The Purpose of This Biodiversity Assessment Report Is to Detail the Ecosystem and Species Credits for the Project As Generated by the Biobank Calculator
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Biodiversity Assessment Report: Proposal ID: 0099/2015/1951 114 Flatrock Rd Mundamia – proposed Resource Recovery Park The purpose of this Biodiversity Assessment Report is to detail the Ecosystem and Species Credits for the project as generated by the Biobank Calculator Environmental Planning and Assessment Unit, Environmental Services Section, Shoalhaven City Council 2015 Biodiversity Assessment Report: Resource Recovery Park Flatrock Rd Mundamia Major Project: Project ID: 0099/2015/1951114 Executive Summary Shoalhaven City Council’s Environmental Assessment Unit has completed a Biodiversity Impact Assessment of the proposed Resource Recovery Park Major Project (State Significant Development – reference SDD 15_7015), to be sited on 114 Flatrock Road Mundamia. The site is currently occupied by an operating Animal Shelter. The Secretary of the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DP&E) Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) required the assessment to be undertaken using the Framework for Biodiversity Assessment Methodology (FBAM) by an accredited Biobank Assessor (Accredited Biobank Assessor number 0099) The proposal was assessed using the FBAM methodology based on the entire site of 3.58ha being cleared and utilised. The site contained 2.35ha of native vegetation in addition to the existing Animal Shelter infrastructure and associated cleared areas. Vegetation surveys within the area of native vegetation identified one Plant Community Type (SR594; Bloodwood – Hard-leaved Scribbly Gum – Silvertop Ash heathy open forest on sandstone plateaux of the lower Shoalhaven Valley, Sydney Basin Bioregion). The Biobank Assessment calculated the total loss of this vegetation would require the retirement of 133 ecosystem credits. Targeted surveys (conducted under Scientific Licence SL100128 and Animal Research Authority TRIM13/3758) were also conducted for threatened species identified in the SEARs and the Biobank Assessment process. Habitat for one “species credit” threatened fauna species; Squirrel Glider (assumed to be present), was identified with the loss of 2.35ha of its habitat requiring the retirement of 52 Squirrel Glider species credits. Four other “ecosystem” threatened fauna species were also detected with mitigation measures recommended to mitigate and confine impacts to the subject site. Shoalhaven City Council is currently investigating and discussing offset options on a parcel of Council owned land at Huskisson, approximately 22km to the south east, with the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. The Huskisson site is 72.36ha with approximately 55ha available for an offset worth 732 ecosystem credits (preliminary calculation). Finding Squirrel Glider credits are also the subject of negotiations. Full details of the assessment process as per the FBA methodology are in sections 3 to 11 of this report with the Biobank credit report from the Biobank calculator provided in Appendix 2. 2 Biodiversity Assessment Report: Resource Recovery Park Flatrock Rd Mundamia Major Project: Project ID: 0099/2015/1951114 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 1 PROPOSED MAJOR PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SITE JUSTIFICATION 1 LANDSCAPE FEATURES 3 3.1 IBRA bioregion and subregions, NSW landscape region and area (ha) 3 3.2 Native vegetation extent in the outer assessment circle 4 3.3 Cleared areas 4 3.4 Rivers and streams classified according to stream order 5 3.5 Wetlands within, adjacent to and downstream of the site 5 3.6 Landscape value components: 7 3.6.1 Percent native vegetation cover in the landscape (development site) 7 3.6.2 Connectivity value (development site) 7 3.6.3 Patch size (development site) 8 3.6.4 Area to perimeter ration (development site), and 8 3.6.5 Strategic location of a biobank site 8 3.6.6 Landscape value score 9 NATIVE VEGETATION 10 4.1 Plant communities identified within the development site 10 4.2 Description of vegetation zones within the development site 13 4.3 Local Data 14 CREDIT REPORT AND DATA SHEETS 14 THREATENED SPECIES REQUIRING SURVEY 15 PROJECT SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS 15 THREATENED FLORA SPECIES, SURVEY METHODS AND RESULTS 17 THREATENED FAUNA SPECIES, SURVEY METHODS 36 RESULTS: TARGETED THREATENED FAUNA SPECIES 44 1 Biodiversity Assessment Report: Resource Recovery Park Flatrock Rd Mundamia Major Project: Project ID: 0099/2015/1951114 DIRECT AND INDIRECT IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 59 BIODIVERSITY CREDITS REQUIRED AND “OFFSET STRATEGY” 62 REFERENCES 64 APPENDIX 1 MAP OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOOTPRINT 65 APPENDIX 2 BIODIVERSITY CREDIT REPORT 66 APPENDIX 3 EXPERT ORCHID ASSESSMENT REPORT 69 APPENDIX 4 FAUNA DETECTED DURING TARGETED SURVEYS 70 APPENDIX 5 WEATHER DATA DURING FAUNA SURVEY PERIOD 74 APPENDIX 6 SEARS 78 Table 1: Survey time matrix Species Credit species requiring survey ............................................ 16 Table 2: Survey techniques effort and dates ............................................................................... 42 Table 3: Anabat Survey dates ..................................................................................................... 53 Table 4: Confirmed Bat Calls 19.2.15 West Nowra Animal Shelter ................................................ 54 Table 5: Confirmed Bat Calls 33 from 27.4.15 .............................................................................. 54 Table 6: W Nowra Animal Shelter 16.3.15 confirmed calls ........................................................... 55 Table 7: Fauna detected during targeted surveys ........................................................................ 70 Table 8: Nowra Daily Summaries February–May 2015 ................................................................. 74 Figure 1: Aerial photograph of the subject site 114 Flatrock Rd Mundamia (Lot 342 DP 257515) ..... 2 Figure 2: The subject site and surrounding landscape .................................................................... 3 Figure 3: Subject site position within Mitchell Landscape .............................................................. 4 Figure 4: Area of native vegetation within the 1000ha Assessment Circle ...................................... 5 Figure 5: Waterways and vegetation cover within the 1000ha Assessment Circle ........................... 6 Figure 6: Area of native vegetation within the 100ha Assessment circle......................................... 7 Figure 7: Regional Biodiversity Habitat Corridor (Shoalhaven LEP 2014) ......................................... 9 Figure 8: Vegetation Plots (20mx50m) locations within the RRP site ............................................ 11 Figure 9: Biometric mapping 2013 .............................................................................................. 12 Figure 10: Targeted flora survey transects and results 15 September 2015 .................................. 17 2 Biodiversity Assessment Report: Resource Recovery Park Flatrock Rd Mundamia Major Project: Project ID: 0099/2015/1951114 Figure 11: Genoplesium baueri survey area 24 February 2015 ..................................................... 24 Figure 12: Cryptostylis hunteriana survey area 12 December 2014............................................... 28 Figure 13: Fauna survey locations and techniques ....................................................................... 39 Figure 14: Spotlight transects and dates ..................................................................................... 41 Figure 15 EEP and Squirrel Glider records from 2014 ................................................................... 46 Figure 16: Hollow-bearing and glider feed tree locations identified on the subject land ............... 50 Figure 17: Biobanking Final Credit Report, Page 1 ....................................................................... 66 Figure 18:Biobanking Final Credit Report, Page 2 ........................................................................ 67 Figure 19: Biobanking Final Credit Report, Page 3 ....................................................................... 68 3 Biodiversity Assessment Report: Resource Recovery Park Flatrock Rd Mundamia Major Project: Project ID: 0099/2015/1951114 Introduction Shoalhaven City Council proposes to develop a Resource Recovery Park (RRP - Recycling Facility) which has been identified as a Major Project (State Significant Development – reference SDD 15_7015) under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). An application for a Major Project must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Shoalhaven City Council has received the Secretary of the Department of Planning and Environment (DP&E) Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) (Reference SSD 15 _7015). This Biodiversity Assessment Report (BAR) has been prepared to meet the requirements of the SEARs and “Appendix 7: Reporting requirements for the FBA”, of the Framework for Biodiversity Assessment (FBA), NSW Biodiversity Offsets Policy for Major Projects (OEH, 2014a). The assessment and Biodiversity Assessment Report has been produced by an accredited Biobanking Assessor. Assessor Name: Michael Smith Assessor Number: 0099 Calculator Version: Biobanking Credit Calculator Version 2.0 Proposed Major Project Description and site justification This BAR is for a Biobanking Statement for a proposed Major Project development being a Resource Recovery Park (RRP) to be operated by Shoalhaven City Council at 114 Flatrock Road Mundamia (Lot 342 DP 257515), approximately 5km west of Nowra on the South Coast of NSW. A map of the final project footprint