RFI - Ecological Assessment Report

                                                                                                                    Ecological Assessment Report



Table of Contents
Acronyms and Glossary ....................................................................................................................... 1
       Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 2
     1.1     Site Description ..................................................................................................................... 2
     1.2     Proposed Development ......................................................................................................... 3
     1.3     Scope of Works ..................................................................................................................... 3
2      Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 6
     2.1     Desktop Assessment ............................................................................................................. 6
     2.2     Field Survey........................................................................................................................... 6
       2.2.1   Flora Species Survey ......................................................................................................... 7
       2.2.2   Fauna Species and Habitat Survey ................................................................................... 7
       2.2.3   Survey Limitations ............................................................................................................. 7
3       Environmental Regulatory Framework ........................................................................................ 8
4      Ecological Values Assessment .................................................................................................. 15
     4.1     Ground-truthed Vegetation Communities ............................................................................ 15
       4.1.1   Vegetation Community 1: Eucalypt Forest south-west of house site ............................. 15
       4.1.2   Vegetation Community 2: Eucalypt forest east of house site ......................................... 16
       4.1.3   Vegetation Community 3: Regrowth Eucalypt forest west of house site ........................ 17
       4.1.4   Vegetation Community 4: Grassland to the north of house site ..................................... 18
     4.2     Weed Species ..................................................................................................................... 18
     4.3     Fauna Species Assessment ................................................................................................ 18
     4.4     Flora Species Assessment .................................................................................................. 19
     4.5     Habitat Assessment ............................................................................................................ 19
     4.6     Corridors and Linkages ....................................................................................................... 19
     4.7     Summary of Ecological Values............................................................................................ 20
5      Proposed Development Impact Assessment ............................................................................ 25
     5.1     Impact and Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................... 25
     5.2     Offsets ................................................................................................................................. 28
     5.3     Assessment against the Legislation .................................................................................... 28
       5.3.1   Council’s Legislation ........................................................................................................ 28
       5.3.2   State Legislation .............................................................................................................. 48
       0
    6 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................50

7       References ....................................................................................................................................52


Appendix 1 EPBC Act Protected Matters Search ................................................................................ 53
Appendix 2 Wildlife Online Database ................................................................................................... 67
Appendix 3 DOR Vegetation Management Report .............................................................................. 75
Appendix 4 Council Planning Scheme Overlay Maps .........................................................................102
Appendix 5 Site Species List ...............................................................................................................105

TABLES
Table 1: Property Information .................................................................................................................. 2
Table 2: Legislative Framework .............................................................................................................. 9
Table 3: Summary of desktop and site assessment results. ................................................................. 21
Table 4: Summary of potential impacts and associated mitigation measures. ..................................... 25
Table 5: Assessment against the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands overlay Code ..................... 35

FIGURES

Figure 1: Site location (Source: Queensland Globe) ............................................................................... 3
Figure 2: Proposed Development Layout. ............................................................................................... 5
Figure 3: Noosa Plan 2020 Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands overlay with development footprint
    ........................................................................................................................................................ 28
Figure 4: State Koala habitat mapping with development footprint ....................................................... 29
Figure 5: Tree Retention Plan ............................................................................................................... 49


                                                                                      PR22116_EA_178 Davis Rd, Cootharaba                           Page iii