The Noosa Biosphere Reserve
A celebration of community and the environment
Biosphere
reserves are
established to
promote and
demonstrate a
balanced
relationship
between
humans and the
environment.
The Noosa region is a special place because of its beautiful natural
environment, the people and groups who have worked to look after it, and the
way the community works towards becoming a healthy community in a
healthy environment that can be enjoyed by generations to come.
The Noosa biosphere reserve was recognised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 2007 under its Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program.
The Noosa biosphere reserve is one of 621 worldwide across 117 different countries.
What is a biosphere?
The global biosphere is a scientific term and
includes all the parts of the land, sea, and
atmosphere in which organisms are able to
live. The Man and the Biosphere program is
a UNESCO initiated international program
that identifies different places in the world
that have special environments, with a range
of plants and animals. Biosphere reserves
often have passionate communities where
people want to look after that environment
and find ways to live in a sustainable manner.
Biosphere reserves are established to
promote a balanced relationship between
humans and the environment. The Noosa
biosphere reserve is one of fourteen in
Australia.
What happens in biosphere
reserves?
A biosphere reserve has communities that
strive to live sustainably, utlising natural
resources wisely, and includes one or more
protected areas for conservation purposes.
 Each biosphere reserve includes
ecosystems that are typical or special to
that region.
 It is a land or coastal/marine area in
which people live and interact with the
environment, sometimes in sparsely
populated areas and sometimes in built
up areas like Noosa.
 It is a regional centre for monitoring,
research, education and training about
environmental sustainability.
People enjoy interacting with the built and natural environment at Noosa.
How is Noosa biosphere reserve managed?
Everyone who lives in and visits the region can
play a part in looking after the Noosa biosphere
reserve by taking action to protect and celebrate
the natural environment, and trying to reduce
waste and unnecessary consumption.
Noosa Biosphere Reserve works with different
volunteer community advisory boards and a
variety of community groups to support and
promote programs that encourage looking after
the environment, balanced interactions between
people, businesses and the environment and
sharing what we’ve learnt.
Noosa biosphere reserve features
The Noosa Biosphere Reserve is recognised
globally for its rich biodiversity. Contained in the
reserve’s 875 square kilometres are:
 35% protected lands such as national parks,
conservation parks, state forests, vacant
crown land, lakes and streams
 Over 44% of all of Australia’s bird species
 1,365 species of plants
 711 species of native fauna
 60 distinct ecosystems
One flowering plant endemic to our region is the
Boronia keysii (Key's Boronia). This is the flower
that The Noosa Biosphere Reserve’s logo is based
on. There are many rare and endangered animals
that live or visit the Noosa region including:
 Black throated finch
 Cooloola sedgefrog
 Dugong
 Ground parrot
 Flatback & Loggerhead turtles
 Mary River Cod
 Platypus
 Queensland Lung Fish
 Three-toed snake tooth skink
 Whistling tree-frog.
Installation by Susan Coburn, Floating Land, Boreen Point.
What else is special?
The Noosa biosphere reserve is also significant because it
includes celebrated holiday destinations and a tourism
industry. It boasts beachside resort towns, hinterland
villages, farming areas and a range of industries and
businesses.
The Noosa region has a long and rich cultural history. This
is featured in local museums, information centres,
libraries and galleries. It is also home to many practising
artists and cultural groups. A number of internationally
renowned festivals are held in the region including the
green art focussed ‘Floating Land’.
A small selection of places to visit
include: Noosa & Great Sandy National
Parks, Tewantin Forest Reserve,
Lookouts at Noosa and Mt Tinbeerwah,
Noosa Museum at Pomona, Cooroy
Library and Butter Factory Arts Precinct,
Noosa Library and Wallace House
Precinct, Noosa Art Gallery, Hasting St
& Noosa Marina Visitor Information
Centres & Parkyn Hut at Tewantin.
For enquiries, please contact:
Noosa Biosphere Secretariat
Email: [email protected]
Telephone +61 7 5329 6209
Information sheet updated in August, 2014
For further information about UNESCO Man and the
Biosphere Reserves go to www.unesco.org