Decision Notice OPW20 145 06 (As Published) · OPW20/0145.06

                      c.      Provide a written report to Council with the request for the prestart meeting of all pre-
                              clearing activities and initiatives.
                      d.      Co-ordinate staging and sequence of clearing with fauna protection.
                      e.      Protect and recover fauna during clearing operations (fauna not previously removed).
                      f.      Manage the translocation of animals and recovery procedures in accordance with
                              relevant legislation.
                      g.      Undertake protection works for mulching of any stockpiled vegetation.
                      h.      Conduct a pre-clearing trapping program targeting native ground-dwelling and arboreal
                              mammals. The trapping program will be designed to move through the site, in
                              accordance with the tree clearing program. Each area will be trapped for a minimum of
                              four (4) nights, and any animals captured will be relocated to suitable habitat area/s
                              outside of the construction and clearing works area.
                      i.      The program will utilise the following trapping methodologies:
                              i.       Pitfall traps/funnel traps
                              ii.      Small (Type A) Elliott traps;
                              iii.     Medium (Type B) Elliott traps;
                              iv.      Cage traps
                              v.       All traps will be baited with the universal mixture of peanut butter, honey and
                                       rolled oats.
                      j.      Once each area has been trapped, and the extent of the trapped area clearly identified
                              the groundcover and midstorey will be cleared 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.
                              *(Refer to Advisory Note)

                      Clearing trees
               65.    Clearing non-habitat trees must be conducted in the following manner:
                      a.      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).
               66.    Clearing habitat trees must be conducted in the following manner:
                      Hollow inspection and removal
               67.    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 a 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:
                      a.      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.




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Document Set ID: 24395463
Version: 4, Version Date: 03/02/2026