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



> Absence known or suspected: Suitable habitat does not occur within the Site and/or species known
  distribution is well separated from the Site.
The results of the desktop searches are provided as Appendix A.

2.2             Field Assessment Methodology
A field survey of the Site was completed over a 2 day period from the 28th to 29th of March 2017. Field surveys
were completed in accordance with our existing permits:
>     Scientific Purposes Permit WISP12206812; and
>     Animal Ethics Approval CA 2015/10/906.
Specific methodology for each of the field assessment components is described within the following sections.

2.2.1           Flora Assessments
The flora survey program was designed to:
>     identify the general location and extent of areas of native vegetation of “local origin” within and immediately
      adjacent to the Site; and
>     detect the presence of EVNT flora within and adjacent to the Site using a survey methodology that is
      consistent with the “Flora Survey Guidelines - Protected Plants”.
Flora surveys included searches for threatened species identified by desktop assessment as considered likely
to occur and identification of weed species declared under the Biosecurity Act 2014. Flora searches were
conducted using the random meander technique to opportunistically identify significant, threatened and weed
plant species.

2.2.2           Terrestrial Fauna Assessments
The fauna assessment was based on habitat assessment and the opportunistic detection of fauna, or evidence
of their presence, during the survey period. It involved the following.
>     Bird survey involving visual observations of birds or otherwise identification of species from calls.
>     Active searches for Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) including searches for scratch marks on trees,
      searches for scats around the base of eucalypts and direct visual sightings.
>     Active searches for Glossy-black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) feeding signs (i.e. chewed orts).
>     Daytime search of the ground layer (under logs, rocks and leaf litter), low vegetation (under bark and in
      tree stumps) and other potential habitat features for invertebrates and all amphibians, reptiles, bats and
      animal signs (e.g. scats, owl pellets, remains and tracks).
>     A search for habitat features such as nests, hollows, burrows, water bodies, wetlands, dreys, fissures.
>     Assessment of the habitat types and habitat features available within the Site and an assessment of the
      likelihood of threatened species occurring or otherwise utilising the habitat given the level of disturbance
      at the Site associated with the presence of David Low Way and the Site’s past and existing residential use.


2.3             Survey Limitations
The combination of desktop and field based survey methods and effort are considered adequate taking into
account the size and context of the Site.




8 August 2017                                           Cardno                                                        4