CAIRNS SHIPPING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement Chapter B8: Terrestrial Ecology TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER B8: TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY _________________________________________ I B8.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 B8.1.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1 B8.1.2 Study Area and Project Areas ....................................................................................................................................... 1 B8.1.3 End use of DMPAs ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 B8.2 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 B8.2.1 Detailed Technical Assessments .................................................................................................................................. 4 B8.2.2 Assessment Structure .................................................................................................................................................... 4 B8.2.3 Nomenclature and Terminology .................................................................................................................................... 5 B8.2.4 Literature Review ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 B8.2.5 Desktop Assessment ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 B8.2.6 Field Surveys ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 B8.2.7 Likelihood of Occurrence ............................................................................................................................................... 8 B8.3 Existing Situation................................................................................................................................................ 9 B8.3.1 Study Area and Project Areas Overview ..................................................................................................................... 9 B8.3.2 Matters of National Environmental Significance ....................................................................................................... 15 B8.3.3 Matters of State Environmental Significance ............................................................................................................ 31 B8.3.4 Other Commonwealth Matters .................................................................................................................................... 50 B8.3.5 Other State Matters ...................................................................................................................................................... 53 B8.3.6 Wildlife Corridors and Connectivity ............................................................................................................................ 61 B8.3.7 Exotic Flora .................................................................................................................................................................... 61 B8.3.8 Exotic Fauna .................................................................................................................................................................. 64 B8.4 Assessment of Potential Impacts .................................................................................................................. 65 B8.4.1 Impact Assessment Methodology............................................................................................................................... 65 B8.4.2 Assumptions .................................................................................................................................................................. 68 B8.4.3 MNES ............................................................................................................................................................................. 68 B8.4.4 MSES ............................................................................................................................................................................. 82 B8.4.5 Other Commonwealth Matters .................................................................................................................................... 88 B8.4.6 Other State Matters ...................................................................................................................................................... 88 B8.5 Recommended Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................................ 92 B8.5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 92 B8.5.2 MNES ............................................................................................................................................................................. 93 B8.5.3 MSES ............................................................................................................................................................................. 95 B8.6 Residual Impacts and Assessment Summary ............................................................................................. 96 B8.6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 96 B8.6.2 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................ 96 B8.6.3 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................................................... 99 B8.6.4 Offsets .......................................................................................................................................................................... 100 B8.6.5 Monitoring .................................................................................................................................................................... 102 B8.7 References ...................................................................................................................................................... 103 (i) List of Figures Figure B8-1 Study Area and Project Areas. .............................................................................................................................. 2 Figure B8-2 Northern Sands DMPA......................................................................................................................................... 10 Figure B8-3 Northern Sands DMPA and pipelines. ............................................................................................................... 12 Figure B8-4 Tingira Street DMPA. ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Figure B8-5 EPBC Act Protected Matters search area. ........................................................................................................ 16 Figure B8-6 Location of mappable MNES in and near the Study Area. ............................................................................. 17 Figure B8-7 GBRWHA in the vicinity of the Northern Sands DMPA and pipeline. ........................................................... 20 Figure B8-8 GBRWHA in the vicinity of the Tingira Street DMPA. ...................................................................................... 21 Figure B8-9 Location of listed threatened ecological communities. .................................................................................... 29 Figure B8-10 Northern Sands Project Area MSES. ............................................................................................................... 33 Figure B8-11 Tingira Street Project Area MSES. ................................................................................................................... 34 Figure B8-12 GBRMP and GBRCMP zoning – Study Area. ................................................................................................ 36 Figure B8-13 Northern Sands Project Area marine park zoning. ........................................................................................ 37 Figure B8-14 Tingira Street Project Area marine park zoning and Coastal Management District. ................................. 38 Figure B8-15 Northern Sands Project Area remnant vegetation. ........................................................................................ 46 Figure B8-16 Northern Sands Project Area VM Act watercourses. ...................................................................................