Appendix 16 Mount Emerald Wind Farm Flora Report (R72444) Prepared by RPS
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Environmental Impact Statement - VOLUME 3 Appendix 16 Mount Emerald Wind Farm Flora Report (R72444) Prepared by RPS PR100246 / R72894; Volume 3 Mount Emerald Wind Farm Flora Report Prepared by: Prepared for: RPS AUSTRALIA EAST PTY LTD RATCH AUSTRALIA CORPORATION LIMITED 135 Abbott Street PO Box 1949 Level 4 CAIRNS QLD 4870 231 George Street BRISBANE QLD 4000 T: +61 4031 1336 F: +61 4031 29142 T: +61 7 3214 36400 E: [email protected] F: +61 2 8913 9423 E: Client Manager: Mellissa Jess W: www.ratchaustralia.com Report Number: PR100246-1 / R72444 Version / Date: Draft September 2013 rpsgroup.com.au Mount Emerald Wind Farm Flora Report IMPORTANT NOTE Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this report, its attachments or appendices may be reproduced by any process without the written consent of RPS Australia East Pty Ltd. All enquiries should be directed to RPS Australia East Pty Ltd. We have prepared this report for the sole purposes of RATCH Australia Corporation Limited (“Client”) for the specific purpose of only for which it is supplied (“Purpose”). This report is strictly limited to the purpose and the facts and matters stated in it and does not apply directly or indirectly and will not be used for any other application, purpose, use or matter. In preparing this report we have made certain assumptions. We have assumed that all information and documents provided to us by the Client or as a result of a specific request or enquiry were complete, accurate and up-to-date. Where we have obtained information from a government register or database, we have assumed that the information is accurate. Where an assumption has been made, we have not made any independent investigations with respect to the matters the subject of that assumption. We are not aware of any reason why any of the assumptions are incorrect. This report is presented without the assumption of a duty of care to any other person (other than the Client) (“Third Party”). The report may not contain sufficient information for the purposes of a Third Party or for other uses. Without the prior written consent of RPS Australia East Pty Ltd: (a) this report may not be relied on by a Third Party; and (b) RPS Australia East Pty Ltd will not be liable to a Third Party for any loss, damage, liability or claim arising out of or incidental to a Third Party publishing, using or relying on the facts, content, opinions or subject matter contained in this report. If a Third Party uses or relies on the facts, content, opinions or subject matter contained in this report with or without the consent of RPS Australia East Pty Ltd, RPS Australia East Pty Ltd disclaims all risk and the Third Party assumes all risk and releases and indemnifies and agrees to keep indemnified RPS Australia East Pty Ltd from any loss, damage, claim or liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance on this report. In this note, a reference to loss and damage includes past and prospective economic loss, loss of profits, damage to property, injury to any person (including death) costs and expenses incurred in taking measures to prevent, mitigate or rectify any harm, loss of opportunity, legal costs, compensation, interest and any other direct, indirect, consequential or financial or other loss. Document Status Version Purpose of Document Orig Review Review Date Draft Flora Report S Gleed M Jess / D Finney 20/09/2013 Final Flora report S Gleed M Jess 02/12/2013 Approval for Issue Name Signature Date D Finney 02/12/2013 PR100246-1 / R72444; Draft September 2013 Page ii Mount Emerald Wind Farm Flora Report Contents GLOSSARY OF TERMS, TERMS & ACRONYMS ....................................................................................... VIII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Terms of Reference and Scope of Works .................................................................................. 4 1.3 Project Summary .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 The Study Area - Project Site ...................................................................................................... 5 1.4.1 Overview of Landscape .................................................................................................. 5 1.4.2 Geology........................................................................................................................... 5 1.4.3 Queensland Land Zone Concept .................................................................................... 6 1.4.4 Natural Integrity and Specialist Habitats ......................................................................... 6 1.4.5 Past Disturbance and Land Use ..................................................................................... 7 1.4.6 Landscape Condition ...................................................................................................... 7 1.4.7 Regional Significance ..................................................................................................... 8 1.4.8 Modified Plant Habitats ................................................................................................... 9 1.4.9 The Role of Cloud Stripping and Water Harvesting ..................................................... 10 2.0 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................... 12 3.0 INFORMATION GAPS ........................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Seasonality of Flora Surveys & Detection of Cryptic Species .............................................. 13 3.2 Plant Succession in Tropical Montane Environments ........................................................... 14 3.3 Population Viability Analysis .................................................................................................... 15 3.4 Ramifications of Incomplete Data and Knowledge ................................................................ 15 4.0 DESKTOP REVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 16 4.1 Historical Vegetation Mapping ................................................................................................. 16 4.2 Stanton and Stanton (2005) ....................................................................................................... 16 4.3 Regional Ecosystems (1999 - current) ..................................................................................... 16 4.4 Aerial Photography Interpretation ............................................................................................ 20 4.4.1 Development of Vegetation and Flora Survey Plan ..................................................... 20 4.4.2 Identification of Habitats for R&Ts ................................................................................ 20 4.4.3 Identification of Conservation Significant Vegetation Types (REs) .............................. 21 4.4.4 Identification of Significant Flora Diversity Areas ......................................................... 21 4.5 Database Searches .................................................................................................................... 21 4.5.1 HERBRECS .................................................................................................................. 21 4.5.2 Naturalised Plants ......................................................................................................... 22 4.5.3 Wildlife Online ............................................................................................................... 22 4.5.4 Protected Matters (EPBC) ............................................................................................ 23 4.6 Review of Conservation Significant and Important Flora ...................................................... 23 PR100246-1 / R72444; Draft September 2013 Page iii Mount Emerald Wind Farm Flora Report 4.7 Distribution of Conservation Significant Species .................................................................. 24 4.7.1 Acacia purpureopetala .................................................................................................. 24 4.7.2 Grevillea glossadenia ................................................................................................... 24 4.7.3 Homoranthus porteri ..................................................................................................... 24 4.7.4 Melaleuca uxorum ........................................................................................................ 25 4.8 Regional Endemic Species and Narrowly Distributed Plants ............................................... 25 4.9 Regional Surveys ....................................................................................................................... 25 5.0 RESULTS ..............................................................................................................................................