Fauna Management Plan v1 - Lake MacDonald Drive, Cooroy

Fauna Management Plan v1                                                                      NCES REF: J000662
Lot 101 on SP142407, Lot 140 on MCH978, Lot 3 on RP137375,
Lot 2 on RP852009 and Lot 8 on RP160703 – 27 Wilgee Court, Cooroy


5     FAUNA MANAGEMENT MEASURES – DURING CLEARING

5.1      Vegetation Clearing Direction
All trees are to be searched for wildlife presence prior to felling and potential or known habitat trees
are to be left standing for a minimum of one night prior to eventual felling.
Vegetation clearing is recommended to be undertaken such that only one clearing front is progressed
at any one time within any one vegetation community. This will allow fauna to move away from the
clearing front into adjacent vegetation or seek refuge in other retained vegetation communities within
the site or adjacent to the site. The spotter catcher shall determine the direction of clearing and
advise the clearing contractors accordingly.
5.2      Sequential Vegetation Clearing
Vegetation clearing is to be carried out using a sequential clearing method as follows:
      1. The groundcover and mid-storey are to be cleared first utilising a slasher with a mulching
         head attachment or similar. Any hollow-bearing trees and/or other significant habitat features
         identified during the initial site inspection will be retained. All under scrubbing works will be
         completed with a suitably qualified fauna spotter/catcher in attendance.
      2. After under scrubbing of each area is complete, non-habitat trees (i.e. trees other than those
         identified as habitat trees) will be cleared and stockpiled for mulching. Clearing of non-habitat
         trees will only occur where their removal will not impact on identified habitat trees (e.g.
         canopies do not interconnect with habitat trees).
      3. After under scrubbing and clearing on non-habitat trees, an elevated work platform or cherry-
         picker will be used in conjunction with a chainsaw operator and suitably qualified fauna
         spotter/catcher to inspect and remove hollows as necessary prior to habitat tree felling. This
         method involves the fauna spotter/catcher inspecting each of the potential habitat features
         (usually hollows, dreys and arboreal termite nests) to determine the presence of arboreal
         fauna. This process is detailed following the step by step basis below:
         i.    The fauna spotter/catcher (with arborist unless the fauna spotter/catcher is a qualified
               chainsaw operator) will inspect each visible hollow or potential habitat resource (i.e.
               ringtail possum drey) identified in each tree using the cherry-picker. This is usually carried
               out by simply looking into hollows with the assistance of a small torch, however, burrow
               and bore-scopes can also be useful for deep hollows.
         ii.   If fauna is located within a hollow, a piece of towel or rag will be firmly laced in the entrance
               to prevent the wildlife form escaping as in most cases arboreal fauna become aware of
               the presence of the fauna spotter/catcher and may attempt to flee the nesting/denning
               hollow due to a perceived threat. If an occupied ringtail possum drey is encountered, the
               fauna spotter/catcher should quietly approach (i.e. avoid contacting other branches) the
               drey in the cherry-picker bucket and physically capture the possum by placing the entire
               drey in a catch bag or only the possum if it emerges from the drey.
       iii.    Once the hollow entrance has been secured the arborist or fauna spotter/catcher will cut
               the entire hollow limb off below the cavity where the branch remains solid. In
               circumstances where a hollow continues into the main stem of the tree, a small window
               will be carefully cut into the hollow, allowing the fauna spotter/catcher to plug the hollow
               above and below the window, then the hollow limb removed and lowe4red to the ground
               in sections.
       iv.     When the fauna has been safely secured within its hollow, the entire limb can then be
               placed in the cherry-picker bucket or lowered to the ground using ropes depending on
               the size of the limb.
         v.    This limb will then be placed in a cool, quiet location until translocation to the recipient
               habitat site, when at dusk the follow entrance is re-opened to allow the fauna to emerge
               of its own accord.




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