Flora and fauna survey for the proposed Butler North District Open Space Project Prepared for City of Wanneroo June 2017 Flora and Fauna Survey Butler North District Open Space Project DOCUMENT TRACKING Item Detail Project Name Flora and Fauna Survey for the proposed Butler North District Open Space Project Project Number 16PER-5518 Katrina Zeehandelaar-Adams Project Manager 08 9227 1070 Suite 1 & 2, 49 Ord St, West Perth, WA 6005 Prepared by James Leonard, Nicki Thompson Reviewed by Katrina Zeehandelaar-Adams, Joel Collins Approved by Joel Collins Status FINAL Version Number 3 Last saved on 29 June 2017 Left to right: Waitzia suaveolens var. suaveolens (Fragrant Waitzia) and Merops ornatus Cover photo (Rainbow Bee-eater); bottom: Banksia woodland – photos by Joel Collins and Nicki Thompson, © Eco Logical Australia 2016. This report should be cited as ‘Eco Logical Australia 2017. Flora and Fauna Survey for the proposed Butler North District Open Space Project. Prepared for City of Wanneroo.’ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document has been prepared by Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd with support from City of Wanneroo. Disclaimer This document may only be used for the purpose for which it was commissioned and in accordance with the contract between Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd and City of Wanneroo. The scope of services was defined in consultation with City of Wanneroo, by time and budgetary constraints imposed by the client, and the availability of reports and other data on the subject area. Changes to available information, legislation and schedules are made on an ongoing basis and readers should obtain up to date information. Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report and its supporting material by any third party. Information provided is not intended to be a substitute for site specific assessment or legal advice in relation to any matter. Unauthorised use of this report in any form is prohibited. Template 29/9/2015 © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ii Flora and Fauna Survey Butler North District Open Space Project Executive summary The City of Wanneroo (the City) is proposing to develop two sites located within the suburb of Alkimos in the City of Wanneroo (the project), situated approximately 39 kilometres north of Perth. Eco Logical Australia (ELA) was commissioned by the City to undertake a Level 2 flora and Level 1 fauna survey within the study area in order to provide the City with a greater understanding of the potential impacts on remnant native vegetation from the project, and to facilitate and enable any necessary environmental and planning approvals from State and Commonwealth Governments. The Level 2 flora and Level 1 fauna survey was carried out on 3rd November 2016 by one botanist and one zoologist. A flora species inventory and vegetation community and condition mapping were described through the establishment of six 10 m x 10 m quadrats and two releves. Conservation listed flora were recorded and mapped through systematic traverses. Floristic Community Type analysis was also undertaken. Opportunistic observations of fauna and fauna habitat mapping were taken whilst traversing the study area. In addition, an assessment of Black Cockatoo habitat was undertaken in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 referral guidelines (Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities). A total of 98 flora taxa were identified within the study area. This total included 73 native and 25 introduced taxa. No listed Threatened (Declared Rare Flora), Priority or other flora species of conservation significance were recorded in the study area. Two vegetation communities were described within the study area: Banksia attenuata and Banksia menziesii low woodland (BaBmLW) and mixed B. sessilis open shrubland (BsXpHtTOS). The Floristic Community Type analysis confirmed that two Floristic Community Types occur within the study area: FCT 28 – ‘Spearwood Banksia attenuata or B. attenuata – Eucalyptus woodlands’ and FCT 24 – ‘Northern Spearwood shrublands and woodlands’. FCT 28 has recently been listed as a Threatened Ecological Community (Endangered) under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. FCT 24 is currently listed as a Priority 3 PEC by Department of Parks and Wildlife. One vegetation community within the study area represents the Threatened Ecological Community Banksia Woodland of the Swan Coastal Plain as it meets the key diagnostic characteristics set out under the approved listing conservation advice: BaBmLW: Banksia attenuata and Banksia menziesii low woodland. The condition of the vegetation across the study area was mostly Excellent to Very Good, with some smaller areas in Good or Degraded condition. A total of 17 vertebrate fauna species were recorded within the study area during the Level 1 fauna survey. This comprised one reptile, 13 birds and three mammals (one native and two introduced). No Threatened fauna were directly observed during the survey. However, Black Cockatoo foraging evidence in the form of chewed Banksia cones were observed throughout the study area. In addition, Merops ornatus (Rainbow Bee-eater), which is listed in Schedule 5 under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950, was observed nesting adjacent to the study area, and foraging within the study area. © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD iii Flora and Fauna Survey Butler North District Open Space Project It was concluded that due to the high level of species diversity within the vegetation communities, the occurrence of an Endangered Threatened Ecological Community and Priority 3 Priority Ecological Community, and the occurrence of Threatened fauna, that the study area comprises an important area of remnant vegetation. Due to the occurrence of Matters of National Environmental Significance (Banksia Woodlands Threatened Ecological Community and Black Cockatoos) within the study area, it is recommended that the City refer the project to the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy and provide a Native Vegetation Clearing Permit to the Department of Environmental Regulation. The project should be assessed under the Bilateral Agreement, omitting the need to provide a separate State referral. © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD iv Flora and Fauna Survey Butler North District Open Space Project Contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................................ iii 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project background ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Objectives ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Legislative framework ................................................................................................................... 1 2 Desktop review ........................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Overview of the study area ........................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Landform, geology and soils......................................................................................................... 4 2.4 Vegetation..................................................................................................................................... 5 2.4.1 IBRA bioregions and subregions .................................................................................................. 5 2.4.3 Floristic Community Types ........................................................................................................... 5 2.5 Environmentally Sensitive Areas .................................................................................................. 5 2.6 Priority Ecological Communities ................................................................................................... 6 2.7 Database searches ....................................................................................................................... 7 2.7.1 Conservation significant flora ....................................................................................................... 7 2.7.2 Conservation significant fauna ..................................................................................................... 8 3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 10 3.1 Survey team and timing .............................................................................................................. 10 3.2 Survey limitations ....................................................................................................................... 10 3.3 Level 2 flora and vegetation survey ............................................................................................ 11 3.3.1 FCT analysis ..............................................................................................................................