Updated EMP Stage 2_Grasstree Court April 2023

2023 Ecological Management Plan – Grasstree Court – Lot 9


Once collected, the cones were taken to Florabunda Nursery and managed for future propagation. The process
generally includes, placing cones in warm dry location for valves to open and release the seed. Once seed is released,
they are stored below 3oC 4 until germination of seeds are required.

Germination of seed will be staggered over time to ensure trees are available for planting in the various locations as
proposed and approved by Council, including the landscaped/retained areas within and immediately adjacent to the
subject land, the proposed rehabilitation/offset site and within local parks and open space areas.

In late 2020, approximately 800 tubestock have been grown on, with more than 100 larger pots ready for planting in
early 2021 (e.g. for Stage 1 rehabilitation).

In September 2022 some 670 grown-on feed trees had been planted on the rehabilitation site.


2.2 Threatened Flora
As part of the State requirements for “threatened flora”, a report was prepared (for Lot 6 and Lot 9) in accordance
with the Flora Survey Guidelines – Protected Plants (DEHP 2016) 5 under the Nature Conservation Act (NC) 1992.

The original report was submitted to the State on 22 November 2018 for an activity that is:
    • Exempt under Section 261ZA – i.e. no EVNT plant species found to occur on site; and
    • With regard to the DEHP (2015) Operational Policy - Wildlife Management - When a protected plant in
         Queensland is considered to be “in the wild”

The State has approved/acknowledged the report (reference APP0030284) with the following provision:
Clearing of a protected plant under this section must be conducted within two years after the flora survey report was
submitted to the Department of Environment and Science.

Further threatened flora surveys have been completed for Lot 9 (January 2021). As no threatened plants were located
within the clearing area and in accordance with the State Guidelines, a protected plant clearing permit is not required
from DEHP. Submission of the survey report to DEHP is taken to be notification to the Department. The 2nd report
(notification) was submitted to the State in April 2021.

In summary, target threatened flora surveys have been completed in November 2018 by Queensland recognised
botanists and “suitably qualified persons” Dr Stephen Catchpoole and Dr Ann Moran. Additional field surveys
(September, October, November 2018) were completed by “suitably qualified persons” Dr Justin Watson. Further
detailed/targeted surveys were completed over Lot 9 in December and January 2021 by Dr Watson, Liam Pratt and
Lachlan Simpson.

The State has approved/acknowledged the report (reference APP0077353). For clearing related to this flora survey
report to be exempt (i.e. avoid a further survey) the clearing must be completed within 3 years after the relevant flora
survey was conducted, i.e. by January 2024.

No threatened species were located within or immediately adjacent to the subject land. One specimen of the
Macarthuria complanata and several specimens of the Blandfordia grandiflora (Christmas bells) were recorded within
Noosa National Park (Lot 147 NPW889). The subject land and area to be cleared does not support suitable habitat for
these species. Despite no further actions required, protective fencing (to avoid inadvertent clearing of threatened
species and vegetation to be retained) is recommended in the State Flora reporting and to be part of the
recognised/best practice measures to be implemented as part of this document.




4 Storing seeds at this temperature maintains viability up to 12 months.
5 DEHP (2020) Flora Survey Guidelines – Protected Plants. Version 2.01. Wildlife and Threatened Species, Department of
Environment & Science.


                                                                                                                     12