Angas Processing Facility Miscellaneous Purposes License Application 2019/0826
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APPENDIX Q4 STRATHALBYN MINING LEASE FLORA ASSESSMENT 2011 ANGAS PROCESSING FACILITY MISCELLANEOUS PURPOSES LICENSE APPLICATION 2019/0826 ABN | 67 062 576 238 Unit 7 / 202-208 Glen Osmond Road | Fullarton SA 5063 Strathalbyn Mining Lease Flora Assessment 1 Strathalbyn Mining Lease Flora Assessment 25 July 2011 Version 2 Prepared by EBS Ecology for Terramin Australia Pty Ltd Document Control Version Date issued Authors Reviewed by Date Reviewed Revision type 1 27/07/2011 T. Brown C. Lynch 27/07/2011 Draft 2 11/08/2011 T. Brown Final Distribution of Copies Version Date issued Media Issued to 1 27/07/2011 Electronic Matt Daniel, Terramin Australia Pty Ltd. 2 11/08/2011 Electronic Matt Daniel, Terramin Australia Pty Ltd. COPYRIGHT: Use or copying of this document in whole or in part (including photographs) without the written permission of EBS Ecology constitutes an infringement of copyright. LIMITATION: This report has been prepared on behalf of and for the exclusive use of EBS Ecology’s Client, and is subject to and issued in connection with the provisions of the agreement between EBS Ecology and its Client. EBS Ecology accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report by any third party. CITATION: EBS Ecology (2011) Strathalbyn Mining Lease Flora Assessment. Report to Terramin Australia Pty Ltd. EBS Ecology, Adelaide. Front cover photo: View of Lignum tall shrubland community at the western end of the seasonal wetland basin. Strathalbyn Mining Lease Flora Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An ecological assessment was undertaken for a low-lying seasonal wetland basin south of the Alexandrina Council sewage ponds in Strathalbyn, South Australia. The area is considerably degraded by weeds, feral animals and previous human impacts such as stockpiling soils and changes to natural water flows. There are some small areas containing remnant vegetation which are currently providing moderate level habitat to a number of local native fauna species. Four vegetation types were described for the area: 1 = Exotic herbland +/- Atriplex semibaccata (Berry Saltbush), Suaeda australis (Austral Seablite), Tecticornia pergranulata ssp. pergranulata (Black-headed Samphire) 2 = Muehlenbeckia florulenta (Lignum) Tall Shrubland 3 = Council revegetation area 4 = Stockpile site. None of the vegetation associations recorded within the project areas are listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), or the state’s Provisional List of Threatened Ecosystems of South Australia (DEH, in progress). A total of 28 native flora species and 33 exotic species were recorded during the field survey of the project area (14 of these are planted native species). None of the remnant species are of conservation significance under the EPBC Act, or under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 . The Protected Matters Search identified 16 threatened species, 10 migratory species, one wetland of national significance and two nationally threatened ecological communities protected under the EPBC Act. None of the threatened ecological communities were detected and the subject site is ‘upstream’ from Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Wetlands of International Significance wetland. Ten nationally listed flora species highlighted by the Protected Matters Search were not detected on site and are regarded as unlikely to occur, particularly given the high level of weed invasion across the site. However Arachnorchis colorata (Painted Spider-orchid) records are less than 10 km from the project area and the species would have been inconspicuous during the field survey. Therefore the species cannot be considered unlikely to occur. Only one of the nationally listed bird species, Merops ornatus (Rainbow Bee-eater), is considered a possible visitor to the site. The BDBSA records identified five nationally listed flora species, 24 state listed flora species and 27 threatened native fauna species as having records within 10 km of the survey area. No national or state listed species were recorded within the survey area, however there are four species of orchids which would not be conspicuous during the survey period. Eucalyptus fasciculosa (Pink Gum) has previously been recorded adjacent to the site and is therefore the likelihood of occurrence is listed as ‘possible’, iii Strathalbyn Mining Lease Flora Assessment despite not being observed within any of the mapped vegetation associations. No threatened fauna species were detected within the primary survey area. Most of those species where the likelihood of occurrence is considered ‘possible’ have either been recorded at the site previously or are known to utilise large mature eucalypts and woodland vegetation which is adjacent the project area. The clearance associated with the periodic inundation is not considered to impact upon any of the threatened species highlighted within this search. Under the Native Vegetation Act 1991 , the proposal is considered likely to have an adverse impact upon some native vegetation species and therefore an appropriate Significant Environmental Benefit (SEB) has been calculated to offset the proposed clearance. This can be achieved as a set aside area of land, or a payment into the Native Vegetation Fund for the management of native vegetation that results in a net gain for the environment. The land management amount has been calculated at 3.44 ha and the equivalent monetary amount is $27,362.16. iv Strathalbyn Mining Lease Flora Assessment Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 1 2 COMPLIANCE AND LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY .............................................................. 2 2.1 Native Vegetation Act 1991 ................................................................................................... 2 2.2 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 .................................................................................... 2 2.3 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ......................................... 3 3 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ....................................................................................... 4 3.1 Site details ............................................................................................................................. 4 3.2 Environmental setting ............................................................................................................ 7 3.2.1 Interim Biogeographical Regionalisation of Australia zones and remnancy ............ 7 3.2.2 Climate ...................................................................................................................... 8 4 METHODS ........................................................................................................................... 9 4.1 Database searches ................................................................................................................ 9 4.2 Field survey ........................................................................................................................... 9 4.2.1 Vegetation associations, habitats and condition ....................................................... 9 4.2.2 Fauna ...................................................................................................................... 10 4.3 Survey limitations ................................................................................................................. 10 5 RESULTS .......................................................................................................................... 12 5.1.1 Threatened flora species ........................................................................................ 13 5.1.2 Threatened and migratory fauna species ............................................................... 14 5.1.3 Threatened ecological communities ....................................................................... 16 5.1.4 Wetland of international significance (RAMSAR) ................................................... 17 5.2 Biological Database of South Australia (BDBSA) search .................................................... 17 5.2.1 Threatened flora species ........................................................................................ 17 5.2.2 Threatened fauna species ...................................................................................... 18 5.3 Field survey ......................................................................................................................... 21 5.3.1 Flora species........................................................................................................... 21 5.3.2 Vegetation associations .......................................................................................... 21 5.3.3 Threatened ecological communities ....................................................................... 25 5.3.4 Important weed species .......................................................................................... 26 5.3.5 Fauna species......................................................................................................... 28 6 DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................................