12:00a.m. 12th September 2007

| By Peter Gardiner

It may not be Bob Abbot’s last tango in Paris, but it is Noosa’s latest shot at making any new political masters stay in step with the community’s sustainable green push into the future.

Noosa’s mayor flies out tonight for France with council CEO Bruce Davidson and two key environmental advisers for the final pitch to UNESCO’S advisory committee to have the shire and surrounding waters declared an international biosphere reserve.

Mr Abbot said that with Noosa facing a forced amalgamation with Caloundra and Maroochy shires, it was all the more critical for the Noosa Biopshere application to succeed.

“This would add an extra layer of protection to Noosa and would force a new Sunshine Coast council to consider its international recognition as an environmentally sustainable community,” he said.

“It would draw a focus on Noosa and let the council know that the eyes of the world are watching.”

Mr Abbot said the threat of amalgamation, which Noosa did not accept as a done deal, had clouded the final assessment phase.

He said it was necessary for council to acquire a letter of support from outgoing Premier Peter Beattie for the biosphere designation.

He said the response to date to Noosa’s bid under UNESCO’s Man and the Biopshere program had been positive.

A decision should be handed down before the end of the month.

Mr Abbot said biosphere status would be recognition of the efforts of the people of Noosa to become sustainable and also open the way for international funding sources.

Council’s submission states that: “Noosa has the only substantial coastal mainland remnant vegetation areas in the growing conurbation between Byron Bay and Bundaberg.

“When considered in totality with adjacent remnants, Noosa can be seen as a core biodiversity area critical to maintaining overall biodiversity representation and quality in south-east Queensland.”