Amended Ecological Assessment Report

                                                                               Ecological Assessment Letter



5.3 Proposed rehabilitation works

The owners acknowledge the prior unapproved vegetation clearing which took place on the property
prior to them purchasing the property. Although they are not responsible for the clearing, they would like
to partly compensate for this loss of ecological values on the property by carrying out some rehabilitation
works in various locations throughout the property. The vegetation removed from the property appears
from aerial photos to be the same as vegetation community 2, being a eucalypt forest with a rainforest
understorey, akin to regional ecosystem 12.3.11a: Open-forest of Eucalyptus tereticornis and/or E.
siderophloia, Lophostemon confertus with vine forest understorey.

The proposed rehabilitation works will be a combination of assisted natural regeneration and
reconstruction, in various locations. Most of the rehabilitation works will focus on areas of Melaleuca
quinquenervia forest, as these areas are the most degraded on the site. Very little rehabilitation can be
done in the area around the dwelling because this area has to remain a low hazard vegetation type for
bushfire management purposes. The rehabilitation areas will be located as shown in Figure 5.

Rehabilitation area 1 will be rehabilitated via reconstruction (new planting) and assisted natural
regeneration. This rehabilitation area is the batter slope below the proposed house location. This area
does not include any of the low-lying tidal floodplain. Plants species will be primarily selected from
regional ecosystems 12.3.1 and 12.3.2 (Table 5). Butterfly foodplants will be included in this area to
provide food for the caterpillars of various local species, including the vulnerable Richmond Birdwing
Butterfly. Area 1 will be blanket mulched with aged forest mulch, to a depth of 75mm. Canopy trees will
not be planted in this area, to retain the existing views from the house out to the Noosa River and Lake
Cootharaba.

Rehabilitation area 2 will be rehabilitated primarily via assisted natural regeneration techniques, due to
the presence of adjoining forest and high likelihood of a diverse seed bank in the soil. Some minor direct
replanting may be required to supplement natural regeneration. This area should regenerate with
species from the adjoining forest, being regional ecosystem 12.3.4 (Melaleuca forest).

Rehabilitation areas 3 and 4 will be rehabilitated via assisted natural regeneration, due to the presence
of adjoining forest and high likelihood of a diverse seed bank in the soil. These areas should regenerate
with species from the adjoining forest, being regional ecosystem 12.3.4 (Melaleuca forest).




                                                    PR22098_EA_36 Riverpark Rd, Ringtail Creek     Page 33