Late last year Noosa grabbed international media headlines with the award of Biosphere Reserve status. Suddenly a small corner of our world was given a big tick by UNESCO. But what does biosphere status mean for Noosa and should the hinterland apply for its own biosphere. Mayor Bob Abbot (pictured) explains.
Noosa Shire received biosphere status from UNESCO because they saw a community of human beings living within the means of their environment. It was a pat on the back for that community if you like, a recognition for work they had done. It was also an encouragement to go further and build on what had been achieved. I saw it also as a brand for the tourism industry, and the Noosa Tourism Association saw that too before we completed our application.
UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program
The Man and the Biosphere research program (MAB), aims to improve the relationship of people with their environment globally. Launched in the early 1970s, it notably targets the ecological, social and economic dimensions of biodiversity loss, and the reduction of this loss. It uses its World Network of Biosphere Reserves as vehicles for knowledge-sharing, research and monitoring, education and training, and participatory decision-making.
One of the key aspects of biosphere status is that the natural environment is prominent in front of your eyes rather than being in the background. And Noosa has achieved that.
There are a number of examples of this integration. Say, for example, you stand on Noosa Hill, if you look due west there are probably 15,000 people living there but you can only see three or four houses.
Maleny was leading the way long before Noosa
There are certainly other communities on the Sunshine coast that share that sense of harmony and balance between the human and the natural environments, so it is possible for them to apply for biosphere status. Maleny for example was leading the way long before Noosa was. Maleny had an understanding of the social, environment and economic mix for 20 or 30 years.
So Maleny is a classic example of where people live in the environment, farm, work and still have an environment around them which is attractive. And keep in mind, an environment in a biosphere doesn’t have to be totally natural.
It’s the best it can be with man’s involvement in it.
Farmers are an integral part of a biosphere, but it’s how they do that farming that makes the difference. They tend not to use chemicals. They tend not to plough right up to the creek banks. So, a biosphere is not a national park, it’s not somewhere that’s completely pristine. It’s the best it can be with man’s involvement in it.
People who live in that Montville Maleny area have enormous ownership of where they live and have achieved iconic legislation to cover them. I was disappointed that Maleny wasn’t included in that legislation and I hoped that it would cover the whole Blackall Range. But Maleny has always been different and taken different approaches . So, it may be better focusing on establishing a biosphere.
I think the social benefits of say a biosphere from Nambour down to Maleny are obvious. It can bring the community together with a common focus. The benefits are enormous when people are aware and live within the means of their environment.
It’s a realisation that you live somewhere special
While a new biosphere reserve would need council, it also needs a community that talks this up. We would like to see that the Blackall Range community is keen to do this. But there’s no use going to UNESCO to apply for biosphere status if half the people don’t want to do it, because the first thing UNESCO does is come out here and check it out. It’s got to be real for them. Status is not given because it might be. It’s given because it is. It’s about a realisation that you live somewhere special and being committed to it.
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