Block 3 Section 22 Barton Master Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Attachment E Alison Rowell (Ecologist), Survey and Impact Assessment – Golden Sun Moth Survey and impact assessment at Golden Sun Moth Synemon plana site, Blocks 3 and 7, Section 22 Barton (York Park) Report prepared for Parsons Brinckerhoff by Alison Rowell Biologist and Environmental Consultant [email protected] May 2007 1. BACKGROUND........................................................................................................................................4 1.1 THE PROJECT .........................................................................................................................................4 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES OF THE SITE..................................................................................................5 1.2.1 Natural Temperate Grassland.......................................................................................................5 1.2.2 Golden Sun Moth Synemon plana .................................................................................................5 2. AIM.............................................................................................................................................................7 3. METHODS.................................................................................................................................................8 3.1 GOLDEN SUN MOTH SURVEY.................................................................................................................8 3.2 HABITAT ASSESSMENT.........................................................................................................................10 3.3 ASSESSMENT OF SHADING EFFECTS......................................................................................................10 4. RESULTS.................................................................................................................................................12 4.1 GOLDEN SUN MOTH SURVEY...............................................................................................................12 4.1.1 Flying season and captures of males ..........................................................................................12 4.1.2 Distribution and movements .......................................................................................................15 4.1.3 Moth condition ............................................................................................................................17 4.1.4 Predation.....................................................................................................................................17 4.2 POPULATION ESTIMATES......................................................................................................................18 4.3 HABITAT ASSESSMENT.........................................................................................................................19 4.3.1 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................................19 4.3.2 Canberra Raspy Cricket Cooraboorama canberrae...................................................................23 4.4 ASSESSMENT OF SHADING EFFECTS OF BUILDING OPTIONS ..................................................................24 4.4.1 Option 1 (November building design).........................................................................................24 4.4.2 Option 2 (January building design) ............................................................................................25 4.4.3 Option 3a (February Building Design).......................................................................................25 4.4.4 Option 3b, with ‘wings’ (March Building Design)......................................................................25 4.4.5 Access road to Block 7................................................................................................................25 5. DISCUSSION...........................................................................................................................................26 5.1 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE YORK PARK GOLDEN SUN MOTH POPULATION ................................................26 5.1.1 Species conservation status.........................................................................................................26 5.1.2 Genetic status..............................................................................................................................26 5.1.3 Population trends........................................................................................................................27 5.1.4 Educational opportunities...........................................................................................................27 5.2 POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT..............................................................................28 5.2.1 General effects of shading...........................................................................................................28 5.2.2 Natural versus artificial shading ................................................................................................29 5.2.3 Assessment of building options ...................................................................................................29 6. RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................30 7. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................32 Golden Sun Moth, impact assessment at Blocks 3 & 7 Section 22 Barton ACT. 2 FIGURE 1. MALE GOLDEN SUN MOTH AFTER CAPTURE AND NUMBERING. .......................................................7 FIGURE 2. MALE GOLDEN SUN MOTHS IN TEMPORARY MESH HOLDING CAGE. ..............................................10 FIGURE 3. FEMALE GOLDEN SUN MOTH SHOWING UPPERWING PATTERN. .....................................................11 FIGURE 4. FEMALE GOLDEN SUN MOTH, VENTRAL VIEW...............................................................................11 FIGURE 5. DAILY FIRST CAPTURES OF MALE GOLDEN SUN MOTHS AT YORK PARK, SPRING 2006. ................13 FIGURE 6. ESTIMATED DAILY MALE POPULATION SIZE AT YORK PARK,BARTON, SPRING 2006.....................14 FIGURE 7. SECTORS OF THE GOLDEN SUN MOTH SURVEY SITE. .....................................................................16 FIGURE 8. DISTURBED VEGETATION IN BLOCK 3, WEST OF GOLDEN SUN MOTH HABITAT. ............................20 FIGURE 9. VEGETATION IN SECTOR 2(BLOCK 7) OF GOLDEN SUN MOTH SITE..............................................21 FIGURE 10. VEGETATION IN SECTOR 2(CENTRE OF BLOCK 3) OF GOLDEN SUN MOTH SITE...........................21 FIGURE 11. VEGETATION IN SECTOR 8(SOUTH END BLOCK 3) OF GOLDEN SUN MOTH SITE..........................22 FIGURE 12. MEDIAN STRIP OF SYDNEY AVENUE, EAST OF NATIONAL CIRCUIT..............................................22 FIGURE 13. CAPPED BURROW OF CANBERRA RASPY CRICKET. ......................................................................23 FIGURE 14. FEMALE CANBERRA RASPY CRICKET. .........................................................................................23 TABLE 1. CHANGE IN DISTRIBUTION OF CAPTURES OF MALE GOLDEN SUN MOTHS DURING SURVEY PERIOD.16 TABLE 2. SUMMARY OF MARK-RELEASE-RECAPTURE RESULTS FOR MALE GOLDEN SUN MOTHS FOR ALL SURVEYS...............................................................................................................................................19 TABLE 3. BUILDING DESIGN OPTIONS. ............................................................................................................24 TABLE 4. DETAILS OF SHADING BY OPTION 3B...............................................................................................24 APPENDIX 1: Details of analysis in program MARK APPENDIX 2: Details of analysis in program JOLLY. APPENDIX 3: Vegetation quadrat data sheets Acknowledgements Mr Ted Edwards provided specialist advice on the biology of the Golden Sun Moth and on details of previous surveys. Ms Anett Richter of the University of Canberra performed the statistical analyses and prepared the graphs, and provided valuable technical advice and discussions during the project. Mr Arne Bishop undertook technical co-ordination and much of the moth capture work. Dr David Rowell of the Australian National University lent equipment and Tom Rowell, Cameron Summerville and Francis James provided field assistance. Survey work carried out under Department of the Environment and Heritage (now Department of the Environment and Water Resources) Permit to Take Number E2006-0007. Golden Sun Moth, impact assessment at Blocks 3 & 7 Section 22 Barton ACT. 3 Survey and impact assessment at Golden Sun Moth Synemon plana site, Blocks 3 and 7, Section 22 Barton 1. Background 1.1 The project The south-eastern part of Block 3 and eastern part of Block 7, Section 22 Barton ACT contain a population of Golden Sun Moth Synemon plana, in about 0.5 ha of Natural Temperate Grassland dominated by species of Wallaby Grasses (Austrodanthonia) (ACT Government 1997, 1998, 2005). The Department of Finance and Administration, the owner of Block 3 Section 22 Barton, has appointed a Planning Consultant to develop a Master Plan to explore development opportunities for the block. Block 7 is Territory land. This part of Barton is part of