosphere Reserve
Management
Noosa Biosphere
Governance
Board
Tourism
Social
Environment
Culture
Economic
Education
Noosa
Council
Other BR
Organisations
e.g. BISN/ NCET
Policy/strategy
Working
Parties
Community
Membership
Scheme
Biosphere
Working
Parties - Projects
Council
Staff
Partners
Program
(3 Tier)
• Governance board – key coordinating role, with Councillor representatives
• Sector boards or forums, partners can attend as can other members, council staff as ex-officio
• Expanded partners program with three tier structure to recognise certification
• Working parties for strategic ongoing projects and specific short term projects
• Open membership or ‘friends’ scheme
• Connected to other entities for specific sponsorship & research functions e.g. NCET & BISN – but some shared directors

10. Biosphere Partners
Phase I, II & 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
• Bark Design Architects
• 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

11. Suggested change to partners
program
Three tiered model
• Tier 1 (entry level) being endorsement of their
application,
• Tier 2 for those with recognisable
sustainability certification relevant to their
field,
• Tier 3 for those who have achieved the Tier 1
and 2 status and also demonstrate triple-
bottom line actions.

12. Working parties – ongoing & project
specific
• State of the Biosphere
• Biosphere Institute for Sustainability: Noosa
• Biosphere Festival
• Balance-Unbalance conference
• Climate adaptation project
Possible new ones
• International designation
• Branding and certification

13. Conclusion
• We have developed a great Noosa model that
is just gaining traction
• What we need is evolutionary change that
builds on our achievements and strengths
• The issues are complex and detailed and we
need more than 10 minutes to unpack them
• Please take a look at some of our outcomes!

14. Appendices follow

15. Final proposal for BR
Management – 2008
UNESCO approval for change to
management structure that was in the
original submission (prior to
amalgamation).
CEO emailed UNESCO and had this
response
“From my reading of your
Management Model for Noosa, I see
that it addresses very well the broad-
based stakeholder consultation and
co-operative approach that is
recommended by the Seville Strategy
and the Statutory Framework.”
UNESCO MaB Director Dr Natarajan
Ishwaran 5/3/2008

16. Findings from reviewing other models
e.g. North Devon (UK), Western Port (Victoria), Western Cape (South Africa)
• Most have a management group that has representation from
different stakeholders, universities, different levels of government,
business, environmental groups
• Some have a specific scientific/research group
• Most that have a program of activity and action have paid staff
(project officers, Executive Officers etc), generally funded by various
levels of government (e.g. Council and national)
• There are some membership models around (not especially
successful), some free, some paid, not necessarily any link between
them and the management group
• None have a model with community involvement across sectors
• Our focus beyond environment to economic and education (and
including social, cultural focus especially is quite unique). This is
also the key to our strength.

17. How are sector board and 3 community
directors on Governance board appointed?
• Application via selection
criteria
• Boards interview and put
forward appointments
• Look for coverage of skills
& expertise across board
• Working party (2
Councillors, 2 officers,
Chair) endorse
• Checks & balance process
– appeal option
• Is this democratic?
• Democratic processes –
allow individuals in a
group or society to be
involved in decision
making processes
• NBL operates according to
open, democratic and
ethical principles

18. Community directors
The Role
• Board members are volunteers from the
community who are interested in progressing
the principles of biosphere reserves
• Board members are involved in offering
advice, but also planning & implementing
projects, and engaging in various events &
activities
• Board members are expected to attend
meetings regularly and engage with related
reading, discussion and activity
• Board members need to be able to work
effectively as part of a team & to engage in
debate and discussion in a respectful &
engaged manner
• Across the scope of each board, members
with knowledge in the field, and skills &
experiences in areas such as research,
writing, communication & project
management are desirable.
Nomination form
• Past experience & qualifications that would
assist in performing role as Governance
Board Director
• Previous community involvement
• Additional information to support your
selection
• Understanding of what a biosphere is and
vision for NBR
• Capacity to contribute to strategic planning
and decision making with company board,
leadership & governance experience
• Ability to contribute to working effectively as
part of a team
• Commitment and capacity to devote
reasonable time required by the board
• Any other information to support nomination

19. Sector boards (or forums)
Role
• Promote projects that support the
functions of Biosphere Reserves
• Encourage partnerships between the
Sector Boards, and with other
organisations, to foster those projects
• Develop action plans to provide a strategic
framework for identification and
implementation of projects
• Provide advice on such projects, plans and
other matters
• Monitor progress on the contribution of
projects to achieving the overall vision for
the Noosa Biosphere Reserve, including
development and use of key performance
indicators.
• Provide and receive advice without fear or
favour.
Nomination form:
• Past experience of relevance to your chosen board
• Previous/current community involvement
• Additional information to support your selection
– Extensive experience and/or a keen interest in one or
more themes of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve
– Sound experience in strategic planning and/or thinking
– Ability to contribute effectively to working as part of a
team
– Enthusiasm, commitment and capacity to devote
reasonable time required by the Board or specific
projects

20. Noosa Biosphere Partners – key
mechanism for community engagement,
ideas generation and sharing
Criteria
• 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.

21. Extend ‘Membership’ – open
membership or friends scheme
• There could be an open membership (or friends) category created
• Members could nominate to be on working parties, sector boards
or governance board
• They could also be called upon to volunteer for different Biosphere
Reserve and community events
• Tiered payment scheme to recognise different income levels
• According to some other BRs, membership programs can be labour
intensive to support, with low financial returns need to factor that
into resourcing
• Currently individuals can’t be called ‘members’ under current
constitution – council is the only legal ‘member’, would have to be
‘friends’ or change the consititution.