Ecological Impact Assessment for the Proposed Coots Creek Camping and Caravan Park at 1087 Nanima Road, Springrange, NSW (Lot 3 DP869801) Capital Ecology Project No

4 September 2020 Alex Baird Principal Civil/Structural Engineer FRAISH Consulting Pty Ltd 1/8 Victoria Street, Hall, ACT P: 02 6230 2823 M: 0418 585 774 E: [email protected] Ecological Impact Assessment for the proposed Coots Creek Camping and Caravan Park at 1087 Nanima Road, Springrange, NSW (Lot 3 DP869801) Capital Ecology project no. 2947 Dear Mr Baird, This letter provides an Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA) for the ‘proposed development’ of the Coots Creek Camping and Caravan Park in portions of 1087 Nanima Road, Springrange, NSW (Lot 3 DP869801) (Figure 1 and Figure 2). Pursuant to the Yass Valley Local Environmental Plan 2013 (Yass Valley LEP 2013), Lot 3 DP869801 is zoned1 ‘RU1 – Primary Production’ with a minimum lot size2 of ‘AB5 = 40 ha’. The proposed development is composed of the following components. • Seven short-term camping sites ranging in size from 716 m2 to 2,213 m2 (total area of 10,461 m2 or 1.05 ha, Figure 2, Sites A to G). Impacts associated with the use of these short-term camping sites will be limited to small realignments of the existing access tracks and the installation of standard stock fencing around four of the sites3. No woody vegetation will be impacted by the use of the short-term camping sites and impacts to the groundstorey due to the installation of fencing are expected to be negligible4. Ongoing impacts are also likely to be negligible as each site will only be used for short-term camping (e.g. impacts from tents, campfires, stationary vehicles, etc.). • A caravan park that will house 23 caravan sites ranging in size from 215 m2 to 404 m2, amenities (i.e. two onsite effluent disposal systems, showers, laundry, and BBQs), and a ‘community area’ (total area of 13,780 m2 or 1.38 ha, Figure 2). For the purposes of this EIA, is assumed that all of the vegetation in the proposed caravan park area will be cleared. 1 Yass Valley LEP 2013 – Land Zoning Map – Sheet LZN_005. 2 Yass Valley LEP 2013 – Lot Size Map – Sheet LSZ_005. 3 Four of the sites are already fenced with standard stock fencing. 4 This estimation was confirmed at sites that have recently installed stock fencing. The impact from those fences was negligible. Capital Ecology Pty Ltd PO Box 854 ACN: 607 364 358 Phone: 0412 474 415 Gungahlin ACT 2912 ABN: 50 607 364 358 Email: [email protected] www.capitalecology.com.au The ‘subject land’ for this EIA includes a 20 m buffer around the portions of Lot 3 DP869801 that will form part of the proposed Coots Creek Camping and Caravan Park (Figure 2 and Figure 3). Figure 1 shows the location of Lot 3 DP869801 and the subject land in the Springrange locality, Figure 2 shows the proposed development, Figure 3 show Capital Ecology’s vegetation mapping on aerial imagery, Figure 4 shows the areas in Lot 3 DP869801 identified on the Biodiversity Values Map5, and Figure 5 shows the areas in Lot 3 DP869801 identified on the Koala Development Application Map6. The primary aim of this EIA is to determine and assess the likely impacts of the proposed development upon habitat for terrestrial flora and fauna species and ecological communities listed pursuant to the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and/or the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act). This EIA has been prepared with regard to: • spatial data and information provided by FRAISH Consulting Pty Ltd regarding the subject land and the proposed development; • the results of database searches for the subject land, with ecological point data obtained from the NSW Wildlife Atlas (BioNet); • a review of relevant studies and other background information; • a four (4) hour field survey on 24 February 2020, completed to record and assess the ecological values of the subject land; and • the knowledge of the authors regarding the biota of the locality, specifically the threatened ecological communities, flora, and fauna (and associated habitat) with the potential to occur in the lowland woodland/forest ecosystems of the region. 1. Methods 1.1 Database and Literature Review To inform our survey, Capital Ecology completed a desktop review, involving the following. • A list of threatened species (flora and fauna), threatened populations, and threatened ecological communities (TECs) listed pursuant to the EPBC Act with the potential to occur in the subject land was obtained using the Department of the Environment and Energy’s online EPBC Act Protected Matters Search Tool (PMST) on 15 February 2020. • Ecological point data from the NSW Wildlife Atlas (BioNet) were obtained on 15 February 2020 and updated on 10 March 2020, providing a list of threatened species which have previously been recorded in the locality of the subject land (i.e. up to approximately 5 km). • previous and current studies undertaken by Capital Ecology and others in the locality. 5 https://www.lmbc.nsw.gov.au/Maps/index.html?viewer=BOSETMap 6 https://webmap.environment.nsw.gov.au/Html5Viewer291/index.html?viewer=KoalaSEPP.htm5 © Capital Ecology Pty Ltd 2020 2 1.2 Vegetation Survey and Mapping The vegetation throughout the subject land was surveyed and mapped with reference to the NSW Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM7). The methodology involved the following. • Mapping of the on-ground boundaries of the Plant Community Types (PCTs). • Division and delineation of PCTs into Vegetation Zones based on condition. • The collection of floristic site value data, including the native vs. exotic dominance of the groundstorey. Plant Community Type (PCT) mapping The on-ground boundaries of each of the Plant Community Types (PCTs) present in the subject land were accurately mapped by marking boundaries directly onto high resolution orthorectified aerial photograph field maps. The PCTs and their characteristics are provided in the NSW Vegetation Information System (VIS). The PCT boundaries were defined based on the: • presence, species, growth form and density of remnant canopy trees and/or stags or stumps of these; • presence and species of midstorey shrubs and trees; • floristic composition of the groundstorey; and • the landscape position and other geographical features (elevation, aspect, soils, apparent hydrology). Vegetation Zone definition and mapping The mapped PCTs were further divided into Vegetation Zones based on the structure, floristic composition, and overall condition (‘intactness’) of the vegetation. The Vegetation Zones were mapped using GIS which allows for accurate calculations of the total area of each Vegetation Zone in the subject land. A species list for the subject land is presented in Appendix A. Native vegetation extent As per the BC Act, native vegetation is defined according to Part 5A of the Local Land Services Act 2013 (LLS Act), which states: “(1) For the purposes of this Part, native vegetation means any of the following types of plants native to New South Wales: (a) trees (including any sapling or shrub or any scrub), (b) understorey plants, (c) groundcover (being any type of herbaceous vegetation), (d) plants occurring in a wetland. 7 NSW Government (2017). Biodiversity Assessment Method. Office of Environment and Heritage. © Capital Ecology Pty Ltd 2020 3 (2) A plant is native to New South Wales if it was established in New South Wales before European settlement. The regulations may authorise conclusive presumptions to be made of the species of plants native to New South Wales by adopting any relevant classification in an official database of plants that is publicly accessible.” As per this definition, planted vegetation which comprises plant species native to NSW, regardless of whether or not the species are indigenous to the specific region and/or PCT of the subject land, is classified as native vegetation. The Commonwealth Government8,9, ACT Government10, and previous NSW Government11 assessment guidelines for the temperate grassland and woodland PCTs of the NSW/ACT Southern Tablelands region each declare vegetation as native dominant if 50% or more of the perennial groundlayer is comprised of native species. However, no such threshold is defined by the BAM, and the NSW Department of Planning, industry and Environment (DPIE) have advised that the criteria for use in determining native vs. exotic dominance must be more stringent than the previously applied 50/50 rule. It is understood that this is due to the potential for seasonal variation and/or assessor disparity to substantially alter the BAM mapping result. For example, a patch of vegetation that is classified as 55% native in one season may be classified as 45% native in another. With regard to the above, for the purposes of this EIA: 1. ‘Native vegetation’ is defined as any plant, naturally occurring or planted, which is native to NSW. 2. Exotic vegetation is defined as any plant which is not native to NSW. 3. A polygon of vegetation is ‘native vegetation’ if: a. 35% (i.e. approximately one-third) or more of the perennial groundlayer comprises species native to NSW; and/or b. species native to NSW are present in one or more of the other strata. 1.3 Likelihood of Occurrence Assessment The Likelihood of Occurrence Assessment for threatened flora and fauna species is a categorisation used to determine the likelihood that the subject species occurs within a site. The results are based on the findings of completed desktop studies and field surveys, expert opinion, and consideration of the species’ currently recognised distribution and preferred habitat. Threatened species and populations identified in the Likelihood of Occurrence Assessment include all of those identified during the database and literature review as potentially occurring within five kilometres of the subject land. Included are threatened species listed pursuant to the EPBC Act and/or the BC Act and considered by Capital Ecology to have some potential to occur within the subject land.

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