Attachment 7C - Flora and Fauna Survey Assessment_Noosa Landfill - Revision 3

                                                                                                                            Native Foresters



Table of Contents
1.0      INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................5
      1.1 Scope ..................................................................................................................................5
      1.2 Objectives of the report .......................................................................................................5
      1.3 Site description ....................................................................................................................6
      1.4 Legislative requirements .....................................................................................................7
      1.5 Proposed works ...................................................................................................................7
2.0      METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................11
      2.1 Desktop review ..................................................................................................................11
      2.2 Field assessment...............................................................................................................11
          2.2.1 Flora survey ...............................................................................................................11
          2.2.2 Fauna survey .............................................................................................................12
          2.2.3 Breeding places and fauna habitat assessment .......................................................13
          2.2.4 Surface water - Groundwater interaction...................................................................14
          2.2.5 Justification of survey timing and weather conditions ...............................................15
          2.2.6 Limitations of this study .............................................................................................16
3.0      RESULTS ..............................................................................................................................18
      3.1 Desktop review ..................................................................................................................18
          3.1.1 Regulated Vegetation and Regional Ecosystem mapping ........................................18
          3.1.2 Essential Habitat designation ....................................................................................18
          3.1.3 WildNET search.........................................................................................................20
          3.1.4 EPBC Protected Matters ...........................................................................................20
          3.1.5 Protected Plants Flora Survey Trigger map ..............................................................20
          3.1.6 Koala legislation ........................................................................................................22
          3.1.7 Wetlands and Watercourses .....................................................................................23
          3.1.8 Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems.......................................................................23
          3.1.9 Habitat Suitability Model ............................................................................................24
          3.1.10 Matters of State Environmental Significance ............................................................26
      3.2 Flora assessment ..............................................................................................................26
          3.2.1 Vegetation Community Composition .........................................................................26
          3.2.2 Invasive Species ........................................................................................................30
          3.2.3 Timed Meander Survey .............................................................................................31
      3.3 Fauna assessment ............................................................................................................33
      3.4 Assessment of breeding places and fauna habitat quality ................................................38
          3.4.1 Proposed Clearing Area ............................................................................................38
          3.4.2 Land Zone 3 ecosystems – Wetland areas ...............................................................38
          3.4.3 Land Zone 5 ecosystems – Scribbly Gum woodland and Eucalypt forest ................39
      3.5 Surface water / Ground water Assessments .....................................................................47
          3.5.1 Hydraulic connectivity ................................................................................................47
          3.5.2 Induration ...................................................................................................................47
          3.5.3 Rainwater infiltration and changes in water quantity .................................................48
          3.5.4 Changes in surface water / ground water quality ......................................................49
4.0      ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ..........................................................................53
      4.1 Impacts to flora ..................................................................................................................53
      4.2 Impacts to fauna ................................................................................................................55
5.0      SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................57
      5.1 Flora and vegetation communities ....................................................................................57
      5.2 Fauna ................................................................................................................................58
      5.3 Summary of Impacts..........................................................................................................59
6.0      RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................................................60
      6.1 Vegetation clearing ............................................................................................................60
      6.2 Surface water ....................................................................................................................60
      6.3 Groundwater flow and Groundwater dependent ecosystems ...........................................60
      6.4 Fauna ................................................................................................................................61
      6.5 Invasive species ................................................................................................................61



Noosa Landfill & Resource Recovery Centre – Fauna and Flora Assessment – Revision 3                                                            3