2 David Low Way - Attachment 2 - Ecological and Bushfire Assessment Report 9-8-17

                                                                                              Ecological and Bushfire Assessment Report
                                                                                                  Lot 71 on MCH 2854, Castaways Beach




2               Assessment Methodology
2.1             Desktop Assessment Methodology
Prior to undertaking the ecological surveys, a comprehensive review of background information was completed
by an ecologist. The principal objective of the review was to identify threatened flora and fauna, and ecological
communities known and likely to occur within and around the property in order to prioritise the field survey
effort accordingly. The following sources were reviewed as part of the desktop assessment.
> The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) Protected Matters Search
  Tool to identify Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) that may potentially occur in the
  Study Area. Search conducted using approximate centre coordinates (-26.42587,153.10668) and a 2 km
  buffer.
> The Queensland Wildlife Online database for state listed threatened species under the Nature Conservation
  Act 1992 (NC Act). Search conducted using approximate centre coordinates (-26.4262, 153.1068) and a 2
  km buffer.
> A search of the Atlas of Living Australia and Australia’s Virtual Herbarium databases to identify known
  records of threatened, least concern and pest species recorded within the vicinity of the property. Search
  conducted using approximate centre coordinates 2 km buffer.
> The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP) Protected Flora Survey Trigger Map to
  identify survey and permit requirements relating to threatened plants.
> The Regulated Vegetation Management Map prepared by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines
  (DNRM) pursuant to the Vegetation Management Act 1999.
> DEHP’s Koala Conservation in SEQ State Planning Regulatory Provisions (Koala SPRP) mapping to
  determine if the property is within the Koala Assessable Development Area.
> Queensland Government’s SARA mapping system to confirm the property’ SEQ Regional Plan land use
  category, coastal mapping, and the presence and category level of Qld waterways for waterway barrier
  works.
> Historical and contemporary aerial photography of the locality to investigate changes in vegetation cover
  within the Site and adjoining coastal dune system.
> The current Noosa Plan mapping and reports including Vegetation of Noosa Shire (Edition 2).
The knowledge obtained from this review process informed the design of the field survey program and the
preparation of base maps.
The process of refining the list of flora and fauna species to be targeted involved reviewing the known and
specific habitat requirements for each species against the known or expected availability of such resources on
the Site and immediate surrounds. For each of the identified species an assessment of the likelihood of
occurrence was undertaken with each species being assigned to one of the following categories.
> Known: The species has been positively recorded within the Site by a qualified ecologist during past 30
  years.
> Likely: Suitable habitat for the species occurs within the Site and proximate records1 of the species in the
  Site locality exist.
> Possible: Suitable habitat for the species occurs within the Site but no recent records from the Site locality
  exist.
> Unlikely: Suitable habitat for the species does not occur within the Site, but recent records from the Site
  locality do exist.



1
  Proximate records are highly reliable records (i.e. identified through GPS precision or an accurate location description) that fall within
the search area that are <50 years in age.


8 August 2017                                                     Cardno                                                                  3