Ecological Impact Assessment (NZ Ecology) and Vegetation Report (Opus)
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Appendix J Ecological Impact Assessment (NZ Ecology) and Vegetation Report (Opus) Ecological Impact Assessment McPherson Quarry Prepared for McPherson Resources Ltd 15 October 2019 Report Number 1708203-001 V5 Document Sign-Off Author(s): Stephanie Angove-Emery Ecologist Ecology New Zealand Limited Jasmine Dungey Ecologist Ecology New Zealand Limited Connor Whiteley Senior Ecologist Ecology New Zealand Limited Review: Marc Choromanski Senior Ecologist Ecology New Zealand Limited Released by: Simon Chapman Principal Ecologist Ecology New Zealand Limited Page 2 of 52 McPherson Quarry Report No. 1708203.1-001.V4 October 19 Contents 1. Introduction 6 1.1. Background 6 1.2. Purpose and Scope 6 1.3. Site Location, Description and Ecological Context 6 2. Methodology 8 2.1. Terrestrial Assessment 8 2.1.1. Avifauna 8 2.1.2. Chiropteran fauna 8 2.1.3. Herpetofauna 8 2.2. Freshwater Assessment 9 2.2.1. Watercourse Assessment 9 2.2.2. Waterbody and Wetland Assessment 9 2.2.3. Fish 9 2.2.4. Aquatic Macroinvertebrates 10 3. Ecological Assessment 11 3.1. Terrestrial Ecological Values 11 3.1.1. Avifauna 11 3.1.2. Chiropteran fauna 11 3.1.3. Herpetofauna 13 3.1.4. Pest Animals 15 3.2. Freshwater Ecology 15 3.2.1. Watercourse Assessment 15 3.2.2. Waterbody Assessment 19 3.2.3. Fish 23 3.2.4. Aquatic Macroinvertebrates 24 4. Assessment of Ecological Effects 26 4.1. Terrestrial 26 4.1.1. Avoidance and Mapping Revisions 26 4.1.2. Assessment of Values (EIANZ) 26 4.1.3. Assessment of values (Regional Criteria) 27 4.1.4. Magnitude of Effects 27 4.1.5. Overall Pre-Mitigation Level of Effects Rating 28 4.2. Freshwater 28 4.2.1. Ponds 28 4.2.2. Tributary 1 29 4.2.3. Stream 1 30 Page 3 of 52 McPherson Quarry Report No. 1708203.1-001.V4 October 19 4.2.4. Overall Pre-Mitigation Level of Effects Rating 31 5. Management of Effects 32 5.1. Terrestrial 32 5.2. Freshwater 33 6. Post-Mitigation Level of Effects 35 6.1. Terrestrial 35 6.2. Freshwater 36 6.3. Recommendations: 36 7. Conclusion 38 List of Figures Figure 1 Significant Natural Areas indicated in and around site. .................................................................. 7 Figure 2 Bio-acoustic profile of possible long-tailed bat pass. ...................................................................... 12 List of Tables Table 1: Bird species recorded during ENZL field assessment and their threat status ..................... 11 Table 2 Summary of herpetofauna found within 25km of the site. ............................................................ 14 Table 3: Fish caught on site (Appendix D shows trap locations). ................................................................ 23 Table 4: Fish species found within the wider Mangatawhiri River catchment based on NZFFD ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Table 5: Results of macroinvertebrate sampling at four sites, McPherson Quarry ............................ 25 Table 6 Summary of habitat types and their values identified onsite. ..................................................... 27 Table 7 Summary of magnitude of effects. ............................................................................................................. 27 Table 8 Overall level of effects rating (EIANZ, 2018).................................................................................................... 28 Table 9 Overall level of effects rating (EIANZ, 2018). .......................................................................................... 31 Table 10 Overall post-mitigation level of effects, Fauna ............................................................................................ 35 Table 11 Overall post-mitigation level of effects, Freshwater .................................................................................. 36 List of Plates Plate 1 Scattered specimen trees representing bat roosting habitat. 12 Plate 2 Kānuka-dominant bush block on eastern boundary of site. 13 Plate 3 High-quality potential frog habitat in a stream directly east of the site. 14 Plate 4 Stream 1 classified as a permanent, hard-bottomed stream 16 Plate 5 Stream 1 channel morphology within the pasture area with unfettered stock access 17 Plate 6 Photo of macroinvertebrate sampling being undertaken within Tributary 1. Grazing of rushes by stock is clear from the photo. 18 Plate 7 Photo of outfall drain showing the clearly defined and excavated channel. 19 Plate 8 Photo of North Pond clearly showing the lack of any macrophyte growth. 20 Plate 9 Pond 2 from the southern bank. 22 Page 4 of 52 McPherson Quarry Report No. 1708203.1-001.V4 October 19 Appendices Appendix A - Report Limitations Appendix B - Site plans Appendix C - Terrestrial Surveying Efforts Appendix D - Freshwater features and surveying efforts Appendix E - Regional Policy Statement Ecological Assessment Section 11A Appendix F - Terrestrial habitat features (all unmarked areas classified as grazed pasture) Appendix G - Proposed Freshwater Impact Sites and Mitigation Appendix H - Avoidance Measures Page 5 of 52 McPherson Quarry Report No. 1708203.1-001.V4 October 19 1. INTRODUCTION This report1, prepared by Ecology New Zealand Limited (ENZL) for McPherson Resources Ltd (‘the client’), presents the results of an Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA) undertaken at McPherson Quarry, 47 McPherson Road, Pokeno, Waikato (‘the site’)2. It provides an assessment of the current terrestrial fauna and aquatic values found within ‘Stages 1, 2 & 3’ of the proposed quarry expansion and overburden storage areas at the site. 1.1. Background3 McPherson Resources Limited proposes to expand its operation at the McPherson’s Quarry to extract aggregate from a greater area to meet the increasing demand within the district. The quarry is operating with existing use rights and will require a resource consent to continue future operations and to provide storage areas for overburden removed from the quarry site. Most of the quarry expansion footprint and overburden storage areas impact upon vegetation of negligible value (pasture and gorse). However, the expansion footprint also impacts upon relatively small areas of regenerating native forest located within the boundary of a Significant Natural Feature (SNF), being a Significant Natural Area (SNA) identified in the Operative Waikato District Plan. Therefore, an assessment of the effects of future quarrying operations on ecological values is considered necessary to support resource consent application. 1.2. Purpose and Scope This report is intended to be read as supplementary information to the McPherson Quarry Vegetation Assessment Report prepared by WSP-Opus, 2018. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the current terrestrial fauna and aquatic values within the site, which have yet to be assessed in detail. The scope of this report comprises the following: • A description of the terrestrial fauna and aquatic values; • An assessment of effects on terrestrial fauna and aquatic values; and • Recommendations to avoid, remedy, mitigate or offset adverse ecological effects. 1.3. Site Location, Description and Ecological Context McPherson Quarry is located at 47 McPherson Road (Property 3480373) on the eastern border of the Manukau Ecological District of the Auckland Ecological Region. The quarry is located at the south-western most extent of a near contiguous, native forest linkage between the quarry and the Hunua Ranges of the Auckland Region. At present, the majority of the existing vegetation onsite is comprised of pasture grass and gorse-dominated scrub. However, the quarry does bisect two large tracts of native forest located to the east and west of the site, which have been classified as Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) by the Waikato District Council (Figure 1). 1 This report is subject to the Report Limitations provided in Appendix A. 2 Defined as the proposed excavation areas (Stages 1,2,3 and overburden area) 3 Background information as detailed within Bridge, D., Turner, J., and Yungnickel M. (2018). McPherson Quarry Vegetation Assessment. Expansion Stages 1 to 3. WSPOpus. Page 6 of 52 McPherson Quarry Report No. 1708203.1-001.V4 October 19 Bluff Road Legend Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Overburden Storage Area SNA (Waikato District Council 2019) Indigenous Vegetation Avoidance These graphics have been produced as a result of information provided by the client and/or sourced by or provided to Ecology New Mcpherson Quarry, Mangatawhiri Zealand Limited by a third party for the purposes of providing the Site Map and SNA Overlay services. No responsibility is taken by Ecology New Zealand Limited for any liability or action arising from any incomplete or inaccurate 1:4,000 @ A3 information provided to Ecology New Zealand Limited (whether from Date: 15 October 2019 | Revision : 2 the client or a third party). The graphics are provided to the client Plan prepared for McPherson Resources Limited by Projection: NZGD2000/NZTM2000 Sources: Map data-Waikato District Council 2019;Stage for the benefit and use of the client and for the purpose for which it 1-3 footprints based on plans by Mansergh Graham Landscape Architects, dated October is intended. Ecology New Zealand Limited 2019.Overburden footprint-based on communications with Kinetic Environmental Ltd, dated © Ecology New Zealand Author: [email protected] | 25-07-2019 2. METHODOLOGY 2.1. Terrestrial Assessment Site investigations