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Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey

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Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Griffin Energy Novem ber 2003 Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Prepared for (riffin Energy Prepared by Maunsell Australia Pty td Level 1, ,29 Newcastle Street P. Bo/ 81 Leederville ,902 0 estern 1ustralia 1BN 20 093 8 , 922 Tel 4,1 8 9281 ,100 Fa/ 4,1 8 9281 ,292 perth6 maunsell.com November 2003 7 00803 7 8aunsell 1ustralia Pty Ltd 2003 The information contained in this document produced by 8aunsell 1ustralia Pty Ltd is solely for the use of the Client identified on the cover sheet for the purpose for which it has been prepared and 8aunsell 1ustralia Pty Ltd underta:es no duty to or accepts any responsibility to any third party who may rely upon this document. 1ll rights reserved. No section or element of this document may be removed from this document, reproduced, electronically stored or transmitted in any form without the written permission of 8aunsell 1ustralia Pty Ltd. Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Revision 1 November 2003 E:\7 00803\doc\rep\m$b001florafauna_Rev1.doc Quality Inform ation Document Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey 7 00803 Ref e:\7 00803\doc\rep\m$b001florafauna_rev1.doc Date November 2003 Revision 1 Report Description Originator 8i:e Braimbridge Checked Paul Holmes Approved Paul Holmes Senior Environmental Planner Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Revision 1 November 2003 E:\7 00803\doc\rep\m$b001florafauna_Rev1.doc Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Pro$ect Bac:ground 1 1.2 Previous Biological Surveys 1 2.0 Vegetation and Flora 2 2.1 IBR1 Region 2 2.2 Vegetation 8apping 2 2.2.1 Regional Vegetation 8apping 2 2.2.2 Local Vegetation 1ssociations 3 2.2.3 Threatened Ecological Communities 2.3 Flora , 2.3.1 Local Floristic Composition , 2.3.2 Threatened Flora 7 2.3.3 Field Investigations 8 3.0 Fauna 11 3.1 Introduction 11 3.2 Fauna Habitat 11 3.3 Fauna 11 3. Threatened Fauna 1 .0 Conclusion and Recommendations 21 2.0 References 23 1ppendi/ 1 Flora List 22 1ppendi/ B Fauna List 39 1ppendi/ C Review of Baudin?s Coc:atoo and the Red-tailed Blac: Coc:atoo 9 Table 2-1 Vegetation 1ssociations Recorded for Ewington I and Ewington II 3 Table 2-2 Conservation categories for Threatened Ecological Communities recognised by C1L8 and the 0 1 8inister for the Environment AEnglish and Blyth 1997) 2 Table 2-3 Conservation categories for Threatened Ecological Communities under the EPBC Act 1999 , Table 2- Conservation Categories for Endangered Flora A1t:ins 2000) 7 Table 3-1 Native 8ammals li:ely to occur within the pro$ect area 12 Table 3-2 Herpetofauna recorded during recent surveys in the immediate vicinity of the pro$ect area 13 Table 3-3 Threatened fauna 12 Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Revision 1 November 2003 E:\7 00803\doc\rep\m$b001florafauna_Rev1.doc 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Project Background 8aunsell 1ustralia Pty Ltd was commissioned by (riffin Energy to conduct a flora and fauna survey of the proposed Bluewaters Power Station site north-east of Collie. (riffin Energy is in the process of preparing a Public Environmental Review APER) document for the proposed power station development and this study has been conducted for inclusion in the PER. The pro$ect area AFigure 1) covers appro/imately 3,3 Ha of predominantly cleared agricultural land with appro/imately 2 Ha of remnant vegetation and 71 Ha of previously mined and rehabilitated land. 1.2 Previous Biological Surveys Three previous surveys have been underta:en in or ad$oining the current pro$ect area AH(8 199 C 2001C 8attis:e et al. 1991) for the Ewington I and Ewington II Coal-mine proposals and a brief survey of the power station site was underta:en by H(8 in 8ay 2002. This report presents the results from the Spring 2003 survey incorporating results of previous surveys and relevant literature. Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Revision 1 November 2003 E:\7 00803\doc\rep\m$b001florafauna_Rev1.doc Page 1 2.0 ,egetation and Flora 2.1 IBRA Region The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for 1ustralia AThac:way D Cresswell 1992) categorises the 1ustralian continent into 82 regions of similar geology, landforms, vegetation, fauna and climate. The power station site and conveyor corridor occurs in the Earrah Forest IBR1 region. This bioregion is described as Fduricrusted plateau of the Gilgarn Craton characterised by Earrah-8arri forest on laterite gravels and, in the eastern part, 8arri-0 andoo woodlands clayey soils. Eluvial and alluvial deposits support 1gonis shrublands. In areas of 8esoHoic sediments, Earrah forests occur in a mosaic with a variety of species-rich shrublands. 0 arm 8editerranean climateI. 2.2 ,egetation Mapping 2.2.1 Regional ,egetation Mapping Heddle et al. A1980) used landform J soil units mapped by Churchward and 8c1rthur A1980) to define and map vegetation comple/es for the Collie Basin at a scale of 1:220,000. Three vegetation comple/es, Collie, Cardiff and 8u$a, were defined for the Collie Basin in which the current pro$ect is located AHeddle et al. 1980). The Collie Com ple- consists of an open forest of $arrah-marri-sheoa: with a range of understorey species that reflect the relative proportion of sand and gravel in the soils. Those species commonly associated with gravely soils include Banksia grandis, Persoonia longifolia, Hibbertia h pericoides, Leucopogon capitellatus, Bossiaea ornata, Acacia browniana, Hakea lissocarpha and Astroloma pallidum. .n sandier soils common plant species include % lomelum occidentale, Daviesia incrassata, Bossiaea eriocarpa, L ginia barbata, Das pogon bromeliifolius and species of Calytri/. The Cardiff Com ple- consists of an open-woodland of Banksia attenuata & B. ilicifolia and Nu tsia floribunda with a distinctive understorey and range of species that reflects the levels of soil moisture. .n the drier soils the understorey plant species include (un)ea ericifolia, Banksia meisneri, Calothamnus spp., Lepidosperma angustatum, % lomelum occidentale, Leucopogon glabellus, Jacksonia furcellata, Bossiaea eriocarpa and Daviesia incrassata. .n moister soils common understorey species include Perical ma ellipticum, Adenanhos obovatus, H pocal mma angustifolium and Schoenus brevifolius. The Muja Com ple- consists of an open-woodland of ,elaleuca preissiana & Banksia littoralis with some admi/ture of yarri AEucal ptus patens) dominating the moister areas, and replaced by a woodland of Banksia spp. on the drier sites. The understorey species reflect the level of soil moisture. .n the drier soils common plant species include Lepidosperma angustatum, Das pogon bromeliifolius, L ginia barbata and % lomelum occidentale. Common plant species on moister soils include Hakea ceratoph lla, Agonis lineraifolia, Perical mma ellipticum, H pocal mma angustifolium, Adenanthos obovatus and ,eeboldina scariosa. Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Revision 1 November 2003 E:\7 00803\doc\rep\m$b001florafauna_Rev1.doc Page 2 2.2.2 ocal ,egetation Associations The increased development of coal mining in the area has led to a number of site specific vegetation surveys being underta:en in the Collie area. The power station site lies ad$acent to two previously surveyed areas, Ewington I A8attis:e et al 1991C H(8 2002) and Ewington II AH(8 199 ), and was e/pected to have a similar array of vegetation types and species composition as these areas. 1 total of 11 and 13 vegetation associations have been mapped for the Ewington I deposit and the Ewington II deposit respectively AH(8 199 C 8attis:e et al 1991C H(8 2002). Field surveys in these areas found similar vegetation associations and an almost identical species composition AH(8 199 ). The vegetation associations defined during the Ewington surveys comprise a total of 18 vegetation units ATable 2.1). 1ssociation codes were assigned on the basis of dominant species. Table 2.1 ,egetation Associations Recorded for Ewington I and Ewington II ,egetation Description Association 8pBl1 Low open woodland of ,elaleuca preissiana & Banksia littoralis over dense understorey of shrubs and sedges on wet sands and peaty soils. 8pBl2 .pen woodland of ,elaleuca preissiana & Eucal ptus rudis & Banksia littoralis over dense understorey of shrubs and sedges on seasonally wet clay soils. 8pBl3 Low open woodland of ,elaleuca preissiana & Banksia littoralis over open understorey of shrubs and low sedges on clays over shallow e/posed secondary laterisation. 8pBl Low open woodland of ,elaleuca preissiana & Banksia littoralis over dense understorey of shrubs and sedges on cree:-beds with variable soils Asandy peats-sandy clays). Em8p .pen woodland of Eucal ptus marginata & ,elaleuca preissiana & Nu tsia floribunda & % lomelum occidentale with occasional stands of Banksia littoralis and Banksia attenuata over low shrubs and sedges on seasonally moist grey sands. EmCc1 0 oodland of Eucal ptus marginata & Cor mbia caloph lla, with scattered Banksia grandis and Persoonia longifolia over mi/ed shrub layer on seasonally moist grey sandy-loams to sandy-clays. EmCcBi .pen woodland to open forest of Eucal ptus marginata & Cor mbia caloph lla & Banksia ilicifolia with some Allocasuarina fraseriana, % lomelum occidentale and Nu tsia floribunda over low understorey of shrubs and sedges on deep grey sands on lower to mid-valley slopes. Em1f1 .pen forest of Eucal ptus marginata & Allocasuarina fraseriana with scattered Banksia grandis and Persoonia longifolia over mi/ed shrub layer on deep grey sands on mid to upper valley slopes. EmCc1f .pen forest of Eucal ptus marginata & Cor mbia caloph lla & Allocasuarina fraseriana with some Banksia grandis and Persoonia longifolia over low understorey of shrubs and sedges on sandy gravels. Bluewaters Power Station Flora and Fauna Survey Revision 1 November 2003 E:\7 00803\doc\rep\m$b001florafauna_Rev1.doc Page 3 ,egetation Description Association EmCc2 .pen forest of Eucal ptus marginata & Cor mbia caloph lla with some Banksia grandis and Persoonia longifolia over low understorey of shrubs and sedges on shallow sandy gravels over lateritic outcropping.
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