Appendix F - Ecological Assessment Report

 

WEED MANAGEMENT

WEED SPECIES TO BE CONTROLLED

Weed management is to include the management of all
environmental weeds from Vegetation Protection Covenant Area
(refer RPO1 Plate A) including weeds listed in the following
documents:

. Declared plants under the Land Protection (Biodiversity Act
2014 and sub-ordinate Regulation 2016);

. Weeds of National Significance (WONS) under the
Commonwealth Government Weeds strategy;

. Invasive Naturalised Plants in South East Queensland, 2002,
Queensland Herbarium;

. Noosa Local Government Area Pest Management Plan
2015-2019;

. Undesirable Species as listed in Planning Scheme Policy 3
Landscaping Plants and Guidelines; and

. Any other exotic plants known to exhibit weed characteristics
(i.e. Invasive, competitive characteristics)

ESTIMATED SCHEDULE

Weed management is to comprise treatment application to all
observable exotic taxa as required. Treatment and assessment must
continue until declared plants have been controlled (i.e. they are
visually dead or dying). The frequency of treatment shall be
determined in conjunction with the contractor and be designed to
achieve off maintenance at the end of the 36-month maintenance
period.

GENERAL METHODS

All works are to be conducted in line with the SEQ Ecological
Restoration Framework. All weed treatments to comply with Minor
Use Permit PER11463 & 82307, product labels and individual SDS,
and other applicable permits as well as the Chemical Usage
(Agricultural and Veterinary) Control Act 1988, Agricultural Chemical
Distribution and Control Act 1966, and the Work Health and Safety
Act 2077 (including all applicable Regulations).

All weed management works are to be conducted by experienced
persons proficient in both native species and weed species
identification. The method adopted for removal of weeds from the
site will be dependent upon the physical stage of development of
individual weed specimens. Only herbicides registered for aquatic
use as detailed on the manufacturer's specifications are to be
applied within or immediately adjacent to waterbodies. Herbicide
sprays should be applied in non-windy conditions in order to prevent
incidental poisoning of native species and not on days preceding
forecast rainfall. A period of three to four weeks is usually required
between herbicide application and revegetation.

ASSISTED NATURAL REGENERATION

Assisted Natural Regeneration management will be undertaken
within vegetated areas of the Covenant Protection Covenant Area as
it is dominated by existing established native vegetation with a low
level of exotic weed invasion (refer RP02 Plate B green shading).
Assisted Natural Regeneration applies.

° To natural areas where the native plant community is
largely healthy and functioning;
. When native plant seed is still stored in the soil or will be

able to reach the site from nearby natural areas, by birds or other
animals, wind or water,

° Where the natural regeneration processes (seedling
germination, root suckering, etc.) are being inhibited by external
factors, such as weed invasion, soil compaction, cattle grazing,
mechanical slashing, etc.;

 

 

PROJECT TITLE

   

P: OF 4808984

 

Environmental Managoment Consultants

 

70 Bex 9568 ParifcParadive owt 2564 | COVENANT AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN

. When limited human intervention, such as weed control, minor
amelioration of soil conditions, erection of fencing, cessation of
slashing, etc. will be enough to trigger the recovery processes
through natural regeneration; and

. When the main management issue is weed infestation and/or
current land use practices.

The re-establishing plant community will be substantially similar in
structure, composition and diversity to the original vegetation type
(based on the Regional Ecosystem (Pre-Clearing) mapping). It is
expected the general management techniques are to follow the
principles of:

1. Identifying nodes of resilience;

2. Working to strengthen identified nodes and protect and
encourage all existing and naturally regenerating species
through assisted natural regeneration processes; and

3. Working outwards from nodes of resilience to increase the size
of nodes and gradually connect to other nodes of resilience.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Performance criteria have been set to provide easily identifiable and
quantitative indicators of revegetation progression.

Table 1 identifies the performance criteria to be used to assess the
success of the weed control works. These performance criteria must
be met for the works to be considered successful. The rehabilitation
works are to be assessed against these Performance Criteria to
ensure compliance with this Rehabilitation Plan.

Certification is to be issued to Council at the completion of works to
demonstrate that the rehabilitation works have achieved the
nominated Performance Criteria.

It should be noted that under the Biosecurity Act 2014 the landowner
is responsible for biosecurity matters on their land.

TABLE 1 - PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Weed
management

 

No live woody weeds present in the canopy &
mid-canopy at the end of the on-maintenance
period.

<5% coverage in the understorey of invasive
plant species listed under the Planning Scheme
Policy 2 Landscaping and Council’s Biosecurity
Plan 2020 pest plants listed in Schedule 1 part
3, Schedule 2 and Non-scheduled invasive
species.

Weed management to maintain a weed free
zone around each planted tubestock.

3 Monthly (or as required) weed maintenance

within the assisted natural regeneration areas
until the end of maintenance period.

 

Revegetation Mulch replenishment when required.
Tubestock are watered when required.
a. Year One — 12 months after installation:

i. Planted trees have achieved an average
height of 1m.

li. Planted shrubs have achieved an average
height of 0.4m.

b. Year Two - 24 months after the installation:

i. Planted trees have achieved an average
height of 2m.

ii. Planted shrubs have achieved an average
height of 1m.

c. Year Three - Final acceptance installation:

|. Planted trees have achieved an average
height of 3m.

 

 

 

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Revegetation

ii. Planted shrubs have achieved an average height of 1.2m

iii, Canopy and / or vegetative strata must not be devoid for any area greater than 1.0m? within any 10m?
sample.

iv. Plant density shading out and/or self-mulching.

d. The duration of the establishment period:

i. Adherence to maintenance regime for rehabilitation and revegetation areas.

li. No evidence of woody weeds reshooting from stumps, poisoned trees or the regrowth of cut stumps.
ili. No evidence of over-weeding or impact on non-target species.

iv. Signs of indigenous recruitment in rehabilitation areas.

v. Weed infestations less than 5% of the rehabilitation areas.

vi. Any failed plants within the previous 12 month period have been replaced.

vii. Healthy and vigorous growth allowed to grow to full form.

viii. Mulch layer sufficient to suppress weeds.

 

Ecological
Preservation

A “no clearing zone” must be established and maintained over the land area defined over the area identified
as vegetation protection covenants on the Approved Plans.

The following activities must not be carried out within the no clearing zone:

a. clearing, cutting down, poisoning, lopping or pruning of native vegetation which is indigenous to, or
planted within, the zone

b. soil/spoil dumping and/or compacting

c. soil excavation, other than for planting indigenous native plants or for works which are a natural
consequence of this approval.

The following exceptions apply:
i. declared plants under the Biosecurity Act 2014, and any Council Listed Environmental
Weeds, Undesirable species, Exotic Grasses and other plants identified in writing by Council

li. indigenous native trees which pose a well-founded threat to persons or property as approved in writing
by Council

iii. controlled bushfire burns to maintain ecological processes subject to submission of a Bushfire
Management Plan and agreed in writing by Council.

 

Additional

 

 

Removal of any structures, debris or materials foreign to a natural environment within the Vegetation
Protection Covenant Areas.

 

WEED COVERAGE

A list of typically occurring weed taxa observed within the site is detailed in Table 2.
TABLE 2 —COMMON AND OBSERVED WEED SPECIES LIST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Form Key — T= Tree S= Shrub H= Herb V= Vine G= Grass

Botanical Name Form Common Name Status
Ageratum houstonianum H blue billy goat weed |
Cinnamomum camphora T camphor laurel R
Lantana camara Ss lantana R
Paspalum dilatatum G paspalum |
Passiflora suberosa Vv corky passion vine |

Solanum mauritianum Ss wild tobacco tree |

 

 

 

 

 

 

Status

| = Introduced, R = Restricted Invasive plant listed under the Queensland Biosecurity Act 2014

FENCING TO PROTECTED LAND

A permanent fence must be constructed around the entire perimeter of a Vegetation Protection Covenant area. The fence

must be constructed

to the following specifications:

a. 1.2 metres high;

b 3 strand plan wire (no barb):

c Bottom strand no less than 300mm off the ground;

d. Include a vehicular or pedestrian access gate (refer RPO5 for indicative location); and

Cc. Include A5 sized signage with the wording “Vegetation Protection Covenant Area — No domestic animals” every

15m, durable, weather resistant and visually complementary to the natural environment.
Fencing location is depicted in Plate C RPO5.

 

 

 

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