Updated EMP Stage 2_Grasstree Court April 2023

2023 Ecological Management Plan – Grasstree Court – Lot 9


In September 2021 Blue Care submitted the project (under the EPBC Act) to the Commonwealth. The
Commonwealth determined (October 2021) that “the proposed action is not a controlled action”.

1.2 Purpose of the Plan
The overall purpose of the plan is to implement the approval conditions 12-20 provided by Council (and the
State) in order to minimise impacts to ecological values, where possible. The plan (as per the approval
conditions) aims to address recognised ecological and restoration principles.

The EMP is updated in 2023 due to the rehabilitation process and strategy being superseded subsequent to the
approval of both the Stage 1 EMP and Stage 2 EMP 2. Stage 1 rehabilitation works has been completed and
achieved on-maintenance in September 2022. The five year monitoring period concludes in September 2027.
The Stage 1 rehabilitation works has also incorporated the planting of trees, sufficiently accommodating the
requirements for both Stage 1 and Stage 2 tree planting 3.

The purpose of the amended (2023) EMP is to update the rehabilitation strategy associated with the
rehabilitation (receiver) site to accommodate works already completed for Stage 1 and 2, incorporate a
capping exercise to the landfill area and address the balance rehabilitation for Stage 2.

1.3 Objectives
In accordance with approval conditions the overall objectives of the plan are to:

     •    Manage vegetation and fauna during the clearing operations;
     •    Identify glossy black-cockatoo active feed trees in order to collect seeds (for future propagation);
     •    Identify an area offsite for rehabilitation;
     •    Describe the rehabilitation process and associated maintenance obligations; and
     •    Management of threatened flora, where necessary.

1.4 Statement
The author (Justin Watson) and co-ordinator for this management plan has been involved in the research,
ecological and consulting field for more than 30 years, including nearly 20 years in the Noosa and SEQ region.
He has a PhD in ecology, is a Certified Environmental Practitioner with the Environment Institute Australia and
New Zealand and a past committee member of the Queensland Environmental Law Association and past
councillor for Birds Australia (now Birdlife) and Birds Southern Queensland committee member. In 2008, he
was awarded an Adjunct Associate Professorship position with the Institute for Land, Water and Society
(Charles Sturt University) in recognition of his “contribution to teaching, research, scholarship and creative
work.” . His PhD, subsequent research has focussed on biodiversity, rehabilitation, understanding ecosystem
functioning and identifying a practical approach to restoring landscapes (including in the Noosa and Sunshine
Coast region). He is regularly engaged by local and State government to provide specialist/technical review of
project EIS’ and threatened species (including the Commonwealth provisions and koala management). He has
given expert evidence in the Planning and Environment Court, Land Court and the Land Tribunal and has
provided advice to the Court since 2003.
Stage 1 rehabilitation works (offset site) was initiated in April 2021 by Biodiverse Environmental following
meeting with Council (14 April 2021). The Stage 1 rehabilitation was completed (and approved by Council) in
September 2022 with the five-year maintenance period to be completed by September 2027. The Stage 1
rehabilitation works has also incorporated some milestones for Stage 2 rehabilitation.




2 Amendments necessary      to rehabilitation strategy and areas due to on site conditions, weed management, Council
requirements and in order to achieve an acceptable long-term ecological outcome.
3 All tree planting requirements for Stage 1 & 2 have been completed as part of Stage 1 works. Additional tree planting is

proposed for Stage 2.
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