RFI - Ecological Response Letter

                                                                              Our Ref:    PR22116
                                                                              Date: 28 October 2022
Patrick Murphy
Coordinator Planning
Noosa Council
Email: [email protected]



Dear Patrick


RE:     Information Request for 178 Davis Rd, Cootharaba

Green Tape Solutions has been engaged to provide ecological and bushfire advice in relation to
proposed residential dwelling development at 178 Davis Rd, Cootharaba (Council reference
MCU22/0128). Please find herewith our response to the ecological and bushfire issues raised in the
Information Request letter dated 22 August 2022. Please note that we have also updated the ecological
report and bushfire reports for the site to include this additional information.

Items 1 and 2

Issue
The proposed Asset Protection Zone (APZ) details that the inner area will be cleared completely for a
distance of 15m with the remainder being the outer area with canopy trees retained and undergrowth
removed. The total number of trees to be removed is not provided and what ‘canopy trees’ is defined
as is not detailed.

Information Required
Provide a total number of trees to be removed due to clearing.
Provide an explanation of ‘canopy trees’ and what size trees will be removed/retained within the outer
area.

Response:

The total number of native trees (DBH greater than 100mm) to be removed for the dwelling and ancillary
areas, including the bushfire APZ Inner Protection Area, is 55 trees. However, one of these trees, tree
65, is a dead tree, and therefore the total number of live trees being removed is 54. The Ecological
Assessment Report has been updated with a tree survey plan and tree schedule to show the location
of the trees to be retained and removed, and their attributes. There are some additional sapling trees to
be removed from these areas that were not surveyed because they were less than the standard 100mm
DBH minimum size threshold for tree survey pick-up.

Canopy trees to be retained in the bushfire APZ Outer Protection Area refers to any existing native trees
taller than 3m. Existing canopy tree species that are less than 3m in height are to be removed from the
Outer Protection Area, along with shrubs and other understorey vegetation greater than 100mm in
height. It is considered that any trees greater than 3m in height can be pruned so that they do not have
any limbs lower than 2m above ground, whilst still maintaining a healthy, growing tree canopy.


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                    Telephone: 07 5428 6372 / Email: [email protected]
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