Biological Survey
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NOVEMBER 2019 RESOURCE (WA) GROUP PTY LTD GRASS VALLEY HARD ROCK QUARRY FLORA & FAUNA ASSESSMENT This page has been left blank intentionally. Resources Group(WA) Pty Ltd Grass Valley Hard Rock Quarry Flora and Fauna Assessment Document Status Approved for Issue Rev. Author(s) Reviewer Date Name Distributed To Date Rob Sellers 0 S Grein 13/11/2019 S Grein G Kennedy 13/11/2019 Tim McCabe Rob Sellers 1 S Grein 29/11/2019 S Grein G Kennedy 29/11/2019 Tim McCabe ecologia Environment (2019). Reproduction of this report in whole or in part by electronic, mechanical or chemical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, in any language, is strictly prohibited without the express approval of Resource Group (WA) Pty Ltd and ecologia Environment. ecologia Environment 463 Scarborough Beach Rd OSBORNE PARK WA 6017 Phone: 08 6168 7200 Email: [email protected] November 2019 iii Resources Group(WA) Pty Ltd Grass Valley Hard Rock Quarry Flora and Fauna Assessment This page has been left blank intentionally. November 2019 iv Resources Group(WA) Pty Ltd Grass Valley Hard Rock Quarry Flora and Fauna Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ecologia Environment (ecologia) was commissioned by the Resource Group (WA) Pty Ltd to undertake a flora, vegetation and fauna survey of a proposed hard rock quarry at 792 Clydesdale Road, Grass Valley, in the Shire of Northam. The survey was conducted in response to a request from the Shire of Northam, to support a proposal to establish and operate a hard rock quarry at the location. The primary focus of the survey was to determine the ecological values associated with the proposed development area which covers approximately 15.2 ha and is located 3 km north-east of the Grass Valley township. Survey methodology was consistent with that recommended by EPA (2016a) and (EPA 2016b) for reconnaissance flora and vegetation and Level 1 fauna surveys, and incorporated a: • Desktop study to gather background information on the study area; and a • Reconnaissance and Level 1 field survey to verify the accuracy of the desktop study and further delineate and characterise flora, vegetation, and fauna assemblages. The field survey was conducted on the 2nd of October by two ecologia scientists Flora A reconnaissance flora survey was undertaken to characterise vegetation in the study area and to determine the presence of any Priority or Threatened Flora and/or Priority or Threatened Ecological Communities. Vegetation associations and all flora species were recorded on basis of data collected at seven relevés sites throughout the proposed development area. A total of 15 vascular plant taxa (species, subspecies, and varieties) representing 11 families and 13 genera were recorded from the study area during the survey. No EPBC Act listed or BC Act listed Threatened flora species or DBCA listed Priority flora species were recorded within the study area. Four introduced plant species (weeds) were recorded during the survey. None of these are listed as Weeds f National Significance. One species (Echium plantagineum) is listed as a ‘Declared Pest’. Three vegetation associations were described and mapped within the proposed development area and consisted predominately of Eucalyptus wandoo tall open woodland with scattered Eucalyptus loxophleba and Avena fatua dominated grassland (53.9%). Most of the remainder consists of historically cleared grazing land (44.6%) with small pockets of Tall open shrubland Hakea preissii over mixed Ptilotus sp. and weedy grassland (0.8%) and Xanthorrhoea preissii tall open shrubland (0.1%). All three vegetation types were in ‘Degraded’ condition with little native understorey. Eucalyptus species recorded within the study area are key indicators of the WA listed ‘Eucalypt Woodlands of the Western Australian Wheatbelt’ PEC and TEC. Vegetation consistent with ‘Eucalypt Woodlands of the Western Australian Wheatbelt’ PEC represented 8.2 ha (53.9%) of the proposed development area. Due to the degraded condition of this vegetation within the study area (including weed cover at over 70%) the ‘Eucalypt Woodlands of the Western Australian Wheatbelt’ TEC was not considered to be present. Fauna A level 1 fauna habitat assessment was undertaken to broadly describe fauna habitats distinguishable by vegetation, soil characteristics and land features. Habitat assessments were undertaken at six locations and one broad fauna habitat type was identified. Open Eucalypt woodland represents 55.4% while the remainder of the study area was assessed as Cleared/ Agricultural land. Open Eucalypt Woodlands is generally classed as being in Very Poor to Good condition with extensive areas almost completely devoid of native vegetation. Nine vertebrate species were recorded during the survey including seven bird species and two mammals. One introduced predator (red fox) was recorded. No EPBC Act listed ‘Threatened fauna’ taxa, BC Act listed ‘Threatened fauna’ taxa or DBCA-classified ‘Priority’ fauna taxa were recorded within November 2019 v Resources Group(WA) Pty Ltd Grass Valley Hard Rock Quarry Flora and Fauna Assessment the study area. The desktop assessment identified a number of fauna taxa of conservation significance that may potentially occur within the study area, including the Carnaby’s cockatoo (‘Possible (2)’), peregrine falcon (‘Possible (2)’) and fork-tailed swift (‘Possible (2)’). November 2019 vi Resources Group(WA) Pty Ltd Grass Valley Hard Rock Quarry Flora and Fauna Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. V 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................1 1.2 SURVEY OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................1 1.3 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ........................................................................1 2 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................. 3 2.1 DESKTOP STUDY ........................................................................................................................3 2.2 FLORA AND VEGETATION ..........................................................................................................4 2.3 FAUNA .......................................................................................................................................6 2.4 ANIMAL ETHICS .........................................................................................................................7 2.5 STUDY TEAM AND LICENCES .....................................................................................................7 2.6 LIMITATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS .............................................................................................8 3 DESKTOP STUDY ............................................................................................................ 10 3.1 CLIMATE ................................................................................................................................. 10 3.2 IBRA 7 BIOGEOGRAPHIC SUBREGIONS .................................................................................. 11 3.3 GEOLOGY................................................................................................................................ 11 3.4 LAND SYSTEMS AND SOILS ..................................................................................................... 11 3.5 CONSERVATION RESERVES AND NATIONALLY IMPORTANT WETLANDS .............................. 11 3.6 FLORA AND VEGETATION ....................................................................................................... 17 3.7 SIGNIFICANT ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES ............................................................................ 30 3.8 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA .............................................................................................................. 31 4 FIELD SURVEY RESULTS .................................................................................................. 35 4.1 FLORA AND VEGETATION ....................................................................................................... 35 4.2 VERTEBRATE FAUNA .............................................................................................................. 43 5 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................. 47 5.1 FLORISTIC DIVERSITY .............................................................................................................. 47 5.2 VEGETATION .......................................................................................................................... 47 5.3 FAUNA .................................................................................................................................... 48 6 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 49 7 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 52 TABLES November 2019 vii Resources Group(WA) Pty Ltd Grass Valley Hard Rock Quarry Flora and Fauna