State of the Environment Reporting is not yet a legislative requirement in Queensland, however the Johnstone Shire Council has been proactive in producing a report at year 2000 as a benchmark for future reports. It is anticipated that updates to this report will be provided for 2001, 2002 and 2003 with a new report being compiled for 2004. This report defines environment as including the natural, built, social and economic environments and is called a 'State of the Shire' report.
Where possible the report uses the traditional model of Pressure-State-Response, with the addition of an implications parameter which is a more recent development in the field. Through this model appropriate responses are proposed to reduce the pressure on the state of the environment and assist the Shire with striving to achieve ecological sustainable development.
Biodiversity - Flora and Fauna - the Johnstone Shire is part of the Wet Tropics Bioregion of Queensland. It is home to a large, but unknown, number of flora and fauna species, a significant proportion of which are rare or threatened. The biodiversity of the area is subject to numerous threats, with protected area management being the most prominent initiative to address this concern. Recommendations include further studies, public awareness, and more sustainable management of existing resources.
Land Management - within the Johnstone Shire, catchment management assists with managing the natural resource. Many disturbances are identified in the Johnstone River, Moresby River and Liverpool Creek Catchments, with the effects of adjacent land uses on waterway health being a significant issue within each catchment. Pest management, minimum-tillage cultivation, and best management practices are being established within the sugar cane industry to protect natural resources. In some locations urban land uses were also found to be degrading the surface waters, ground waters and floodplains. Recommendations include forward planning and management of waterways, improved sewage management throughout the Shire, and enhanced sustainability of primary production.
Water and Atmospheric Management - Ground, fresh, tidal and estuarine, and coastal waters are valuable assets, contributing to the maintenance of many industries and natural resources. Many studies, and monitoring of these resources, have been undertaken, with results indicating that the quality of these resources is generally good. Limited information is available on atmospheric quality with no assessment undertaken, though, it is the belief of many that atmospheric pollution is not an issue in the Shire.
Solid Waste Management - Council currently operates a transfer station at Bells Creek, and a transfer station and dry waste landfill at Stoters Hill. Many initiatives have been adopted to reduce the amount of waste for disposal, including waste separation, composting, community education, waste management plans, vermiculture, drummuster, and pre-cyclone clean ups. In addition, a waste stream analysis, wheelie bin survey, and community attitude survey have also been conducted to identify areas for future improvement. Recommendations include establishment of a waste reporting system, monitoring and review, and further public education.
The Shire Community - At the time of the 1996 census, the Johnstone Shire had a population of 19,780 persons of varying age and background. These residents were well provided for with regard to housing, education, family support services, cultural and recreational organisations, and legal and public safety initiatives. Access to a greater range of health services is required. There is room for improvement within each of these services, especially in specialist care, and facilities such as youth recreation and specialised housing, with promotion of services available urgently needed. Recommendations include increased specialist care, the provision of culturally sensitive services, and the installation of unstructured youth recreational facilities.
Economic Development - Economic and urban development in the Shire is built upon the agricultural, tourism and business industries. The Shire has been, and still is, reliant on agricultural industries, with movement toward expansion and creation of new industries. There is potential for increased tourism in the Shire, with existing and proposed attractions being more widely promoted to improve our market share. However, for these industries to prosper, the Shire must have adequate accommodation, retail, service and professional businesses to meet their needs. Expansion of the economy should be matched by an expansion of urban development to cater for the increase in people and businesses. Recommendations include commissioning of a rainforest canopy walk, establishment of an ethanol industry, improved public recreational facilities, and establishment of strategies to attract more people to the Shire.
Council Activities - Council has in place many programs to manage and protect the environment and reduce environmental harm. Many of these activities are subject to strict monitoring and reporting requirements, with an assessment of Council activities showing a high level of compliance with licence requirements. Council has also assessed old landfill sites, with strategies proposed for remediation of these sites. Council's focus is now on maintaining its assets, especially with a resealing program of the 500km of Council controlled roads in the Shire, replacement of timber bridges, and adoption of programmed building maintenance and total management programs for water and sewage facilities. Recommendations include that Council resource the revolving fund for voluntary acquisition of land with high conservation value, upgrade the Innisfail sewage treatment plant, install sewage at Mission Beach, continue to implement the road resealing program and landfill closure plans.
The report has listed a number of recommendations that are aimed at reducing the pressures, where required, or at maintaining the current state. This report provides a benchmark and as such it is impossible to make comment on whether the shire environment (economic, social and natural) is improving, maintaining a constant level, or deteriorating. Future reports will be able to make comparisons to see if the implemented recommendations have reduced the pressures on the environment.
