As Chair, I thought an occasional notation to provide a correction, or at least the official board version of erroneously reported events, was about time.

So let’s start with the misleading rumour that the Noosa Biosphere Ltd is appointing friends to key positions and supply contracts.  Not true.  Those being appointed are the best talent available and have achieved this recognition through competitive pricing submissions, independent panel assessment and full board appraisal.  All standard process.

Noosa is small.  Almost everyone who has ever served on voluntary groups, panels and sector boards know everyone else.  Desirably talent from within Noosa was sought but many outsiders did apply following invitations to do so or ads to seek interest.  All standard process again.

A review was requested over one contract and the Independent Company Secretary checked process and even had Council’s Procurement Department check the standards.  All declared satisfactory.  We spoke to the party concerned and reached an understanding in and around the facts, not hearsay.

A further ‘charge’ was that directors were getting favoured treatment.  No director was so favoured.  Nor were prices disclosed or advantageous paperwork revealed to them and not others.  Again all rumour and unsubstantiated rubbish.

Recently a director retired.  It happens.  Comments made were circulated by veracious letter writers in the media.  You know who they are as they do similarly across a wide range of issues, groups and individuals.

The former director was reported as saying, ‘In its first year, NBL has been pre-occupied with branding, marketing and sponsorship, none of which appear in UNESCO's expectations."

Oops! That isn't correct.  Firstly, the main workload was the formulation of a Plan of Management - which is a requirement set out by UNESCO and also makes sense.  In fact our Federal Government has to sign-off on it for UNESCO.  Secondly. UNESCO's Seville Strategy document for Biosphere Reserves states clearly the following recommendations:

•    21. Give biosphere reserves more visibility by disseminating information materials, developing communication policies and highlighting their roles as members of the (UNESCO) Network  - (also called branding and marketing)
•    22. Mobilise private funds, from businesses, NGOs and foundations, for the benefit of biosphere reserves. (also called sponsorship)

Readers interested in the facts will find the Seville document here as a download.

So, when facts are known you see that one can get the feeling that an agenda against Noosa Biosphere Ltd is running. Why?
Many people over past decades have contributed to forming what is the Noosa of today.  Congratulations, well done, recognition and thanks.  Some of the same were intimately involved in the biosphere submission to UNESCO.  Thanks, well done, congratualtions and hurray!

But they are not on the board!  Why? And why attack those who are?  A structural description of just how the biosphere reserve was proposed to be managed was in the submission.  For whatever reasons it was amended to get newly amalgamated council funding and support to benefit not only Noosa but the new region.

The people who applied from the community to be considered for the board were chosen for skill-sets, experience and community standing.  Sector boards were added to the mix as representative of community sectoral interests (see the web site for them).  Council has representatives in this structure.  This is pretty standard after other Council supported entities had got into trouble and a structural change was needed for better leadership and governance.

Those who thought they were entitled to favoured access didn’t make it.  So I ask again, ‘Why attack those who did?’  This behaviour doesn’t fit biosphere social values.  Readers might think on this and ask what is their agenda to turn out so viciously against hard working volunteer community people?

Onto my last ‘red flag’.  Noosa Biosphere Limited has been ‘criticised’ for taking two years to produce anything.  On the face of it this is perhaps a fair cop.  You decide:

•    Council amalgamations and decisions under the Local Government Act and Treasury delayed incorporation until December 2008.  About 10 mths after formal declaration following approval in late 2007 by UNESCO;
•    All of the above Saville deliverables have been commenced and many completed.  The Plan is done and a world-class website is active for information, education and connection to the community;
•    A wish-list of >100+ projects is on tap for selection as part of the plan;
•    Some 20+ projects have been or are being initiated (see list below for information);

Note from UNESCO – on average a start-up biosphere can take between three and five years to get traction with organisation and projects.  Bugger, we are too early.

So, community, we cannot stop the nay sayers but you can think about all of the above and ask, ‘Who do we prefer to run our biosphere reserve?’  The complainers and critics who cannot point to a single project in their name.  Pardon where?  Or the good professional board who are delivering more than expected of them.

Until next time, happy living and engagement in your biosphere.

Michael

Celebrating Noosa Biosphere and our achievements

Community Engagement

• World class website Launched – November 2009 (includes regular News, Environmental and Community blogs and commentary)   
• Joint project with Noosa News – Promoting community feedback to Council’s statement of proposals – Tues 1st December  2009 edition
• Community Forum , Q&A with leaders and Dr Ish - 12th November 2009
• Screening of the Biosphere Movie at an official launch - 13th November 2009
• Planning for a Noosa Biosphere Day – tentative March or June 2010
• Community Radio segments planned for 2010, training commenced.
• Planned Business Roundtable events, Economic Sector Board initiative for 2010
• Celebrating ‘living the Biosphere’ – series of profiles of locals in Noosa News
• Note:  It is also worth celebrating volunteerism generally, as hundreds of hours of community volunteer time from over 60 folks across different walks of life has been committed to the Noosa Biosphere, i.e. Coming together to meet regularly and discuss, brainstorm and then go away and implement projects!  

Working in partnership with others

• Endorsement and working in partnership with established events such as NICA’s ‘What Native Plant is That’, and the Schools ‘Waste Wise’ project
• Working in partnership with Floating Land exhibition
• Creating a Network of Australian Biospheres in partnership with the Great Sandy and Mornington Peninsular Biospheres.
• Working with schools to engage young folks, resulting in a recent school prize to Noosaville state school awarded by Dr Ish.
• Multiple submissions by various sector Boards to the Councils Our Place Our Future community consultation campaign, on behalf of the Noosa Biosphere - outlining our values and expectations.    

Sustainability ‘Thought Leadership’

• Perspective pieces planned – Climate Proofing the Biosphere in partnership with Peter Waterman, including community engagement around Climate change.
• Perspective pieces planned – De mystifying the population cap, helping our community understand and value this important part of the former Noosa Plan
• PRIZM workshop
• Systems thinking workshop   
• Tourism Noosa’s sustainability plan
• ‘Learning Hub’ aspirations    (Long term project) to create an international place of learning about sustainability values.  Bringing together world leaders and scholars to debate and discuss the topic for the benefit of the environment and our communities.    

Measuring and Monitoring

• Koala tracking - Online survey (Environment Board initiative)
• Tree Mappa project by the Cultural board – looking at identifying distinct trees around region