Weed Management Plan
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Annex 4 – Weed Management Plan FINAL REPORT: Weed Management Plan, Western Highway Duplication Project – Section 2, Beaufort to Ararat, Victoria ON BEHALF OF: VicRoads June 2013 Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd HEAD OFFICE: 420 Victoria Street, Brunswick VIC 3056 MELBOURNE: PO Box 298, Brunswick VIC 3056 GEELONG: PO Box 8048, Newtown VIC 3220 Table of Contents Document Control...................................................................................................... 2 Summary..................................................................................................................... 3 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Background....................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Objectives ......................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Western Highway Project.................................................................................. 5 1.4 Study Area ........................................................................................................ 6 2 Legislation and Guidelines............................................................................. 7 2.1 Commonwealth and State Legislation............................................................... 7 2.1.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.............................................. 7 2.1.2 Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act ........................................................................................... 7 2.1.3 Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 ........................................................................... 7 2.1.4 Weeds of National Significance (WONS) ............................................................................. 9 2.2 Literature Review ............................................................................................ 10 2.3 Definition of a Pest Plant................................................................................. 10 3 Methodology.................................................................................................. 11 3.1 Survey Method................................................................................................ 11 3.2 Assessment Qualifications and Limitations ..................................................... 11 4 Weed Assessment......................................................................................... 13 4.1 Desktop Review .............................................................................................. 13 4.2 Field Assessment............................................................................................ 13 5 Weed Management........................................................................................ 18 5.1 Noxious Weed Species ................................................................................... 18 5.2 Environmental Weeds ..................................................................................... 18 5.3 Environmental Values ..................................................................................... 19 6 Mitigation Measures...................................................................................... 21 6.1 Overview ......................................................................................................... 21 6.2 Pre-Construction ............................................................................................. 21 6.2.1 Threats .................................................................................................................................21 6.2.2 Mitigation Measures.............................................................................................................21 6.3 Construction.................................................................................................... 22 6.3.1 Threats .................................................................................................................................22 6.3.2 Mitigation Measures.............................................................................................................23 ii 6.4 Post Construction............................................................................................ 24 6.4.1 Threats .................................................................................................................................24 6.4.2 Mitigation Measures.............................................................................................................24 6.5 Summary of Mitigation Measures.................................................................... 26 6.6 Performance Indicators ................................................................................... 28 6.7 Monitoring and Reporting................................................................................ 28 7 Action Plan .................................................................................................... 30 7.1 Objectives ....................................................................................................... 30 7.2 Action Plan for Weed Control.......................................................................... 30 7.2.1 Pre Construction..................................................................................................................30 7.2.2 Construction ........................................................................................................................30 7.2.3 Post Construction................................................................................................................30 7.3 Management Approaches ............................................................................... 30 7.4 General Weed Control Information.................................................................. 31 FIGURES................................................................................................................... 36 References................................................................................................................ 56 APPENDICES............................................................................................................ 58 Appendix 1 – Database Searches and Survey Results.............................................. 58 Appendix 2 – Weed Control Methods ........................................................................ 64 Appendix 2 – Noxious Weed Species Identification................................................... 67 Tables Table 1: Weed Species Recorded during the Field Assessment............................................14 Table 2: Environmental Weed Assemblages .........................................................................19 Table 3: Summary of Mitigation Measures.............................................................................26 Table 4: Action Plan for Key Weed Species ..........................................................................32 iii Acknowledgments Ecology and Heritage Partners thank the following people for their contribution in the project: Grant Deeble (VicRoads) for project information. Landowners for site access. Department of Sustainability and Environment for access to ecological databases. Copyright © Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty. Ltd. This document is subject to copyright and may only be used for the purposes for which it was commissioned. The use or copying of this document in whole or part without the permission of Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty. Ltd. is an infringement of copyright. Disclaimer Although Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty. Ltd. have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that an accurate document has been prepared, the company accepts no liability for any damages or loss incurred as a result of reliance placed upon either the report or its content. iv DOCUMENT CONTROL Project Name Weed Management Plan, Western Highway Duplication Project – Section 2, Beaufort to Ararat, Victoria Project Number 4308 Project Manager Robyn Giles, Consultant Botanist Report author(s) Robyn Giles, Consultant Botanist Andrew Warnock, Botanist Report Reviewer Mark Stockdale, Senior Ecologist Other EHP Staff NA File Name 4308_EHP_Weed_Management Plan_Western_Hwy_Section2_Final_27062013 Report Version Comments Comments Date Submitted Updated by: Draft DraftReport - 19/12/12 Final - - 27/06/13 Weed Management Plan: Western Highway Duplication Project – Section 2, Beaufort to Ararat 2 SUMMARY Introduction Ecology and Heritage Partners Pty Ltd was engaged by VicRoads to undertake a Weed Assessment for the Western Highway Duplication project – Section 2, between Beaufort and Ararat, Victoria. The weed assessment was required to identify the extent of environmental and noxious weed species, identify measures for control and outline mitigation measures to be implemented during each phase of the project. This investigation will also assist VicRoads to ensure that the project is undertaken in a manner consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development, and meets relevant Commonwealth and State environmental legislation requirements. Study Area The study area consists primarily of road reserve and private properties on either side of the Western Highway, between Beaufort and Ararat, situated approximately 170 kilometres west of Melbourne, Victoria. According to the Department of Sustainability