210055 - 327 Kinmond Creek Road, COOTHARABA - Flora Trigger Assessment Report

The survey steps included the following:

      1. Choose a starting point within the particular habitat of interest and record the time. The choice of
          starting point is determined by the suitably qualified person based on their experience.

      2. Record the identities of the threatened plant species observed and collect specimens for any unknown
          species.

      3. Traverse the particular habitat in a random manner so as to maximise the coverage of habitat and the
          encounter rate of different species.

      4. Record the time every 2 to 5 minutes. If the survey needs to be interrupted, do not include this time in
          the results.

      5. Continue searching until no new species have been recorded for 30 minutes or when the entire area
          of habitat type is surveyed, whichever happens sooner.

Where multiple habitat types or vegetation communities are present within a clearing impact area, a timed
meander assessment is to be undertaken within each of these.

Previous extensive ecological surveys have been undertaken by Green Tape Solutions across the site. These
surveys have included general baseline botanical surveys to describe the dominant flora species, vegetation
communities and their extent.

2.2.2      Survey Limitations
The ability to detect plants and accurately identify them to species level can vary greatly with season, prevailing
climatic conditions and the presence of reproductive material (e.g. flowers, fruit and seed capsules). The
survey undertaken as part of this assessment only represents a ‘snapshot’ in time and therefore may not
provide a true indication of plant presence at the site. For example, some cryptic flora species (e.g. Orchids)
may only be detected during particular flowering periods which may not coincide with the survey period. Hence,
this survey should not be regarded as conclusive evidence that certain protected plants do not occur at the
site. However, every effort has been made to detect these species in their preferred habitat areas.

2.2.3      Clearing Impact Area and Impact Area Buffer
As per the DES Guidelines (DES, 2019), the clearing impact area is defined as the area to be cleared
(development footprint), including an additional area 100m in width around the development footprint within
the mapped flora trigger area.

2.3        Key Personnel

Kelly Matthews (Principal Ecologist, Green Tape Solutions)
The desktop assessment and site survey works were led by Kelly Matthews. Kelly has 18 years of ecological
and environmental consulting experience within a range of sectors, including linear infrastructure, energy and
resources, urban development, local (Brisbane City Council) and state government and natural resource
management.

Kelly’s areas of specific expertise include terrestrial flora and fauna field surveys (including threatened species
and habitat assessment surveys); vegetation community delineation, condition assessment and mapping
(including Regional Ecosystem (RE) delineation and BioCondition assessment); environmental offset
suitability assessments; GIS analysis (including landscape connectivity analyses); ecological restoration and




PR20257_EVNT_327 Kinmond Creek Road, Cootharaba                                                             Page 7