MCU14/0056 Ecology Addendum report Att G - Information response

    g)   How the proposal protects riparian zones by removing undesirable plant species and replacing them with
         vegetation of a local origin.

A list of observed weed species was noted within Section 4.3 the EAR including declared pests and locally listed
environmental weeds. The proposal intends to retain and rehabilitate the waterway corridor. Detailed Weed
Management and Rehabilitation Plans will be prepared as part of operational works.

Weed management be undertaken throughout the site with particular focus on removal of competitive species
within the corridor area and will provide a basis of aiding natural regeneration within the riparian corridor. Where
significant disturbance occurs, infill tubestock planting will be utilised to aid stabilisation and native vegetation
succession. Weed removal will be managed to ensure bank stability and hydrological function are not impacted. Post
weed-removal, revegetation of the riparian corridor will be undertaken to varying degrees, depending on the level of
disturbance. This will involve the cultivation and planting of native species and erosion and sediment control
management. The Revegetation and Weed Management Plan will provide details on the types of plant species which
will be used to rehabilitate the riparian corridor (refer to Landscape and Design Plans further detail on revegetation
and weed management measures proposed).

Item 33: Riparian Buffer
31 - Information Required
Provide justification, based on environmental grounds, for the development to occur with[in] the riparian buffer area.

The site has been identified by in a preliminary risk based assessment by Saunders Havill Group and in the Council’s
commissioned report by Ecotone Environmental Services Report as Low Conservation Priority due to historical
land use and surrounding urban development resulting in the development site being highly modified, largely
devoid of native vegetation, and isolated by major arterial development to the north and south. Field survey of the
site did not identify the presence of, or habitat for, significant Commonwealth, State or local species fauna or flora
species. Further, the EAR prepared for the project identified that due to the highly disturbed and fragmented nature
of the site, the application area presents limited opportunity to provide habitat connectivity and usage is limited to
highly mobile species.

Site survey identified that ecological values contained to the waterway corridor which traverses the south-eastern
portion of the site. The mapped waterway is identified as a low value (stream order 1) watercourse and is highly
fragmented from surrounding areas by major arterial development to the north and south. Assessment of the area
identified that the waterway is not considered part of a strategic wildlife corridor or containing significant tracks for
fauna movement (refer to the “Fauna and its Associated Biodiversity Values in Noosa Shire” report by Ecotone
Environmental Services). Further, field survey noted that the waterway is heavily infested with weeds and in its
current degraded condition does not contain enough features to provide habitat for native amphibian species.

Proposed development of the site is restricted to already cleared areas of the site which were identified by the
EAR for the project as containing low to no ecological value. As discussed in the response to Item 32a, the riparian
buffer area extends over approximately half of the site (refer Attachment 1), with only 0.005ha of the 1.1ha western
riparian buffer containing complex riparian vegetation and the remainder of the mapped buffer area (approximately
1.095ha) consisting of mowed grass. The 0.005ha of riparian vegetation, along with an additional 10m buffer from the
existing vegetation boundary is to be retained by the development (a total average 30m buffer from the stream order
1 watercourse). The project however proposes development within the remainder of the western buffer area which
consists of maintained grass and identified by the EAR as containing no ecological values or function as a riparian
corridor. This area of encroachment consists of highly degraded and treated grass, is not mapped by Commonwealth
of State environmental overlays and is identified as not containing vegetation that falls within Council’s
environmental protection category (refer to EAR – Appendix D for further detail).