Black-Cockatoo Habitat Assessment of Development Area 6 of Latitude 32, Wattleup Version 2. October 2016 Prepared for: PGV Environmental Unit 1, 61 Guthrie Street Osborne Park WA 6017 By: Terrestrial Ecosystems 10 Houston Place Mt Claremont WA 6010 i RECORD OF DISTRIBUTION No. of copies Report File Name Report Status Date Prepared for: Initials Electronic 2016-0044-002-st-V1 Draft 15 September 2016 PGV Environmental ST/GT Electronic 2016-0044-002-st-V1 Final 10 October 2016 PGV Environmental ST/GT DISCLAIMER This document is prepared in accordance with and subject to an agreement between Terrestrial Ecosystems and the client, PGV Environmental. It has been prepared and is restricted to those issues that have been raised by the client in its engagement of Terrestrial Ecosystems and prepared using the standard of skill and care ordinarily exercised by environmental scientists in the preparation of such reports. Persons or agencies that rely on or use this document for purposes or reasons other than those agreed by Terrestrial Ecosystems and its client without first obtaining prior consent, do so at their own risk and Terrestrial Ecosystems denies all liability in tort, contract or otherwise for any loss, damage or injury of any kind whatsoever (whether in negligence or otherwise) that may be suffered as a consequence. Front Cover: Project area looking west ii Table of contents 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Project objectives and scope of work 1 2 Existing environment and Methodology 2 2.1 Project area 2 2.2 Survey methodology 2 2.3 Limitations 2 3 Results 3 3.1 Habitat 3 3.2 Significant trees 4 3.3 Foraging habitat and evidence of Black-Cockatoo foraging 4 3.4 Black-Cockatoo foraging habitat in the vicinity of the project area 5 3.4.1 Significance of foraging habitat in Development Area 6 5 3.5 Species ecology 6 3.6 Other observations 8 4 Discussion 10 4.1 Impacts on Black-Cockatoos 10 5 Summary and recommendations 13 5.1 Recommendations 13 6 References 14 Plates 1. Fauna habitat on the periphery 2. Fauna habitat on the periphery 3. Fauna habitat on the periphery 4. Fauna habitat on the periphery 5. Fauna habitat on the periphery 6. Fauna habitat on the periphery 7. Quarry in the project area 8. Isolated Banksia 9. Isolated Banksia 10. Southern Brown Bandicoot diggings 11. Southern Brown Bandicoot diggings Tables 1. Criteria for assessing foraging habitat for Black-Cockatoos 2. Summary assessment of whether an action will have a significant impact on the two species of Black-Cockatoos Figures 1. Regional location 2. Significant trees 3. Black-Cockatoo foraging habitat assessment Appendices A. Coordinates for significant trees for Black-Cockatoos iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LandCorp plans to develop Development Area 6A of its Latitude 32 Industry Zone (Latitude 32) project area in Wattleup. Much of Development Area 6A has already been cleared, is highly disturbed and being used as a sand and limestone quarry. Native vegetation is confined to the periphery of Development Area 6A. Fifty-eight (58) eucalypt or dead trees were recorded in Development Area 6A that had a Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) of 500mm or greater. No trees contained a hollow or hollows that may provide a nesting site for a Black-Cockatoo. There were some small hollows in various trees, some of which were being used as nesting sites by parrots, galahs and corellas at the time of the field assessment. Clearing of the trees in Development Area 6 would not significantly reduce the foraging hab itat available for Black- Cockatoos and such an action would therefore not trigger the Commonwealth Government’s criteria for a referral under the EPBC Act 1999. However, based on other recently referred projects the precautionary approach would be to refer the project to the Commonwealth for assessment. Overall, the foraging habitat in Development Area 6 is of a much lower quality than that in adjacent areas like Thomson Lake Nature Reserve and Harry Waring Marsupial Reserve. The area assessed contains less than 1ha of quality Black-Cockatoo foraging habitat, giving regard to more productive foraging opportunities within 4km. Development Area 6 also supports Southern Brown Bandicoots and is likely to support Brush -tail Possums and a range of small vertebrate fauna that could be lost during the vegetation clearing program. It is recommended that: A vertebrate fauna relocation strategy is prepared by a fauna specialist familiar with the ecology of species potentially present in Development Area 6A; Areas that contain an understory of native vegetation and supports southern brown bandicoots are trapped and the captured animals are relocated to a suitable adjacent habitat; Every effort is made to retain as many of the mature trees as is possible in Development Area 6A; If practical, the vegetation clearing is undertaken outside the breeding season for the majority of avian species (i.e. Spring); and A zoologist is present during the vegetation clearing program to salvage vertebrate fauna (e.g. Brush -tailed Possums, Bobtail lizards, Bearded Dragons) that can be relocated to another site or given to a wildlife carer until they are able to fend for themselves. iv 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The Latitude 32 Industry Zone (Latitude 32) consists of approximately 1,422ha and is located midway between Fremantle and Rockingham in the south-west corridor of the Perth Metropolitan Region. This assessment was undertaken over all lots within Development Area 6A which is located in the north west of Latitude 32 near the corner of Russell Road and Rockingham Road, Wattlelup (Figure 1). Landcorp, via PGV Environmental, commissioned Terrestrial Ecosystems to assess the potential use and importance of the area for Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo and Baudins Black- Cockatoo. 1.2 Project objectives and scope of work The purpose of this assessment was to: a) Assess Development Area 6A for trees that are of significant value to Black-Cockatoos; b) Map all potential nesting trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 500mm or greater and assess their likelihood of the trees being used for breeding purposes in the future; and c) Assess the foraging habitat value for Black-Cockatoos. 1 2 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT AND METHODOLOGY 2.1 Project area Development Area 6A is situated on the Spearwood dune system and is gently undulati ng (i.e. there is about 20m natural variation in altitude across the site). Development Area 6A is largely cleared for a sand and gravel quarry but has remnant habitat near the boundary fences (Figure 2). 2.2 Survey methodology All trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 500mm or greater were recorded using a hand-held GPS. Trees with a trunk DBH of 500mm or greater were inspected from the ground to determine whether any hollows were present, and if present, whether they have been used (i.e. chew marks, etc) or are suitable and likely to be used as a nesting site for Black-Cockatoos. Trees were not climbed to inspect hollows. The DBH was measured using a tape and the tree height were estimated and recorded. Black-Cockatoo foraging areas were assessed using the rating shown in Table 1. Table 1. Criteria for assessing foraging habitat for Black-Cockatoos Rating Characteristics Black-Cockatoo foraging Contained no or very few plants that Black-Cockatoos are almost never seen foraging in the area 0 provide a food source for Black- and if they are, it isn’t for very long. Cockatoos. Contained a few plants that would Black-Cockatoos may infrequently be seen foraging in the 1 occasionally provide a food source area and they don’t stay very long. for Black-Cockatoos. Contained plants that are a preferred Black-Cockatoos could be seen foraging in the area and 2 food source for Black-Cockatoos. could return annually during flowering or seeding. There may be some evidence of past feeding in the area. Contained an abundance of plants There is considerable evidence of Black-Cockatoos foraging 3 that are a preferred food source for in the area and these birds will return annually foraging Black-Cockatoos. during flowering or seeding. A literature review was undertaken on Black-Cockatoos to provide an appropriate background for the impact assessment. The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) has made available maps of breeding and potential breeding areas for Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos on the Swan Coastal Plain. These maps were examined to determine the possible significance of Development Area 6A as a future breeding location. 2.3 Limitations The determination of whether a tree contained a hollow that may have been suitable as a nesting site for Black- Cockatoos was made from the ground below the tree. It was not possible to see into any of these hollows, and for many of these hollows, it was difficult to determine the dimensions of the hollow entrance. Where the surveyor was in doubt about the potential for a hollow to provide a nesting site, the hollow was recorded. Therefore, ‘hollows’ will have been recorded that on closer examination would not provide a suitable hollow for fauna. Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos regularly shift their roosting sites, and Carnaby’s and Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos forage during the day a considerable distance from their roosting sites and only return at dusk and leave at first light in the morning. Therefore, areas could be used as roosting sites and may have gone undetected. 2 3 RESULTS 3.1 Habitat Native vegetation is confined to the periphery of Development Area 6A, and the central area has been a sand and limestone quarry for many years.