05/07/11 Version 3.1 Ivanhoe Cloncurry Mine Leases and Associated Infrastructure Post Wet-Season Survey Prepared for Ivanhoe Cloncurry Mines Pty Ltd Level 1, 282 Wickham Street Fortitude Valley, Queensland, 4006 PO Box 419, Fortitude Valley, 4006 Queensland, Australia Telephone +61 7 3852 3922 Facsmile +61 7 3852 4766 Email: [email protected] Web: www.placedesigngroup.com PLACE DESIGN GROUP DISCLAIMER This report has been prepared in accordance with the scope of services described in the contract or agreement between PLACE Design Group Pty Ltd ACN 082 370063 (PDG) and the Client. The report relies upon data, surveys, measurements and results taken at or under the particular times and conditions specified herein. Any findings, conclusions or recommendations only apply to the aforementioned circumstances and no greater reliance should be assumed or drawn by the Client. Furthermore, the report has been prepared solely for use by the Client and PDG accepts no responsibility for its use by other parties. Prepared by: Dominique Taylor Position: Senior Ecologist Date: 22 February 2011 Revised by by: Mitchell Taylor Position: Senior Ecologist Date: 24 June 2011 Approved by: Andrew Dickinson Position: Associate – Environment Manager Date: 05 July 2011 Document Reference: ICM02_Post_Wet Season Survey_v3.1 Ivanhoe Cloncurry Mine Leases and Associated Infrastructure, Post-Wet Season Report: Survey Ivanhoe Cloncurry Mines Post-Wet Season Survey (ICM02) GLOSSARY, ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS Term Definition Arboreal Living in a tree or trees Biodiversity The variety of all life forms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems and ecological processes they are part of Bioregion Broad landscape patterns that reflect major structural geologies and climate as well as major changes in floristic and faunistic assemblages Connectivity A behaviourally determined, species specific parameter, which depends on both landscape composition and movement ability and of animals; a parameter that measures the processes by which sub-populations in a landscape are interconnected DERM Department of Environment and Resource Management Ecological Corridors Retained and or restored systems of linear habitat, which at a minimum enhance the connectivity of wildlife populations and may help them overcome the main consequences of habitat fragmentation (Wilson & Lindenmeyer 1995); A defined area of contiguous habitat that facilitates the dispersal of subpopulations throughout the landscape. Corridors may be structural, being identifiable physical/spatial features of habitat, and functional being a measure of whether a species can move between habitat patches (Bennett 1990). EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Commonwealth) 1999 Fauna Animals of a given region or period considered as a whole Flora The plants of a particular region, habitat or geological period (pl. floras or florae) ha Hectare HERBRECS Botanical database of the Queensland Herbarium Investigation Site Defined section of the ML (950 ha) subject to current surveys km Kilometre LP Act Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act (Qld) 2002 m Metre mm Millimetre ML Mining Lease NC Act Nature Conservation Act (QLD) 1992 NES National Environmental Significance PDG PLACE Design Group QLD Queensland RE Regional Ecosystem; REs describe the relationship between vegetation communities in a particular bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil REDD Regional Ecosystem Description Database Terrestrial Ground dwelling Threatened Species Species listed as critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable in the EPBC Act or Endangered, Vulnerable and Near Threatened in the NC Act and Regulation Vegetation Community An assembly of different species of plants growing together in a particular habitat; the floral component of an ecosystem VM Act Vegetation Management Act (Qld) 1999 Wet Season The yearly period of high rainfall, typically occurring between the months of December and March. Ivanhoe Cloncurry Mines Post Wet-Season Survey (ICM02) | Page i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In July 2010, Ivanhoe Cloncurry Mines (ICM) engaged PLACE Design Group (PDG) to assist with addressing environmental conditions imposed on ICM for the Selwyn Mine Area (SMA) by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). PDG began with identifying the nature and extent to which the existing pool of literature assists in attending to the requirements laid out in the conditions. In September 2010, PDG undertook a detailed vegetation community, flora, fauna and fauna habitat assessment (including fauna trapping) of the 10 ha Decline and Waste Dump Development. A similar detailed assessment of the vegetation communities, flora and fauna habitats, specifically concentrating on Species of Conservation Significance (SOCS), was carried out along the proposed 15 km Access Road between Lucky Luke and Selwyn Mine. Further to this, PDG undertook a preliminary assessment of vegetation communities and fauna habitats within all of the ICMs ML groups. These assessments were focused on assessing the potential occurrence of SOCS and Of Concern / Endangered RE’s within the ICM MLs. Following the completion of the September surveys a Baseline Ecological Report was prepared to inform ICM of the potential for SOCS and threatened Regional Ecosystems (RE) which may occur throughout the Investigation Area. The aforementioned surveys were conducted during the mid-late dry season and in January 2011, a supplementary, wet-season, flora survey was undertaken throughout the Investigation Area to record those plant species not readily identifiable in the dry season and confirm the distribution and description of previously mapped Regional Ecosystems. This report presents the results of this survey, and should be read in conjunction with the Baseline Ecological Report (PDG, 2010). The initial assessment in September 2010 provided visual and electronic (ANABAT echolocation) evidence that the Endangered Taphozous troughtoni (Troughton’s sheathtail bat) (NC Act) inhabits ICM mining leases. In order to officially confirm the presence of this species, physical capture and identification through diagnostic features is a requirement. The lack of Anabat call data collected for this particular species in conjunction with its close morphology to other species within this genus requires thorough physical assessment (see section 1.1 for a detailed description of this species ecology and morphology). ICM have recently proposed to re-engage in works within two disused mining shafts located in the Starra Range and specifically within the Selwyn 2 ML. These mining shafts have been identified as declines 222 and 276. ICM in discussion with PDG determined that it was necessary to confirm or dispel the existence of this species through physical identification. In January 2011, secondary targeted surveys of both the declines were conducted to determine the presence/absence of this species. Vegetation and Regional Ecosystems Flora and Species of Conservation Significance A total of 197 vascular plant species were recorded across the Investigation Area, comprising 108 genera from 40 families. A total of 94 species were recorded solely within the post-wet season survey, with 103 recorded during the pre wet-season. None of the flora species recorded during the field survey are listed under the Nature Conservation Act (Qld) 1992 or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (C’wlth) 1999. From the analysis undertaken to date, it is determined unlikely that Species of Conservation Significance occur either within the Access Road or the Decline Area. Suitable habitat does exist within the Investigation Area for a number of species of conservation significance, and owing to the broad-scale nature of the post-wet survey, it is recommended further targeted surveys are conducted prior to disturbance within any areas scheduled for development greater than 10 ha. Ivanhoe Cloncurry Mines Post Wet-Season Survey (ICM02) | Page ii Weeds Of the total 197 recorded flora species, 7 species, or 3.6%, are exotic species naturalised in Queensland. None of these species are declared under the schedules of the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route) Management Act (Qld) 2002. Regional Ecosystems Six Regional Ecosystems RE1.3.7, RE1.5.3, RE1.10.4, RE1.11.2, RE1.11.3 and RE1.12.1 have previously been identified in the Investigation Area. No change in the mapped extent of these REs has been made following the January 2011 assessment. All six REs have a management status under the Vegetation Management Act (Qld) 1999 of Least Concern, the lowest conservation significance levels (greater than 30% of the pre-settlement RE remains). With the exception of RE1.3.7, all REs have a biodiversity status of No Concern at Present which is the lowest significance level (greater than 30% of the pre-settlement RE remains). RE1.3.7 is considered Endangered under DERM’s biodiversity assessment on account of regional degradation of this RE by high total grazing pressure. None of these are considered threatened ecological communities at a national level under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (C’wlth) 1999. Fauna and Fauna Habitat Based on the results of the surveys undertaken in January 2011 it is concluded that large populations of Taphozous troughtoni (Troughton’s sheathtail bat) occupy both 222 and 276 declines as well as the relict Mt Elliot Copper Smelter. Given the roosting ecology