Minutes of Meeting

Biodiversity Advisory Committee Meeting

Venue	Conference Room, Station Street, Mullumbimby
Date	Thursday, 16 February 2023
Time	9.00am

BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL

Biodiversity Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes   16 February 2023

Minutes of the Biodiversity Advisory Committee Meeting held on Thursday, 16 February 2023

File No: I2023/160

PRESENT:        Cr S Ndiaye, Cr P Westheimer, Cr S Balson [Virtual]

Staff:  Shannon Burt (Director Sustainable Environment and Economy)

            Liz Caddick (Biodiversity Team Leader)

Caitlin Weatherstone (Project Officer-Koala)

Julia Adams (Sustainability Team Leader ) left at 10:00am

            Ruby West (Student Intern)

            Andrew Cameron (Agricultural Extension Officer) left at 10:10am

            Claudia Caliari (Biodiversity Projects Officer)

Pete Boyd (Biodiversity and Agricultural Projects Officer) Joined at 10:10am

            Michelle Wilde (Minute Taker)

Community: Liana Joseph,

                     James Jackson

                     David Milledge

                     Leonard Cronin

                     Dave Rawlins (Brunswick Valley Landcare)

  Lindsay Murray

  Martin Brook

Stephen Millard

Cr P Westheimer (Chair) opened the meeting at 9:02am and acknowledged that the meeting was being held on Bundjalung Country.

Attendance via AUDIO-VISUAL LINK: Cr S Balson

Apologies:

Sharyn French (Manager Environmental and Economic Planning), Chloe Dowsett (Coast & Biodiversity Coordinator)

Declarations of Interest – Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary

Dave Rawlins declared a non-pecuniary interest in Report 4.2 Biodiversity and Agriculture Projects and Operations Update. The nature of the interest being that Dave is an unpaid volunteer participating in Indian Myna trapping.

Dave Rawlins declared a pecuniary interest in Report 4.2 Biodiversity and Agriculture Projects and Operations Update. The nature of the interest being that Dave is a paid contractor working at one of the six sites for the 2022 Koala Habitat Restoration Project.

Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings

Report No. 3.1           Confirmation of Minutes from 17 November 2022 meeting

File No:                       I2023/41

Committee Recommendation:

That the minutes of the Biodiversity Advisory Committee Meeting held on 17 November 2022 be confirmed.

(Westheimer/Cronin)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Business Arising from Previous Minutes

There was no business arising from previous minutes.

Staff Reports - Sustainable Environment and Economy

Report No. 4.1           Meeting Schedule for 2023 Biodiversity Advisory Committee

File No:                       I2023/71

Committee Recommendation:

1.      That the Biodiversity Advisory Committee notes the scheduled meeting dates and times for 2023 and include a meeting in November / December 2023.

2.      That the Biodiversity Advisory Committee advise of any agenda items for future meetings.

(Ndiaye/Westheimer)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.2           Biodiversity and Agriculture Projects and Operations Update

File No:                       I2023/42

Committee Recommendation:

That the Biodiversity Advisory Committee notes the update on current projects and programmes being undertaken by Council staff.

(Westheimer/Ndiaye)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried..

Report No. 4.3           Brunswick Valley Landcare Support Officer quarterly report, July to September 2022.

File No:                       I2023/129

Committee Recommendation:

That the Biodiversity Advisory Committee note the report.

(Westheimer/Ndiaye)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.4           Best Practice Management of Camphor Laurel on Rural Land

File No:                       I2023/79

Committee Recommendation:

That the Biodiversity Advisory Committee notes this report and requests that Council’s website information on Camphor Laurels is updated.

(Westheimer/Jackson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.5           Carbon sequestration and incentive schemes

File No:                       I2023/43

Committee Recommendation:

That the Biodiversity Advisory Committee notes this report on carbon sequestration and incentive schemes currently available in Byron Shire.

(Westheimer/Ndiaye)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.6           DNA of feral dogs and dingoes

File No:                       I2023/45

Committee Recommendation:

That the Committee notes the report.

(Westheimer/Ndiaye)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

There being no further business the meeting concluded at 11:05am