Greenbushes Infrastructure Corridors Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey
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ENVIRONMENTAL Greenbushes Infrastructure Corridors Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey Prepared for Talison Lithium 3 December 2018 Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey Greenbushes Infrastructure Corridors Document Status Rev Authors Reviewer/s Date Approved for Issue No. Name Distributed To Date 1 D.Brearley B.Menezies 03/11/18 D.Brearley S.Green, 25/11/18 C.Griffin 2 D.Brearley B.Menezies 29/11/18 D.Brearley S.Green, 03/12/18 C.Griffin ACN 095 837 120 PO Box 227 YALLINGUP WA 6282 Telephone / Fax (08) 9756 6206 E-mail: [email protected] COPYRIGHT: The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Onshore Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Onshore Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd constitutes an infringement of copyright. DISCLAIMER: This report has been undertaken solely for Talison Lithium. No responsibility is accepted to any third party who may come into possession of this report in whatever manner and who may use or rely on the whole or any part of this report. If any such third party attempts to rely on any information contained in this report such party should obtain independent advice in relation to such information. i Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey Greenbushes Infrastructure Corridors EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Talison Lithium Pty Ltd (Talison) currently operates a lithium mine at Greenbushes, situated approximately 250km south of Perth in south-west Western Australia (Figure1). Talison is proposing to increase output from the Greenbushes Mine and as part of the current expansion of mining operations, requires flora and vegetation survey work to be completed within three proposed infrastructure corridors surrounding the mine site (Figure 2). Onshore Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd (Onshore Environmental) was commissioned by Talison to undertake a two season detailed flora and vegetation survey of remnant native vegetation occurring within the proposed infrastructure corridors, herein referred to as the study area. The field survey was completed by two Principal Botanists and one Senior Botanist from Onshore Environmental working over a six day period from the 30th July to the 6th August 2018, with a second season assessment completed over six spring days; 26th, 27th, 29th and 30th September, 3rd, 4th and 18th October 2018. A total number of 280 plant taxa (including varieties and subspecies) from 60 families and 157 genera were recorded from the study area. Species representation was greatest among the Fabaceae, Orchidaceae, Asparagaceae, Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Proteaceae and Poaceae families. The most speciose genus was Acacia (17 taxa), followed by Caladenia (11 taxa), Lomandra (10 taxa), Stylidium (8 taxa), Hibbertia (7 taxa each), Drosera and Pterostylis (6 taxa each). None of the plant taxa recorded from the study area was gazetted as Threatened Flora (T) pursuant to subsection (2) of Section 23F of the Wildlife Conservation Act (1950) (WC Act), or listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). One Priority 4 flora taxon was recorded from within the study area; Acacia semitrullata. Acacia semitrullata was recorded as four plants from a single point location in state forest along the proposed powerline corridor. The Priority 2 flora taxon Melaleuca viminalis was recorded approximately 70 metres east (outside) of the proposed northern bypass road. Three plants were recorded in riparian vegetation adjacent to the Greenbushes “swimming pool”, a popular recreation site. The close proximity of this location to the ablution block and other exotic plantings suggests the individuals may have been introduced to the site. One taxon recorded from within the study area was identified to represent a significant range extension; Hybanthus epacroides. The nearest known record is from Gnowangerup approximately 180 km east of the study area. Hybanthus epacroides is known to occur in white or yellow sand in association with laterite. Within the study area it was recorded on orange sands weathered and deposited from laterite positioned higher in the landscape. This habitat type was specific and localised. A total of 45 introduced species were recorded from the study area, of which two taxa were listed as Declared Plants under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (BAM Act): *Asparagus asparagoides (Bridal Creeper) - s22(2); and *Rubus anglocandicans (Blackberry) - s22(2) (C3 Exempt). ii Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey Greenbushes Infrastructure Corridors A total of ten vegetation types from four broad landforms were described and mapped from within the corridor study area. Extensive field assessment confirmed there were no Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs) or Priority Ecological Communities (PECs) represented within the study area. Vegetation condition across the majority of the study area was rated as degraded (44.5 ha or 41% of the study area) reflecting a high proportion of the area having been disturbed and rehabilitated as part of historical tin mining operations. Approximately 12.6 ha (11% of the study area) had been cleared for a mixture of annual pasture, existing road infrastructure, and as part of historical mining activities; these areas do not support any native vegetation cover. Blocks of vegetation rated as completely degraded totaled 19.9 ha (18% of the study area) and included a mix of pine and bluegum plantation, and historical rehabilitation. Intact native vegetation was rated as very good (22.8 ha or 21% of the study area) or good (9.8 ha or 9% of the study area) with the primary disturbances resulting from hardwood logging activities or close proximity to disturbed ground, i.e. road verges. iii Detailed Flora and Vegetation Survey Greenbushes Infrastructure Corridors TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................ iv 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Preamble .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Previous Surveys ........................................................................................................... 1 Figure 1 Location of the Greenbushes Mine. ............................................................................ 2 Figure 2 Greenbushes study area. ................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 4 Figure 3 Climatic data for Greenbushes with monthly rainfall figures from January 2017 to October 2018. Rainfall data is from the Greenbushes Weather Station and temperature data from the Bridgetown Weather Station (Bureau of Meteorology 2018). ...................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Biogeographic Regions ................................................................................................ 4 1.5 Land Use ............................................................................................................................ 5 1.5.1 Agriculture and Associated Industry ............................................................................. 5 1.5.2 Mining ......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.5.3 Tourism ...................................................................................................................................... 6 1.6 Landforms, Soils ............................................................................................................. 6 1.7 Flora and Vegetation .................................................................................................... 7 2.0 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Legislation and Guidance Statements .................................................................... 8 2.2 Desktop Assessment ..................................................................................................... 8 2.2.1 Literature Review ..................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2.2 Database Searches ................................................................................................................................. 8 2.2.3 Assessment of Likelihood of Occurrence in the study area ............................................................. 9 Table 1 Ranking system used to assign the likelihood that a species would occur in the study area. ............................................................................................................................. 9 2.3 Field Survey Methodology .......................................................................................... 9 2.3.1 Timing and Personnel ..........................................................................................................