The Noosa Biosphere is planning a community  celebration event at Noosa Woods on Sunday 19th  of September 2010.

The event marks the birthday of the Noosa Biosphere designation 3 years ago, and the ‘family friendly’ day being planned will be informative (speakers and forums) as well as showcase both our natural and community assets across the entire Biosphere.

We think all community groups and associations are natural community assets!

Therefore we would like all local community groups to consider becoming involved and not only attend the day’s festivities, but also consider creating an information booth/table so they too can communicate with the local community about their organisation.

An open invitation to all local community groups and organisations:

What: Noosa Biosphere Day (FREE community event)

Where: Noosa Woods (end of Hasting St) where travel to the event will be promoted towards bus, bike, boat or by foot.  TravelSmart.

When: SUNDAY – 19th of September

Times: Open to the public 10am – 4pm

Cost to community groups: Nil – unless you have special requirements that result in extra equipment.

This is an open invitation from the Noosa Biosphere Sector Boards to all community organisations within the Noosa Biosphere boundaries (old Noosa Shire boundaries).  This invitation goes beyond just environment groups.  We recognise the important social contribution of all groups and we especially welcome groups from the hinterland, as you are part of the Biosphere too!

The objective behind inviting local community groups is to both celebrate and illustrate the breadth and depth of community activities – all working and volunteering alongside each other to help make this a special region. 

The showcase, should many community groups choose to join our celebrations, may be undercover or out in the open.

Expressions of Interest:

If you are a community group and interested in participating, please fill in the form at the end of this invitation letter by the 30th of June and return to Helen Gregory.  Please include any special requests in the form available for downloading here.

Helen Gregory's details:

email:        secretariat@noosabiosphere.org.au

fax:            5447 1362

phone:       5449 5122 (for any Biosphere Day enquiries)

by post:     Noosa Biosphere Secretariat, P.O Box 141, Tewantin 4565

By way of background, The Vision of the Noosa Biosphere is:

Your Noosa Biosphere Reserve will be a learning community that cultivates harmony between people and nature, for both conservation and sustainable development.

All UNESCO Biosphere Reserves have three complementary functions

• Conservation – to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, and ecosystems;
• Sustainable Development – to foster economic and human development that is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable;
• Learning – to support demonstration projects, environmental education and training, research and monitoring related to local, regional, national and global issues of conservation and sustainable development;

Within that context, The Noosa Biosphere objectives are:

1. promote conservation of landscapes, ecosystem, species and genetic variations;
2. foster economic and human development that is socially, culturally and ecologically sustainable;
3. provide support for demonstration projects, environmental education and training, research and monitoring related to local, regional, national and global issues of conservation and sustainable development;
4. promote best practice land and water conservation, sustainable living, sustainable business and sustainable tourism practices, supported by nationally and internationally recognised education and research opportunities; 
5. promote community, industry and government understanding of the interaction between conservation of the environment, ecologically sustainable human development, and how that is supported in a UNESCO Biosphere;
6.  facilitate the establishment of partnerships which advance the Noosa Biosphere Reserve as a learning place for sustainable development;
7. promote and assist in the implementation of the Australian Biosphere Reserve Management Principles prescribed pursuant to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 including the implementation of the Management Plan;
8. work towards the expansion of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve to include adjacent areas that share environmental values that meet the criteria of UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve designations;
9. recognise the development potential and capacity of people to bridge global environmental agendas with local human development aspirations;
10. advance the overall goals of the Madrid Action Plan (MAP) program in addressing emerging global sustainable development challenges:

• accelerated climate change with consequences for societies and ecosystems;
• accelerated loss of biological and cultural diversity with unexpected consequences that impact the ability of ecosystems to provide services critical for human well-being;
• rapid urbanisation as a driver of environmental change.