2017 Rehabilitation Monitoring Report
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2017 Rehabilitation Monitoring Report Report prepared for Bulga Coal Complex 12 October 2017 i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................ 1.1 2.0 Methods.............................................................................................. 2.1 2.1 Site Layout ............................................................................................................................ 2.3 2.2 Biometric Vegetation Sampling ............................................................................................ 2.3 2.3 Landscape Function Analysis ................................................................................................ 2.4 2.4 Pest Animals ......................................................................................................................... 2.5 3.0 Results and Discussion ........................................................................ 3.5 3.1 Biometric Vegetation Sampling ............................................................................................ 3.5 3.1.1 Grey Box-Ironbark Woodland ........................................................................................... 3.6 3.1.2 Ironbark-Spotted Gum-Grey Box Woodland .................................................................... 3.7 3.1.3 Swamp Oak Forest ............................................................................................................ 3.8 3.2 Landscape Function Analysis ................................................................................................ 3.9 3.2.1 Landscape Organisation Index ......................................................................................... 3.9 3.2.2 Soil Stability .................................................................................................................... 3.10 3.2.3 Soil Infiltration ................................................................................................................ 3.11 3.2.4 Soil Nutrients .................................................................................................................. 3.12 3.2.5 Sum of LFA ...................................................................................................................... 3.13 3.3 Pest Animals ....................................................................................................................... 3.14 3.4 Native/Exotic Plant Composition ....................................................................................... 3.14 3.5 Germination of Species from the Seed Mix ....................................................................... 3.16 3.5.1 Recommendations for Modification to Seed Mix .......................................................... 3.17 4.0 Rehabilitation Progress Towards Closure Criteria .............................. 4.18 5.0 Summary of Recommendations .......................................................... 5.1 6.0 References .......................................................................................... 6.2 ii FIGURES Figure 2.1 Location of 2017 Monitoring Sites and Target Vegetiaon Communities .......................... 2.2 Figure 2.2 Site Layout ........................................................................................................................ 2.3 Figure 3.1 Monitoring Sites Landscape Organisation Index ............................................................. 3.10 Figure 3.2 Monitoring Sites Soil Stability Value ............................................................................... 3.11 Figure 3.3 Monitoring Sites Soil Infiltration Values .......................................................................... 3.12 Figure 3.4 Monitoring Sites Soil Nutrient Values ............................................................................. 3.13 Figure 3.5 Monitoring Sites Sum of LFA Values ............................................................................... 3.13 Figure 3.6 Abundance of Native, Non-invasive Weed and Invasive Weed Species ......................... 3.15 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Schedule of Monitoring .................................................................................................. 6.3 Appendix 2 Results of Photo Monitoring ........................................................................................... 6.7 Appendix 3 Biometric Score ............................................................................................................ 6.12 Appendix 4 Flora Species List........................................................................................................... 6.14 Appendix 5 Seed Mixes .................................................................................................................... 6.20 iii 1.0 Introduction This document reports on the annual Rehabilitation Monitoring Program at Bulga Coal. Bulga Coal is located approximately 12 kilometres southwest of Singleton in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales. Bulga Coal comprises two coal mining operations, being Bulga Open Cut (BOC) and Bulga Underground Operations (BUO). BOC incorporates the Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP) and BUO incorporates the Blakefield Mine. BOC and BUO forms the Bulga Coal Complex (BCC). BCC has recently revised the closure criteria for the operation as part of the closure planning for a Mining Operation Plan submission in 2017. Therefore, BCC was required to update the existing rehabilitation and ecological monitoring program to ensure that the data collected from the monitoring program directly relates to measures in the revised closure criteria. This document reports on the methods and results of the 2017 Rehabilitation Monitoring Program at BCC, which was undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the revised Rehabilitation Monitoring Procedure (Emergent Ecology 2017). 2.0 Methods The methodology adopted for the 2017 Rehabilitation Monitoring Program is outlined in the BCC Rehabilitation Monitoring Procedure (Emergent Ecology 2017). This methodology was developed in accordance with the BCC closure criteria, GCAA Completion Criteria and Rehabilitation Monitoring procedure (GCAA 2015) and Biometric methodology (DECCW 2011). The following sections outline the methods undertaken to complete the monitoring program. Field surveys for the BCC Rehabilitation Monitoring Program were undertaken from the 29 to 31 May 2017. Seven sites required monitoring in 2017, as shown in Table 2.1 and locations provided on Figure 2.1. The longer term schedule for all rehabilitation monitoring sites is provided as Appendix 1. Table 2.1 Monitoring Sites 2017 Site Vegetation Commencement Easting Northing Monitoring Type Name Community of Monitoring BM20 GBIW 324,666 6,387,133 Reference 2014 BM23 SOF 322,922 6,384,707 Reference 2014 BM25 ISGBW 322,151 6,377,683 Reference 2017 NB6 GBIW 321,082 6,384,632 Rehabilitation 2016 NVB1 GBIW 318,315 6,384,537 Rehabilitation 2015 NVB2 GBIW 319,823 6,380,432 Rehabilitation 2016 OTD1 ISGBW 322,180 6,379,337 Rehabilitation 2017 Vegetation community abbreviations: • GBIW: Grey Box-Ironbark Woodland • SOF: Swamp Oak Forest • ISGBW: Ironbark-Spotted Gum-Grey Box Woodland 2.1 Ü BM20 NB6 BM23 NVB1 C h a r l t o NVB2 n R o a d Legend OTD1 Monitoring Rehabilitation Site Reference Site Approved Disturbance Boundary Grey Box-Ironbark Woodland ad Ro ke Ironbark-Spotted Gum-Grey Box Woodland Bro Swamp Oak FOrest BM25 Pasture Void Water Public Road Kilometers 0 0.250.5 1 1.5 2 Figure 2.1. Location of 2017 Monitoring Sites and Target Vegetation Communities 2.1 Site Layout A new site layout was developed for 2017 which incorporates the Biometric methodology and previous BCC monitoring site layout. Site layout involved a 20m by 50m plot, with a nested 20m by 20m plot, and includes a 50m transect running through the plot, as shown in Figure 2.2. Monitoring methods undertaken within each plot and transect are outlined in Section 2.2. The plot/transect starts on the upper slope and runs directly down slope, this is a requirement for LFA monitoring. Permanent markers (such as star picket) were placed at either end of the 50m transect and at 20m to identify the plots. Figure 2.2 shows the general site layout. Figure 2.2. Site layout (DECCW 2011). 2.2 Biometric Vegetation Sampling The Biometric Vegetation Sampling method has been adopted to adequately compare the results of the monitoring program to a standard vegetation classification. The Biometric vegetation sampling method will allow a direct comparison of results to the NSW Government Vegetation Information System (VIS) database. The VIS database provides detailed information on hundreds of plant community types (PCT) throughout NSW and is updated and managed by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH). The Biometric vegetation sampling methodology was undertaken at each of the seven monitoring sites. The Biometric Vegetation Sampling methodology involved measuring the following components: Native plant species richness: total number of species recorded in a 20m x 20m plot. The plot was systematically traversed, and the number of indigenous vascular plant species were counted. All species were recorded to ensure the vegetation community is trending towards the target PCT; Native over-storey: percent foliage cover at 10 points along a 50m transect. Native over-storey is the tallest woody stratum present (including emergents) that is 1m and higher and includes all species native to