MCU14/0106 & OPW15/0001 Appendix F - Ecological and Bushfire Management Response

                                                                         Supplementary Ecological Assessment Report
                                                                                              Noosa Civic Expansion




2               Assessment Methodology
2.1             Targeted Frog Survey
A supplementary targeted frog survey was undertaken by Cardno ecologists between 25 February 2015 and
27 February 2015 following two weeks of heavy rain. This survey specifically targeted the following threatened
frog species: Wallum Sedgefrog, Tusked Frog, Wallum Froglet, Green-thighed Frog, Cooloola Sedgefrog,
Giant Barred Frog and Wallum Rocketfrog. Weather conditions at the time of survey are provided in Table
2-1.

Table 2-1         Survey Period Weather

 Date              Rain (mm)      Min temp. (C)   Max Temp         Moon Phase
                   (24hrs)                         (C)

 25/02/2015        1.6            22.7             27.9             Waxing crescent (42% full)

 26/02/2015        0.4            21.4             27.7             First quarter (50% full)

 27/02/2015        0.8            21.5             28.5             Waxing gibbous (68% full)

Surveys were conducted generally in accordance with the techniques described in the Commonwealth Survey
guidelines for Australia’s threatened frogs (DEWHA. 2010), the Queensland Terrestrial vertebrate fauna
survey guidelines (DSITIA. 2014a), and the Queensland Targeted Species Survey Guidelines for the Wallum
Sedge Frog (Litoria olongburensis), Wallum Froglet (Crinia tinnula) and Cooloola Sedgefrog (Litoria
cooloolensis) (DSITIA. 2014b,c,d). Specifically, the survey was conducted during the optimal season (i.e.
December – February) and one week after heavy rainfall.
Surveys consisted of a combination of point and transect spotlight surveys on foot (visual and aural surveys)
at three survey sites positioned within areas of potential habitat. Habitat assessments were undertaken during
previous surveys, and were verified during the targeted frog survey. Search times and surveys techniques are
described further within Table 2-2. The location of survey sites is shown within Figure 1.

Table 2-2         Targeted Frog Survey Effort and Techniques

 Date           Time     Time     Time     Total Survey     Survey techniques
                Sunset   Survey   Survey   Time (person
                         Start    End      hrs.)

 25/02/2015     1822     1830     2130     6hrs             Spotlight surveys on foot, tadpole searches, aural
                                                            point surveys, and visual and aural survey within
                                                            suitable habitat (50m transects).

 26/02/2015     1821     1850     2200     3hrs 10mins      Spotlight surveys on foot, tadpole searches, aural
                                                            point surveys, and visual and aural survey within
                                                            suitable habitat (50m transects).

 27/02/2015     1820     1830     2130     3hrs             Spotlight surveys on foot, tadpole searches, aural
                                                            point surveys, and visual and aural survey within
                                                            suitable habitat (50m transects).

This recent investigation supplements previous fauna assessments (which included dedicated searches for
threatened frogs) undertaken by fauna ecologists at the end of the wet season / beginning of the dry season,
between 8 April 2013 and 9 April 2013 and 29 April 2013 and 3 May 2013. These surveys employed the use
of pitfall traps, funnel traps and incidental searches over five days and nights. A two hour dedicated frog
search following heavy rain was also undertaken on the 8 April 2013.




28 April 2015                                      Cardno                                                        2