RFI - Ecological Assessment Report

                                                                               Ecological Assessment Report




2 Methodology
2.1       Desktop Assessment

A desktop assessment was undertaken prior to field investigations to review relevant environmental
databases, technical reports, maps and legislation (Commonwealth, State and Local) to identify
ecological values with the potential to occur within and surrounding the site. Recent and historical aerial
imagery was also reviewed to assist with the verification of remnant vegetation. The results of the
desktop assessment were used to inform the field survey design.

Searches undertaken as part of the desktop assessment were based on the site’s central coordinates
with a standard 2 km buffer or by lot and plan. The following resources were reviewed:

      •    Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) Protected
           Matters Search Tool (PMST), Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the
           Environment (DAWE), accessed 9th May 2022 (Appendix 1)

      •    Department of Environment and Sciences (DES) WildNet database (Wildlife Online) records,
           accessed 9th May 2022 (Appendix 2);

      •    Department of Resources (DOR) Vegetation Management Report for Lot 2 on RP157061,
           accessed 28th April 2022 (Appendix 3) which includes the following:

          o   Regulated vegetation management (RVM) map;

          o   Vegetation management supporting map (VM Act Regional Ecosystems) including Essential
              Habitat;

          o   Vegetation management pre-clear regional ecosystem map;

          o   Vegetation management watercourse and drainage features map;

          o   Protected plants flora survey trigger map (administered by the Department of Environment
              and Science DES); and

          o   Koala priority area (KPA) and Koala habitat area (KHA) (Koala Conservation Plan Map;
              administered by DES).

      •    Watercourse Identification Map, accessed 9th May 2022 via Queensland Globe;

      •    DES Biomaps online mapping portal (DES, 2022);

      •    Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) species search (ALA 2014);

      •    Noosa Plan 2020 overlay maps, accessed 9th May 2022 (Appendix 4); and

      •    Aerial imagery (Queensland Globe / Google Earth Pro / ESRI).

2.2       Field Survey

A site assessment was conducted on 13 April 2022 by a qualified ecologist. The assessment involved
the following:

      •    Validation of desktop findings;

      •    Verifying the floristic structure and composition of vegetation communities present;




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