Level 1 Fauna Survey and Habitat Assessment Various Allotments, Mandogalup Ep10-018
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LEVEL 1 FAUNA SURVEY AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT VARIOUS ALLOTMENTS, MANDOGALUP EP10-018 Prepared for Qube Mandogalup Land Development Company September 2011 Prepared for Qube Mandogalup Land Development Company LEVEL 1 FAUNA SURVEY AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT – VARIOUS ALLOTMENTS, MANDOGALUP Document Control VE R S ION DATE AUTHOR R E VIE WE R Version 1 May 2011 Gillian Turner and Greg Harewood GFT/GH Jason Hick JDH A May 2011 Gillian Turner GFT Jason Hick JDH B July 2011 Gillian Turner GFT Jason Hick JDH C August 2011 Jason Hick GFT Jason Hick JDH Filename EP10-018--021C JDH FAUNA SURVEY AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT Authors R eviewers Gillian Turner Jason Hick Environmental Consultant/Botanist - Ecology Director, Principle Consultant – Environment Greg Harewood Zoologist Jason Hick Director, Principle Consultant – Environment "© 2011 Emerge Associates. All Rights Reserved. Copyright in the whole and every part of this document belongs to Emerge Associates and may not be used, sold, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or form or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of Emerge Associates.” EP10-018 | September 2011 Page ii Prepared for Qube Mandogalup Land Development Company LEVEL 1 FAUNA SURVEY AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT – VARIOUS ALLOTMENTS, MANDOGALUP Executive Summary The Qube Mandogalup Land Development Company Pty Ltd. (QMLDC) owns seven parcels of land within the locality of Mandogalup (see Figure 1 ). These land parcels are Lots 664, 668 and 669 Mandogalup Road, Lot 791 and 663 Norkett Road and Lots 52 and 682 Rowley Road, herein referred to as ‘the site’. The site covers an area of approximately 147 ha and comprises mainly cleared land used for market gardening and associated agricultural activities (see Figure 2 ). The site has been identified as an area for future residential development through State level strategic planning frameworks, and at a local level in the Town of Kwinana’s Eastern Residential Intensification Concept (ERIC). The site is zoned ‘Urban Deferred’ and ‘Rural’ pursuant to the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS), although it is understood that the ‘Rural’ zoned portions will ultimately be rezoned to either “Urban Deferred’ or ‘Urban’ in the near future. QMLDC intend to develop these lots for residential purposes, and Emerge Associates (Emerge) were engaged to undertake a Level 1 fauna survey and habitat assessment across the site, with the aim of understanding any significant fauna and fauna habitat values within the site to inform future site planning and development approvals purposes. This survey provides an update to the original level 1 fauna assemblage survey undertaken by zoologist Greg Harewood in 2005. The level 1 survey was undertaken in accordance with the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA’s) Guidance Statement No. 56 – Terrestrial Fauna Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia (EPA 2004). The survey scope also included the following targeted surveys: A black cockatoo habitat assessment, inclusive of locating potential habitat trees (trees with a Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) of 1!"##!$$%!&'(! identification and delineation of any potential foraging habitat areas based on vegetation composition and any foraging evidence observed on site. An assessment of the presence/absence of graceful sun-moth and its habitat within the site in accordance with the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation’s (DEC’s) Guidelines for the Graceful Sun-Moth (Synemon gratiosa) & Site Habitat Assessments (Bishop, Williams et al. 2010) and if necessary the delineation of potentially suitable habitat. Determination of the likely occurrence (or otherwise) of Chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii ) within the site based on an assessment of suitable habitat, scats, fur or tracks. The fauna habitat assessment identified three native plant communities and areas that were ‘Parkland Cleared’ (cleared land with scattered native tree species). Lot 682 Rowley Road supports two patches of intact woodland. The northern patch is in ‘Excellent’ to ‘Very Good’ condition and the southern patch in ‘Good’ to ‘Very Good’ condition. Lot 669 Mandogalup Road supports an isolated patch of Banksia woodland in ‘Degraded’ condition. These remnant patches represent the only stands of native vegetation within the site and cover an area of approximately 40.79 ha. Of this, 37.76 ha is considered sufficiently intact enough to potentially retain its structure and condition in the longer term with management, although 10.32 ha of this is fragmented, isolated and already been subject to degrading influences and would require a significantly higher degree of intervention to maintain any biodiversity values. 3.03 ha (of the total 40.79 ha) is significantly degraded to the extent that it is unlikely to remain viable in the medium to longer term, even with significant management intervention. EP10-018 | September 2011 Page iii Prepared for Qube Mandogalup Land Development Company LEVEL 1 FAUNA SURVEY AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT – VARIOUS ALLOTMENTS, MANDOGALUP The culmination of this fauna assessment was the compilation of a list of fauna species that were either observed during the site visits or were noted as potentially occurring within the site based on the habitat types present. A total of 54 fauna species were observed (or positively identified from scats, tracks, skeletons or calls) within the site during both the 2005 and 2010/2011 surveys. A total of 37 fauna species with conservation significance were identified as occurring or potentially occurring within the site. These are listed pursuant to the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WC Act) and the China-Australia, Japan-Australia and Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Birds Agreements (CAMBA/JAMBA/ROKAMBA) or other State or local based frameworks. Following the fauna assessment, those conservation significant species that were deemed potentially relevant for the site were: carnaby’s black cockatoo ( Calyptorhynchus latirostris ) (Endangered EPBC Act, S1 WC Act). forest red-tailed black cockatoo ( Calyptorhynchus banksii naso ) (Vulnerable EPBC Act, S1 WC Act) graceful sun-moth ( Synemon gratiosa ) (Endangered EPBC Act, S1 WC Act) rainbow bee-eater ( Merops ornatus ) (S3 WC Act, JAMBA) fork-tailed swift ( Apus pacificus ) (S3 WC Act, JAMBA/CAMBA/ROKAMBA) white-bellied sea eagle ( Haliaeetus leucogaster ) (S3 WC Act, CAMBA) great egret ( Ardea alba ) (S3 WC Act, JAMBA/CAMBA) cattle egret ( Ardea Ibis ) (S3 WC Act, JAMBA/CAMBA) peregrine falcon ( Falco perigrinus ) (S4 WC Act). The two species of black cockatoo were considered to be the most significant fauna species actively or potentially occurring within the site. The chuditch ( Dasyurus geoffroii ) red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura ) and quokka ( Setonix brachyurus ), while identified from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Population and Communities (DSEWPC) database, were excluded from the fauna inventory list due to lack of suitable habitat within the site and no evidence of these species utilising the site during the reconnaissance survey. The rainbow bee-eater, great egret, cattle egret, peregrine falcon, fork-tailed swift and white-bellied sea eagle are all considered to potentially use the site on occasion, usually part of a much larger home range, but it is highly unlikely they would rely on the site for their ongoing occurrence in the wider local area. Potential habitat for the graceful sun moth was mapped as part of the targeted survey. The potential habitat areas were the intact Banksia woodland communities across the site, and in particular the areas in ‘Excellent’ to ‘Very Good’ condition within the northern portion of Lot 682. No Lomandra species were recorded within the Eucalyptus rudis and Melaleuca preissiana woodland. No graceful sun moths were observed within the site during the surveys, and one moth was observed along the boundary of Lot 682 Rowley Road, although it is considered likely that this individual originated from similar remnant vegetation to the west of the site, also in ‘Excellent’ condition. While based on the broadly known habitat preferences for this species, potential habitat does exist within the site, following the extensive survey effort and the survey results it can be concluded that the site does not support a population of this species. EP10-018 | September 2011 Page iv Prepared for Qube Mandogalup Land Development Company LEVEL 1 FAUNA SURVEY AND HABITAT ASSESSMENT – VARIOUS ALLOTMENTS, MANDOGALUP Based on recently released carnaby’s black cockatoo habitat mapping published by the Department of Planning (in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Conservation), the site is identified as supporting foraging habitat (based on its broad vegetation community type), although no nesting or roosting sites are located within the site. The closest known nesting site is located a significant distance east on the Darling Scarp, and the nearest known roost site is located about 3 km east at Wandi. Evidence of the carnaby’s black cockatoo and the forest red-tailed black cockatoo included actual sightings and foraging evidence (chewed jarrah, marri, and sheoak fruits and Banksia cones). The habitat assessment identified 231 trees with a DBH of greater than or equal to 500 mm, of which 17 contained large hollows (>12 cm) that appeared big enough and oriented favorably to