Hera Project, Via Nymagee
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Hera Project, via Nymagee Ecology Assessment Prepared by OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management Pty Ltd November 2011 Specialist Consultant Studies Compendium Volume 1, Part 1 This page has intentionally been left blank Hera Project, via Nymagee Ecology Assessment Prepared for: R.W. Corkery & Co. Pty Limited 62 Hill Street ORANGE NSW 2800 Tel: (02) 6362 5411 Fax: (02) 6361 3622 Email: [email protected] On behalf of: YTC Resources Limited 2 Corporation Place ORANGE NSW 2800 Tel: (02) 6361 4700 Fax: (02) 6361 4711 Email: [email protected] Prepared by: OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management Pty Ltd PO Box 2069 DUBBO NSW 2830 Tel: (02) 6882 0118 Fax: (02) 6882 0630 Email: [email protected] November 2011 OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management Pty Ltd YTC RESOURCES LIMITED 1 - 2 SPECIALIST CONSULTANT STUDIES Hera Project Part 1: Ecology Assessment Report No. 659/07 This Copyright is included for the protection of this document. COPYRIGHT © OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management Pty Ltd, 2011 and © YTC Resources Limited, 2011 All intellectual property and copyright reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this report may be reproduced, transmitted, stored in a retrieval system or adapted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management Pty Ltd. OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management Pty Ltd SPECIALIST CONSULTANT STUDIES 1 - 3 YTC RESOURCES LIMITED Part 1: Ecology Assessment Hera Project Report No. 659/07 CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................... 1-9 1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... 1-15 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 1-15 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT........................................................................................................... 1-15 1.3 PROJECT SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................................... 1-15 1.4 DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 1-17 1.5 REPORT AUTHORSHIP ............................................................................................................................. 1-18 1.6 CONSTRAINTS .......................................................................................................................................... 1-18 1.6.1 DEC Biodiversity Survey Guidelines November 2004...................................................................... 1-18 1.6.2 Survey Constraints .......................................................................................................................... 1-18 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES.................................................................................... 1-20 2.1 OPERATION OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................... 1-20 2.2 TAILINGS MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................................................... 1-22 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................ 1-23 3.1 BIOREGIONAL AND REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT ............................................................. 1-23 3.1.1 The Cobar Peneplain Bioregion ....................................................................................................... 1-23 3.1.2 Significant Wetlands in the Bioregion and Region ........................................................................... 1-25 3.1.3 Bioregional, Regional Scale Conservation ....................................................................................... 1-25 3.1.4 Regional Wildlife Corridors in the Cobar Peneplain Bioregion ......................................................... 1-26 3.2 LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT ...................................................................................................... 1-26 3.2.1 Topography ...................................................................................................................................... 1-27 3.2.2 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................... 1-27 3.2.3 Climate ............................................................................................................................................. 1-27 3.2.4 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................................ 1-28 3.2.5 Geology and Soils ............................................................................................................................ 1-28 3.2.6 Existing Levels of Disturbance ......................................................................................................... 1-28 4. DESKTOP AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ..................................................................................... 1-29 4.1 PREVIOUS VEGETATION MAPPING / DESCRIPTIONS .......................................................................... 1-29 4.2 PREVIOUS ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ......................................................................................................... 1-31 4.2.1 Cobar Peneplain Assessments ........................................................................................................ 1-31 4.2.2 Regional Development Driven Studies ............................................................................................ 1-31 4.2.3 Local Development Driven Studies .................................................................................................. 1-34 4.3 SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS .................................................................... 1-37 4.4 DATABASE SEARCHES ............................................................................................................................ 1-37 OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management Pty Ltd YTC RESOURCES LIMITED 1 - 4 SPECIALIST CONSULTANT STUDIES Hera Project Part 1: Ecology Assessment Report No. 659/07 CONTENTS Page 4.4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1-37 4.4.2 Significant Flora ............................................................................................................................... 1-38 4.4.3 Noxious Weeds ................................................................................................................................ 1-40 4.4.4 Significant Fauna ............................................................................................................................. 1-40 4.4.5 Endangered Ecological Communities .............................................................................................. 1-47 4.4.6 Endangered Populations ................................................................................................................. 1-47 4.4.7 Critical Habitats ................................................................................................................................ 1-47 4.4.8 Endangered or Threatened Aquatic Species, Populations & Critical Habitats ................................. 1-47 4.5 SUMMARY OF LISTED SPECIES, COMMUNITIES AND POPULATIONS ............................................... 1-48 5. FIELD SURVEY METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 1-51 5.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1-51 5.2 FLORA SURVEY METHODS AND EFFORTS ........................................................................................... 1-51 5.2.1 Community Nomenclature, Vegetation Survey and Mapping .......................................................... 1-51 5.2.2 Habitat Values of Hollow Bearing Trees .......................................................................................... 1-56 5.2.3 Terrestrial Orchid Survey ................................................................................................................. 1-56 5.3 FAUNA SURVEY METHODS AND EFFORTS ........................................................................................... 1-56 5.3.1 Ultrasonic Bat Call Detection ........................................................................................................... 1-56 5.3.2 Call Playback ................................................................................................................................... 1-57 5.3.3 Bird Survey ...................................................................................................................................... 1-57 5.3.4 Scat and Tracks ..............................................................................................................................