Level 1 Flora and Vegetation Survey – Collie-Lake King Road Between SLK 64.5 – 71, Bowelling Curves
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Level 1 Flora and Vegetation Survey – Collie-Lake King Road between SLK 64.5 – 71, Bowelling Curves Prepared for Main Roads WA Revised 13 November 2014 Ecoedge Environmental Pty Ltd t: 08 97211377 PO Box 1180 Bunbury, 6231 Western Australia [email protected] ABN: 89 136 929 989 Ecoedge Review Version Origin Review release Issue date date approval v6 TB MS, RS 11/11/2014 v7 RS MS 12/11/2014 V8 RS MS 13/11/2014 Final draft RS, MS 13/11/2014 MS (released 13/11/2014 MS to MRWA) Final 2 | P a g e Executive Summary Ecoedge was engaged by Main Roads in August 2014 to undertake a Level 1 Flora and Vegetation Survey of remnant vegetation along the Collie-Lake King Road (Coalfields Road) - Bowelling curves SLK 64.5-71.0, in the Shire of West Arthur. Main Roads WA is conducting investigations for the future widening and re-alignment of Collie-Lake King Road. The initial survey of northern and southern alignment options was undertaken in September, 2014. A revised and expanded survey area of the southern alignment option was assessed in late October 2014 for two reasons. Firstly, a population of Leucopogon subsejunctus (Priority 2) had been found within the initial survey area and it was hoped to identify the extent of the species so as to assess and minimise the impact if removal of some specimens could not be avoided. In the interests of clarity, the initial survey area (37.3 ha) will be referred to as Area “A” and the expanded survey area (58.4 ha), which encompassed the southern alignment of the initial survey area, will be referred to as Area “B”. Area A, which totals 37.3 ha (of which about 20 ha is remnant native vegetation), is separated over much of its length into alternative northern and southern alignments. Area B, totalling 58.4 ha, includes about 46 ha of remnant vegetation. The flora and vegetation assessment of Areas A and B resulted in the identification of 220 vascular plant taxa, including 20 exotic species. One of the exotic species, Moraea flaccida (One-leaf Cape Tulip) is listed as a C3 pest plant for the Shire of West Arthur. No Declared Rare Flora under the WC Act, or plants listed as threatened under the Commonwealth EPBC Act were found within the survey areas. However, two Priority Flora species, Leucopogon subsejunctus (P2) and Synaphea hians (P3) were found; both of them are presumed to be newly-discovered occurrences. The populations were marked in the field using metal stakes and Day-Glo tape. The population of S. hians lies wholly within Area A and comprises approximately 20 plants. Synaphea hians has a relatively widespread distribution in the south-west of Western Australia ranging about 150 km east-west and 75 km north south. The initial survey (Area A), identified a population of Leucopogon subsejunctus (P2) over an area of about 0.5 ha with 27% (40-60 plants) within the survey area. The second survey (Area B) identified three sub-populations (including the population found during the first survey), totalling 5.5 ha and consisting of 2,500 to 3,000 individual plants. Approximately 4.1 ha occur within survey Area B. L. subsejunctus, which is a newly described taxon, has a relatively restricted distribution to the east and south east of Bowelling of about 25 km north-south and 15 km east-west. 3 | P a g e Six vegetation units were recognised and mapped for the two survey areas, including a unit represented mainly by areas of pasture. Most of the vegetation complexes in which these vegetation units occur are deemed to be well represented in conservation reserves and State forest. However, the herb-rich Melaleuca viminea shrubland unit, which is found on the flats of the Collie River East, much of which has been cleared for agriculture, may be a restricted floristic community type. This vegetation unit is contained within the ‘Swamp’ vegetation complex of Mattiske and Havel (1998), which is a very broad mapping unit of woodlands, shrublands or heaths, and sedgelands associated with valley floors throughout the eastern part of the Northern Jarrah Forest. The extent remaining of the ‘Swamp’ vegetation complex meets EPA and Commonwealth retention targets, however of the many vegetation units at the ‘floristic community type’ level contained within the ‘Swamp’ complex, some are likely to be restricted and poorly conserved (mainly as a result of past clearing for agriculture) – the Melaleuca viminea shrubland vegetation unit within the survey areas is likely to be one of these. With regard to floristic conservation factors, the southern proposed alignment of Area A and Area B is the more sensitive because it contains both the potentially restricted Melaleuca viminea shrubland on the flats of the Collie River East, and also the three sub- populations of the Priority 2 species Leucopogon subsejunctus. The Priority 3 species Synaphea hians occurs within the easternmost section of Area A, which is shared between both the northern and southern alignment options. 4 | P a g e Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 3 Statement of limitations ......................................................................................................................... 8 Reliance on Data ................................................................................................................................. 8 Report for Benefit of Client ................................................................................................................. 8 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Scope and objectives .............................................................................................................. 9 1.2 Biogeographic region ............................................................................................................ 10 1.3 Site location and features ..................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Geology ................................................................................................................................. 10 1.5 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................. 14 1.6 Threatened and Priority Ecological Communities................................................................. 18 1.7 Threatened and Priority Flora ............................................................................................... 19 2 Methods ........................................................................................................................................ 25 2.1 Survey Area A ........................................................................................................................ 25 2.2 Survey Area B ........................................................................................................................ 25 2.3 Survey limitations ................................................................................................................. 27 3 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 27 3.1 Declared Plants ..................................................................................................................... 27 3.2 Rare Flora .............................................................................................................................. 30 3.2.1 Area A ............................................................................................................................ 30 3.2.2 Area B ............................................................................................................................ 30 3.2.3 Conservation Status of the Priority Flora ...................................................................... 31 3.3 Vegetation Units ................................................................................................................... 36 3.3.1 Area A ............................................................................................................................ 36 3.3.2 Area B ............................................................................................................................ 36 3.3.3 Conservation Status of the Vegetation Units in Area A and Area B ............................. 37 3.4 Vegetation Condition ............................................................................................................ 46 3.4.1 Area A ............................................................................................................................ 46 3.4.2 Area B ............................................................................................................................ 46 4 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 54 4.1 Weeds, including declared pest plants ................................................................................. 54 4.2 Declared and Priority Flora ................................................................................................... 54 4.2.1 Area A ...........................................................................................................................