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

                                                                                      Native Foresters



1.0 INTRODUCTION
Noosa Council is currently in concept design stage for the development of Cells 2.3 and 2.4
of the Noosa Landfill. Native Foresters has been commissioned by Noosa Council to
conduct a flora and fauna survey and habitat assessment of the land adjoining the eastern
edge of the Noosa Landfill and Resource Recovery Centre, including groundwater-
dependent ecosystems.

This report assesses the fauna and flora which are present; the ecological condition of the
subject site, and the presence of breeding habitat for native fauna. Design and construction
plans for the proposed expansion will need to take into account potential impacts on native
fauna and flora east of the landfill.

1.1      Scope

The works will involve clearing of Category X vegetation adjacent to the eastern edge of
existing landfill areas. The area adjoining the eastern side of the approved landfill site is
mapped Category B Regulated Vegetation - Endangered and Least concern vegetation as
well as mapped Essential Habitat for Koala, Wallum Rocketfrog and Wallum Froglet. It is
noted that Noosa Council has been issued a Permit A – RARP2005/101216 which allows
clearing for the area nominated in Appendix A.

Earthworks required for the construction of the cells have the potential to change existing
groundwater levels on site and in surrounding areas. Changes to surface water flows are
also required.

The scope is to determine whether the proposed cell expansion, and associated
hydrological changes, surface and groundwater, have the potential to impact on regulated
flora and fauna under state and federal legislation. Figure 2 shows the potential impact
area, proposed clearing area and the 100m buffer area. The potential impact area
encompasses the areas located within the elevations that groundwater may be lowered to
in order to match to existing groundwater lowering systems.

1.2      Objectives of the report

The objectives of the report are as follows:
    To provide the results of the Flora Guidelines – Protected Plants (Nature
       Conservation Act 1992);Survey undertaken in compliance with the requirements of
       the Flora Survey
    To provide the results of the Breeding Places Assessment undertaken in compliance
       with the DES Species Management Program Requirements for tampering with a
       protected animal breeding place, the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and Nature
       Conservation (Wildlife Management) Regulation 2006.
    To comment on the potential impacts that surface and groundwater hydraulic
       changes resulting from proposed works may have on adjacent vegetation
       communities, including Groundwater-dependent ecosystems; and on the breeding
       habitats for State and/or Commonwealth listed fauna species.
    To provide preliminary recommendations relating to the potential mitigation of
       impacts where considered relevant to proposed works.



Noosa Landfill & Resource Recovery Centre – Fauna and Flora Assessment – Revision 3                5