Ecological Monitoring Results 1 Nov 2010 - 31 Dec 2011
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Attachment D: Ecological Monitoring Results 1 Nov 2010 - 31 Dec 2011 Page 1 Ulan Coal Mines Limited Annual Environment Review 1 November 2010 - 31 December 2011 Ulan Coal Mines Limited 2011 Annual Monitoring Report Prepared for Ulan Coal Mines Limited 27 March 2012 2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report 2011 Annual Monitoring Report PREPARED FOR Ulan Coal Mines Limited PROJECT NO 11MUDECO -0012 DATE March 12 © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PPT TY Y LTDLT D ii 2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report DOCUMENT TRACKING ITEM DETAIL Project Name Ulan Coal Ecological Monitoring Program for 2011_2012 Project Number 11MUDECO-0012 W:\Projects\Mudgee\11MUDECO\11MUDECO-0012 Ulan Coal Ecological Monitoring File location Program for 2011_2012\Report\Draft Reports Prepared by Daniel Magdi Tammy Paartalu Approved by Bruce Mullins Dr Paul Frazier Status Final Version Number 1 Last saved on 27 March 2012 Flora monitoring sites BOB14, BOBE1 and RPA9 (Tammy Paartalu, ELA) and Harp trap Cover photo along cliff line at BOB1 (Glenn Hoye, Fly By Night Bat Surveys) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document has been prepared by Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd with input from Glenn Hoye (Fly By Night Bat Surveys Pty Ltd) and Dr Martin Denny (Biodiversity Monitoring Services) and support from Ulan Coal Mines Limited. Disclaimer This document may only be used for the purpose for which it was commissioned and in accor dance with the contract between Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd and Ulan Coal Mines Limited. The scope of services was defined in consultation with Ulan Coal Mines Limited , by time and budgetary constraints imposed by the client, and the availability of reports and other data on the subject area. Changes to available information, legislation and schedules are made on an ongoing basis and readers should obtain up to date information. Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd accepts no liability or responsibility whatso ever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report and its supporting material by any third party. Information provided is not intended to be a substitute for site spec ific assessment or legal advice in relation to any matter. Unauthorised use of this report in any form is prohibited. © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PT Y LT D i 2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report Executive Summary Eco Logical Australia (ELA) was engaged by Ulan Coal Mines Limited (UCM) to prepare the 2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report for the mining lease (Project Area) in accordance with the Biodiversity, Rehabilitation and Offset Management Plan (BROMP). The BROMP satisfies the requirements of Condition 44, Schedule 3 of the Project Approval (PA 08_0184) and DSEWPAC Approval (EPBC Ref: 2009/5252) where UCML were required to prepare a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP). The BROMP was subsequently revised during 2011 to become the BMP. The BMP includes a framework for ecological monitoring and associated reporting consistent with the currently approved BROMP . The ecological monitoring undertaken in 2011 collected the baseline and monitoring data required in order to assess the performance of biodiversity management measures and to determine whether both biodiversity offset and cliffline management areas are progressing towards meeting the specific condition improvement targets. The ecological monitoring was undertaken within the UCML Project Area, including: • Open Cut Extension; • Previous Open Cut Mining Areas; • Surface Infrastructure Areas; • Residual Project Area; • Biodiversity Offset and Cliffline Management Areas, including: o Bobadeen Vegetation Offset Area; o Bobadeen East Vegetation Offset Area; o Brokenback Conservation Area; o Spring Gully Cliffline Management Area. Flora data were collected by ELA, terrestrial and aquatic fauna data were collected by Biodiversity Monitoring Services and microchiropteran bat data were collected by Fly By Night Bat Surveys Pty Ltd for the report. Monitoring undertaken during 2011 included surveys for: • Flora – baseline data for all floristic survey sites, Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) sites and targeted Acacia ausfeldii surveys; • Fauna (excluding microbats); • Microbats; • Aquatic fauna and riparian habitat. The results obtained during the 2011 survey form the baseline data required to assess the performance of biodiversity management measures and to determine whether both biodiversity offset and cliffline management areas are progressing towards meeting the specific condition improvement targets. Floristic survey identified a total of 395 species, with 314 native species, 65 introduced species and 16 species that could only be identified to genus level and could not be confidently classified as either native or introduced. Species diversity varied within each floristic site, with total species identified © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PT Y LT D ii 2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report ranging from 15 species to 59 species. Native and introduced species presence also varied within each floristic site, with native species identified ranging from 5 species to 54 species and introduced species identified ranging from 0 species at multiple sites to 23 species. LFA results showed that Landscape Organisation differed from the analogue sites and the rehabilitation sites, with litter dominant at the majority of the analogue sites, with an average of 80%, followed by grass/sedges and bare soil. The rehabilitation sites varied, with one site being dominated by litter and the remaining sites being dominated by a mixture of grass/sedges and baresoil. Soil Surface Assessment indicated that stability, infiltration and nutrient percentages were generally higher at the analogue sites than the rehabilitation sites. Vegetation Dynamics indicate that the structural diversity of the rehabilitation sites is mostly dominated by groundcover (grasses and other) and that the analogue site results indicate a structural diversity that should be aimed for in rehabilitation works. Targeted Acacia ausfeldii surveys identified a total of 75 flora species, with 62 native species, 11 introduced species and 2 species that could only be identified to species level and could not be confidently classified as either native or introduced. The survey collected data for 9 seedlings, 34 saplings and 57 mature Acacia ausfeldii . Fauna monitoring identified a total of 22 native and introduced mammal, 129 native and introduced bird, 17 reptile, and 13 amphibian species. Mammal surveys identified 11 native mammal and 11 introduced mammal species. The most common introduced mammal species recorded include the Red Fox and Feral Pig. Bird survey identified 127 native bird and 2 introduced bird species. A total of 101 sightings of eight threatened species listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) were recorded. In addition, 4 migratory species listed under the EPBC Act were recorded. The targeted species Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater were not recorded during the survey. Fauna habitat characteristic measurements indicate that the habitat is of moderate to high quality in terms of value to woodland birds and ground fauna. Microbat monitoring at the general fauna sites recorded 14 bat species. The number of species recorded at each site varied from two to nine. Four microbat species listed as vulnerable TSC Act and two listed under the EPBC Act were recorded; with a fifth species tentatively identified from echolocation call recorded from the general fauna sites during the survey period. Microbat monitoring along cliff line sites recorded twelve bat species. Six of these bat species were recorded from at least half of the sites, the Large-eared Pied Bat, Gould’s Wattled Bat, Chocolate Wattled Bat, Eastern Bent-wing Bat, Long-eared Bat species ( Nyctophilus sp .) and Little Forest Bat. Three microbat species listed as vulnerable TSC Act and two listed under the EPBC Act were recorded. Aquatic surveys found 2369 individuals from 61 macroinvertebrate taxa across the 18 sites. The number of taxa located was higher than that recorded in previous years at UCML, with 47 recorded in 2010, 60 recorded in 2009 and 47 recorded in 2007. Riparian Habitat evaluation used the modified RCE system and Rapid Appraisal of Riparian Condition (RARC). Overall RARC scores were slightly lower than past surveys at UCML, but the differences are likely within normal variability associated with survey from different people. Bird Diversity indices were calculated, including Evenness, Simpson’s Index of Diversity, Numbers Counted and Species Richness for the birds at each aquatic survey site. These show a wide range of values that as expected when surveying 18 sites within a large area. © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PT Y LT D iii 2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report Monitoring undertaken during 2011 and previous years (fauna and aquatic fauna) provide the basis to meet the objectives of the management within the domains and the overall aims of the monitoring program outlined within the BROMP. Recommendations for the ongoing monitoring programs and management actions that are required to improve and enhance include: • Flora o Based on the generally higher numbers of introduced species within the rehabilitation areas, it is recommended that any works to rehabilitate the offset sites aim to increase native species diversity and cover towards the analogue site levels, with similar species diversity and composition with associated vegetation types. It is also recommended that any rehabilitation works target noxious and environmental weeds, which includes St. John’s Wort.