Biodiversity Assessment: 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria
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Final Report Biodiversity Assessment: 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria Prepared for BB Design Group September 2019 Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd MELBOURNE: 292 Mt Alexander Road, Ascot Vale VIC 3032 GEELONG: 230 Latrobe Terrace, Geelong West Vic 3218 BRISBANE: Level 22, 127 Creek Street, Brisbane QLD 4000 ADELAIDE: 22 Greenhill Road, Wayville SA 5034 CANBERRA: PO Box 6067, O’Connor ACT 2602 SYDNEY: Level 5, 616 Harris Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007 www.ehpartners.com.au | (03) 9377 0100 Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 3 2 STUDY AREA ....................................................................................................... 3 3 METHODS .......................................................................................................... 3 4 RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 5 5 LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS ................................................................ 8 6 MITIGATION MEASURES ....................................................................................... 9 7 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................... 9 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 11 FIGURES ................................................................................................................. 13 APPENDIX 1 - FLORA ................................................................................................. 18 Document Control Assessment Biodiversity Assessment Address 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria Project number 12516 Project manager Elyse Harrison (Technical Officer – Botany) Report reviewer Robyn Neville (Senior Botanist) Mapping Julian Yuan (GIS Officer) File name 12516_EHP_BA_3013HentyHighwayHeywood_Final_24092019 Client BB Design Group Bioregion Warrnambool Plain CMA Glenelg Hopkins Council Glenelg Shire Copyright © Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd This document is subject to copyright and may only be used for the purposes for which it was commissioned. The use or copying of this document in whole or part without the permission of Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd is an infringement of copyright. Disclaimer Although Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that an accurate document has been prepared, the company accepts no liability for any damages or loss incurred as a result of reliance placed upon the report and its contents. Biodiversity Assessment: 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria 2 1 Introduction Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd was commissioned by BB Design Group to conduct a Biodiversity Assessment at 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria. The purpose of the assessment was to identify the extent and type of remnant native vegetation present within the study area and to determine the likely presence of significant flora and fauna species and/or ecological communities. This report presents the results of the assessment and discusses the potential ecological and legislative implications associated with the proposed action. 2 Study Area The study area is located at 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria, approximately 335 kilometres west of Melbourne’s CBD (Figure 1). The site covers approximately 2.3 hectares and is bound by agricultural land to the north, and the Princes and Henty Highways to the west, east and south. The study area is generally flat pasture land, with a drainage line running adjacent to the property along both the Princes and Henty Highway. The land is heavily grazed and degraded by cattle. There is a small waterbody/wallow toward the centre of the property, which adjoins a thin stream flowing along the eastern property boundary. This stream connects to the drainage line along the Princes Highway. According to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) NatureKit Map (DELWP 2019a), the study area occurs within the Warrnambool Plain bioregion. It is located within the jurisdiction of the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the Glenelg Shire municipality. 3 Methods 3.1 Desktop Assessment Relevant literature, online-resources and databases were reviewed to provide an assessment of flora and fauna values associated with the study area. The following information sources were reviewed: • The DELWP NatureKit Map (DELWP 2019a) and Native Vegetation Information Management (NVIM) Tool (DELWP 2019b) for: o Modelled data for location risk, remnant vegetation patches, scattered trees and habitat for rare or threatened species; and, o The extent of historic and current EVCs. • EVC benchmarks (DELWP 2019c) for descriptions of EVCs within the relevant bioregion; • The Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA) for previously documented flora and fauna records within the project locality (DELWP 2018a); • The Illustrated Flora Information System of Victoria (IFLISV) (Gullan 2017) for assistance with the distribution and identification of flora species; Biodiversity Assessment: 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria 3 • The Commonwealth Department of the Environment (DoEE) Protected Matters Search Tool (PMST) for matters of National Environmental Significance (NES) protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) (DoEE 2019); • Relevant listings under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act), including the latest Threatened and Protected Lists (DELWP 2018; DELWP 2017a); • The online VicPlan Map (DELWP 2019d) to ascertain current zoning and environmental overlays in the study area; and, • Aerial photography of the study area. 3.2 Field Assessment A field assessment was undertaken on 26 July 2019 to obtain information on flora and fauna values within the study area. In addition, the two road reserves along the Princes and Henty Highways were also assessed. The study area was walked, with all commonly observed vascular flora and fauna species recorded, significant records mapped and the overall condition of vegetation and habitats noted. Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) were determined with reference to DELWP pre-1750 and extant EVC mapping (DELWP 2019a) and their published descriptions (DELWP 2019c). Where remnant vegetation was identified a habitat hectare assessment was undertaken following methodology described in the Vegetation Quality Assessment Manual (DSE 2004). 3.3 Removal, Destruction or Lopping of Native Vegetation (the Guidelines) Under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, Clause 52.17 of the Glenelg Shire Planning Scheme requires a planning permit to remove, destroy or lop native vegetation. The assessment process for the clearing of vegetation follows the ‘Guidelines for the removal, destruction or lopping of native vegetation’ (the Guidelines) (DELWP 2017b). 3.4 Assessment Qualifications and Limitations This report has been written based on the quality and extent of the ecological values and habitat considered to be present or absent at the time of the desktop and field assessments being undertaken. Data and information held within the ecological databases and mapping programs reviewed in the desktop assessment (e.g. VBA, PMST, etc.) are unlikely to represent all flora and fauna observations within, and surrounding, the study area. It is therefore important to acknowledge that a lack of documented records does not necessarily indicate that a species or community is absent, but instead may reflect a lack of survey effort. A comprehensive list of all terrestrial flora and fauna present within the study area was not undertaken as this was not the objective of the assessment. Rather a list of commonly observed species was recorded to inform the habitat hectare assessment and assist in determining the broader biodiversity values present within the study area. Targeted flora or fauna surveys were not undertaken, as this was beyond the preliminary scope of the project. Nevertheless, the terrestrial flora and fauna data collected during the field assessment and information obtained from relevant desktop sources is considered to adequately inform an accurate assessment of the Biodiversity Assessment: 3013 Henty Highway, Heywood, Victoria 4 ecological values present within the study area. 4 Results 4.1 Vegetation Condition 4.1.1 Remnant Patches The study area is wholly comprised of highly modified agricultural/pastural land, which is dominated by exotic flora (Plate 1; Plate 2). Scattered indigenous sedges and rushes (Juncus spp., Carex sp.) were found persisting within the study area, however, no patches of native vegetation as defined by the Guidelines (2017b) were observed(i.e. >25% cover). Plate 1. Pasture land within the study area (Ecology and Plate 2. Pasture land within the study area (Ecology Heritage Partners Pty Ltd 26/07/2019). and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd 26/07/2019). 4.1.2 Scattered Trees There were no scattered trees recorded within the study area. 4.1.3 Large Trees There were no large trees recorded within the study area. 4.1.4 Introduced and Planted Vegetation The study area is wholly comprised of highly modified agricultural/pastural land with a high cover (>95%) of exotic grass, herb and shrub species (Plate 3). Disturbed areas were dominated by environmental weeds such as Ox-tongue Helminthotheca echioides, English Daisy Bellis perennis, Common Sow-thistle Sonchus oleraceus, Common