The Endangered Hibbertia Procumbens and the Vulnerable Callistemon Linearifolius and Darwinia Glaucophylla
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SPECIALIST CONSULTANT STUDIES 3 - 51 ROCLA MATERIALS PTY LTD Part 3: Ecological Assessment Calga Sand Quarry Southern Extension Report No. 664/02 the endangered Hibbertia procumbens and the vulnerable Callistemon linearifolius and Darwinia glaucophylla. Two variants of this community were noted on the Project Site: 1. Scribbly Gum – Stringybark – Red Bloodwood – Sydney Red Gum Woodland; and 2. Red Bloodwood – Grey Gum Woodland/Open Forest. The shrub stratum varies from low and patchy to very dense and the groundcover is patchy to occasionally moderately dense and diverse. E26a Hawkesbury Rock Pavement Heath is a subformation of LHCCREMS MU26. This community generally occurs on large exposed sandstone outcrops on ridges and upper slopes, and provides habitat for the vulnerable Darwinia glaucophylla. In general, upper canopy and secondary canopy species are absent, and the shrub layer varies from low and patchy to moderately dense. A range of groundcover species occur. E29 & E29a. Hawkesbury Banksia-Scrub Woodland is equivalent to LHCCREMS MU29 Hawkesbury Coastal Banksia Woodland. This community occupies sizeable areas of the Project Site. Areas with very little emergent eucalypt and dense stands of Banksia ericifolia have been mapped separately as E29a. Occasional, isolated stands of upper canopy species can form a sparse woodland structure in some site. Canopy species include Brown Stringybark (Eucalyptus capitellata), Narrow-leaved Scribbly Gum (E. racemosa), Red Bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera) and Narrow-leaved Stringybark (E.. sparsifolia). The shrub stratum is typically dense and a diverse groundcover exists. E29b. Hawkesbury Banksia Wet Scrub is a subformation of LHCCREMS MU29 and occupies very restricted areas within the wider mosaic of woodland and scrub on Hawkesbury Sandstone geology. Dominated by a scattered shrub stratum, typically 0.5m to 1.5m high, including species such as Banksia (Banksia oblongifolia), Dagger Hakea (Hakea teretifolia), Teatree (Leptospermum juniperinum), Leptospermum polygalifolium, Coral Heath (Epacris microphylla), Pultenaea elliptica, Platysace linearifolia and Hakea laevipes, occasional isolated individuals from surrounding woodlands, such as Red Bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera) and Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis), form a scattered emergent layer to 5m in height. The groundcover layer (to a maximum height of 1m) includes sedges such as Lepyrodia scariosa, Leptocarpus tenax, and Dampiera stricta. E54 Sandstone Hanging Swamp is equivalent to LHCCREMS MU45 Sandstone Hanging Swamps and Heaths. Sandstone Hanging Swamps occur on gently to moderate slopes in the central part of the Project Site. No threatened species were recorded in this community. This community is typified by a dense groundcover of Button Grass (Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus). A range of shrubs and other groundcover species also occur. E103 Gahnia/Banksia Swamp has no equivalent in either the Gosford LGA vegetation mapping or the LHCCREMS vegetation mapping. This community is restricted to one site on mid-slopes along one drainage channel in the central part of the Project Site. No threatened species were recorded in this community. Upper and secondary canopy are generally absent, however the shrub stratum and groundcover are dense. Cumberland Ecology Pty Ltd ROCLA MATERIALS PTY LTD 3 - 52 SPECIALIST CONSULTANT STUDIES Calga Sand Quarry Southern Extension Part 3: Ecological Assessment Report No. 664/02 4.2.2 Endangered Ecological Communities None of these communities identified by Eastcoast Flora Surveys and presented on Figure 4.3 equate to listed Endangered Ecological Communities under the TSC Act or the EPBC Act. 4.2.3 Regionally Significant Vegetation According to the Hunter-Central Rivers CMA (2006) regionally significant vegetation can include: • communities of limited distribution (have experienced greater than 50% clearing of pre-1750 distribution); • rare communities, where the total geographic range is generally less than 10,000ha; • communities which contain endemic plants with greater than 75% of predicted distribution within the CMA; • communities of low reservation status (not well-represented in conservation reserves); • communities that are disjunct or at the distributional limit of their range; • particular structural vegetation formations (such as wetlands, headland vegetation, old growth forest, and rainforest); and • vegetation landscapes (such as riparian vegetation, floodplain vegetation, and regional habitat and corridors). This list is also considered to be relevant to the Hawkesbury-Nepean CMA. Regionally significant vegetation has been listed by LHCCREMS (2003) (LHCCREMS, 2003). Within the Study Area, the Sandstone Hanging Swamps (MU54) and the Sandstone Ranges Warm Temperate Rainforest (MU2) have both been identified as vulnerable and specialised communities. On a more local scale, Bell (2004) lists E2 Sandstone Ranges Gully Rainforest, E25 Hawkesbury Peppermint Apple Forest, E26 Exposed Hawkesbury Woodland, E26a Hawkesbury Rock Pavement Heath, E29 Hawkesbury Banksia Scrub-Woodland and E54 Sandstone Hanging Swamps as being locally significant due to threatened species habitat, restricted distribution or development pressure. 4.2.4 Threatened Species Much of the Project Site is almost impenetrable due to the extensive and dense stands of Banksia ericifolia var. ericifolia, which respond to wildfire through vigorous seedling emergence from the seed bank. Consequently, searches for threatened plant species in this environment are difficult. Cumberland Ecology Pty Ltd ROCLA MATERIALS PTY LTD 3 - 54 SPECIALIST CONSULTANT STUDIES Calga Sand Quarry Southern Extension Part 3: Ecological Assessment Report No. 664/02 Two of the four target species, Hibbertia procumbens and Darwinia glaucophylla, were detected on the Project Site in many locations, and a third threatened species, Callistemon linearifolius, was also present in small groups in four scattered locations (see Figure 4.4). The northeastern record of this species is of 10 plants, the records in the centre and the southeast are of a single plant, and in the southwest there were 13 plants spread over 3 close locations. H. procumbens and D. glaucophylla were found throughout the higher elevations of the Study Area. Targeted searches were not carried out at the lower elevations. None of the stringybark trees present on the Project Site were identified as Eucalyptus camfieldii, despite known records from elsewhere in the local area. While the more common Tetratheca ericifolia was flowering in many areas, none of the material examined could be attributed to Tetratheca glandulosa. Prostanthera junonis was not recorded on the Project Site. Other threatened plant species have the potential to occur at the Project Site. These are discussed in Appendix C. 4.2.5 Introduced Species Introduced species present in cleared and disturbed areas of the Project Site include Lantana (Lantana camara), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Crofton Weed (Ageratina adenophora), Eastern Cottonbush (Gomphocarpus fruticosus), Cape Weed (Arctotheca calendula), Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis), Jo-Jo (Soliva pterosperma), Cat’s Ears (Hypochaeris radicata), Hairy Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus suavolens), Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata), Petty Spurge (Euphorbia peplus), Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Red-flowered Mallow (Modiola caroliniana), Fleabanes (Conyza spp.), Winter Senna (Senna pendula var. glabrata), Paddys Lucerne (Sida rhombifolia) and Moth Vine (Araujia sericifolia). One specimen of Large-leaved Privet (Ligustrum lucidum) was located in E2 Sandstone Ranges Gully Forest. A range of weeds were also located in E25 Hawkesbury Peppermint- Apple Forest, including Lantana (Lantana camara), Mist Flower (Ageratina riparia), Crofton Weed (Ageratina adenophora), Large-leaved Privet (Ligustrum lucidum), and Fleabanes (Conyza bonariensis and C. canadensis subsp. canadensis). A number of these species are considered “Environmental Weeds” (Muyt, 2001). Four species are listed under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 as noxious in the Gosford LGA. • Crofton Weed – locally controlled weed. • Mist Flower – locally controlled weed. • Lantana – restricted plant. • Blackberry – locally controlled weed. Cumberland Ecology Pty Ltd SPECIALIST CONSULTANT STUDIES 3 - 55 ROCLA MATERIALS PTY LTD Part 3: Ecological Assessment Calga Sand Quarry Southern Extension Report No. 664/02 4.3 Habitats 4.3.1 Habitat available in the Project Site 4.3.1.1 General Description A wide range of flora and fauna habitats are present within the Project Site. Previous studies (Countrywide Ecological Service 2004) and (Abel Ecology, 2005) have identified a range of fauna habitats within the Study Area. As a result of reviewing these previous studies and inspection of the Project Site, the following habitat components have been identified. • Various plant communities and their ecotones. • Trees with hollows. • Rock outcrops. • Logs. • Leaf litter. • Creeklines and ephemeral drainage areas. Such habitat features are extensive throughout the Project Site and are likely to be relied on by a suite of native fauna, including a number of threatened species. The Project Site consists of eight main vegetation communities, within each of which there is some variation apparent. The vast majority of the habitat is forest and woodland, with areas cleared for access roads and along the power line easement. Some vegetated areas are impenetrable due to thick growth of Banksia ericifolia and Angophora hispida. One main creek (Creek