PROPOSED CORRIB ONSHORE PIPELINE ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EcIA) APPENDIX J(1) TECHNICAL REPORT Terrestrial Flora and Fauna prepared for Shell E & P Ireland Ltd. by Ecological Advisory and Consultancy Services (EACS) and Specialist associates May 2010 Corrib Onshore Pipeline Terrestrial Ecology / Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Ecological Advisory and Consultancy Services (EACS): Jenny Neff BSc.(Hons). MSc (Ecol). Dip. Bus. Stud. CEnv. FIEEM Director and Principal Consultant EACS Associate specialists: Vegetation and botanical: Dr. John Conaghan Dr. Janice Fuller MIEEM Fauna: Dr. Chris Smal MIEEM (Ecological Solutions) Bastian Egeter BA (Ecological Solutions) Conor Kelleher AIEEM (Bat specialist) Ger Stanton BSc Birds: (Fehily Timoney & Company Ltd.) Dr. Gavin Fennessy MIEEM Dr. Katherine Kelleher AIEEM Dr. David Rees Dr. Daphne Roycroft EACS/EcIA Report / May 2010 2 Corrib Onshore Pipeline Terrestrial Ecology / Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project details 1.2 Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) 2 METHODOLOGY 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Habitats and vegetation 2.2.1 Field surveys 2.2.2 Survey constraints 2.3 Fauna (non-avian) 2.3.1 Introduction 2.3.2 Fauna survey 2.3.2.1 2002 to 2005 surveys 2.3.2.2 2007 and 2008 surveys 2.3.2.3 Otter and mammal surveys February and March 2010 2.3.3 Survey constraints 2.3.3.1 Access 2.3.3.2 Dense vegetation 2.3.3.3 Seasonal 2.4 Birds 2.4.1 Introduction 2.4.2 Aquatic surveys 2.4.2.1 Post breeding aquatic bird survey 2007 2.4.2.2 Winter season aquatic bird surveys 2007 to 2010 2.4.3 Post breeding terrestrial bird survey 2007 2.4.4 Sand Martin monitoring 2.4.5 Desk top review 2.4.6 2008 Walkover surveys 2.4.7 Bird survey constraints 3 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Habitats and vegetation 3.2.1 Route description 3.3 Fauna (non-avian) 3.3.1 Otters 3.3.1.1 Surveys 2002 to 2005 3.3.1.2 Survey 2007 and 2008 3.3.1.3 Survey 2010 3.3.1.4 Otter holts and resting places 3.3.1.5 Spraint surveys and otter numbers 3.3.2 Badgers 3.3.3 Other mammalian species 3.3.3.1 Bats 3.3.4 Amphibians and reptiles 3.4 Birds 3.4.1 Aquatic bird surveys 3.4.1.1 Post breeding bird activity 2007 3.4.1.2 Winter season aquatic bird activity 2007/2008 3.4.1.3 Winter season aquatic bird activity 2008/2009 3.4.1.4 Preliminary winter season aquatic bird activity 2009/2010 3.4.2 Post terrestrial bird survey 2007 3.4.3 Sand Martin monitoring 2008 and 2009 3.4.4 Bird activity recorded in the Aghoos walkover, 2008 3.4.5 Desktop review 3.4.5.1 Aquatic bird studies 3.4.5.2 Terrestrial bird studies 4 EVALUATION OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST 4.1 Legislative context 4.1.1 Current Irish Wildlife Legislation 4.1.2 EU Directives and Designated conservation sites 4.1.2.1 The Habitats Directive and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) 4.1.2.2 The Birds Directive and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) 4.1.2.3 Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) 4.1.3 International designations and convention – Ramsar 4.1.4 Designated conservation sites within 5km of the proposed route 4.1.4.1 Glenamoy Bog Complex cSAC EACS/EcIA Report / May 2010 3 Corrib Onshore Pipeline Terrestrial Ecology / Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) 4.1.4.2 Carrowmore Lake Complex cSAC 4.1.4.3 Slieve Fyagh Bog cSAC 4.1.4.4 Broadhaven Bay cSAC 4.1.4.5 Blacksod Bay/Broadhaven pSPA 4.1.4.6 Carrowmore Lake SPA 4.1.4.7 Pollatomish Bog NHA 4.1.4.8 Glenturk More Bog NHA 4.1.4.9 Ederglen Bog NHA 4.1.4.10 Ramsar site 844: Blacksod Bay and Broadhaven 4.2 Habitats and vegetation 4.2.1 Assessment of the scientific interest of the area 4.2.2 Evaluation of habitats 4.2.2.1 Low sedimentary sea cliff at the Glengad landfall 4.2.2.2 Improved. Wet and marshy grassland, and marsh 4.2.2.3 Salt marsh 4.2.2.4 Scrub 4.2.2.5 Field boundaries 4.2.2.6 Blanket bog 4.2.2.7 Estuary and intertidal 4.2.2.8 Conifer plantations 4.2.2.9 Freshwater streams 4.2.3 Plant species and the Flora Protection Order 4.3 Non-avian fauna 4.3.1 Overall assessment of the area in terms of fauna 4.3.2 Faunal species of conservation interest 4.3.2.1 Mammals 4.3.2.2 Reptiles and amphibians 4.4 Birds 4.4.1 Wildlife Acts 4.4.2 Overall assessment of the area in terms of birds 4.4.3 Aquatic bird studies 4.4.4 Terrestrial bird studies 4.4.5 Limitations in this bird evaluation 5 POTENTIAL IMPACTS 5.1 'Do nothing’ scenario 5.2 Potential impacts during construction & commissioning stages 5.2.1 Potential impacts on habitats 5.2.1.1 Landfall and Glengad terrestrial section 5.2.1.2 Recovering eroded blanket bog - undesignated – at chainages 89.350 to 89.540 5.2.1.3 Eroding blanket bog (undesignated) 5.2.1.4 Cutover blanket bog (undesignated) 5.2.1.5 Salt marsh 5.2.1.6 Intertidal habitats 5.2.1.7 Sod (earthen) bank boundaries 5.2.1.8 Scrub (Gorse and Willow) 5.2.1.9 Conifer plantation 5.2.1.10 EU Annex habitats - general 5.2.1.11 Soft coastal habitats – sediment movement 5.2.2 Potential impacts on non-avian fauna 5.2.2.1 Habitat loss, fragmentation and disturbance 5.2.2.2 Specific potential impacts on fauna 5.2.2.3 Potential impacts on surrounding areas 5.2.3 Potential impacts on birds 5.2.3.1 Terrestrial bird habitats 5.2.3.2 Lighting 5.2.3.3 Noise 5.2.3.4 Noise and vibration associated with the tunneling operation 5.2.3.5 Other sources of disturbance 5.2.3.6 Potential impacts on designated sites and bird species of conservation interest 5.2.3.7 Mortality 5.2.3.8 Impacts on birds in the wider locality 5.2.4 Potential impacts associated with construction of the Landfall valve installation (LVI) 5.2.4.1 Sand Martin Colony 5.2.5 Potential impacts on surrounding areas 5.2.5.1 General 5.2.5.2 Potential impacts resulting from road maintenance works 5.2.5.3 Potential impacts resulting from the spread of invasive species 5.3 Potential impacts during the operational stage 5.3.1 Pipeline 5.3.2 Landfall valve installation (LVI) 5.4 Potential impacts during the decommissioning stage 5.4.1 Pipeline 5.4.2 Landfall valve installation (LVI) EACS/EcIA Report / May 2010 4 Corrib Onshore Pipeline Terrestrial Ecology / Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) 6 MITIGATION 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 Monitoring programme 6.1.2 Temporary fencing for working area 6.1.3 Method statements 6.2 Habitats and vegetation 6.2.1 Habitat protection and reinstatement 6.2.1.1 Improved grassland and wet, rushy grassland (including cSAC habitats at Glengad) 6.2.1.2 Recovering eroded blanket bog (chainages 89.350 to 89.540) (undesignated) 6.2.1.3 Eroding and Cutover blanket bog (undesignated) 6.2.1.4 Salt marsh 6.2.1.5 Intertidal habitats 6.2.1.6 Sod (earthen) bank boundaries 6.2.1.7 Scrub 6.2.1.8 Conifer plantation 6.2.1.9 Construction areas and protection of habitats 6.2.1.10 Road maintenance works 6.2.1.11 Invasive plant species 6.3 Non-avian fauna 6.3.1 Habitat reinstatement. 6.3.2 Protection of badgers 6.3.2.1 Pre-construction survey and monitoring 6.3.2.2 Protection of setts 6.3.2.3 Permanent exclusion from impacted setts 6.3.2.4 Open trenches during construction 6.3.2.5 Fencing 6.3.2.6 Post-construction monitoring and mitigation 6.3.3 Protection of otters 6.3.3.1 Pre-construction survey and monitoring 6.3.3.2 Protection of holts 6.3.3.3 Permanent exclusion from affected holts 6.3.3.4 Open trenches during construction 6.3.3.5 Fencing 6.3.3.6 Screening to reduce disturbance 6.3.3.7 Monitoring during construction 6.3.3.8 Post-construction monitoring and additional studies 6.3.4 Protection of bats 6.3.5 Protection of amphibians: common frogs and newts 6.3.6 Pollution hazards: construction and operation phase 6.3.7 Works on site: construction and operation phase 6.3.8 Habitat retention, replacement and landscaping 6.3.9 Detailed recommendations at pre-construction survey stage 6.3.10 Post-construction monitoring – fauna 6.4 Birds 6.5 Landfall valve installation 6.5.1 Protection of the sand martin colony 6.5.2 Landscaping and revegetation 7 RESIDUAL IMPACTS 7.1 Habitats 7.1.1 Landfall and Glengad terrestrial section (improved agricultural grassland and wet, rushy improved grassland) 7.1.2 Blanket bog habitats at Aghoos (undesignated) 7.1.3 Salt marsh 7.1.4 Intertidal habitats 7.1.5 Earthen (sod) bank boundaries 7.1.6 Scrub 7.1.7 Conifer plantation 7.2 Fauna 7.2.1 Habitat loss, fragmentation and disturbance 7.2.2 Species 7.3 Birds 7.4 Landfall valve installation 8 WORST CASE SCENARIO 9 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS 10 BIBLIOGRAPHY EACS/EcIA Report / May 2010 5 Corrib Onshore Pipeline Terrestrial Ecology / Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) APPENDICES: Appendix 1: Habitat mapping target notes Appendix 2: List of vertebrates and adjudged status Appendix 3: Badger setts identified within the study area Appendix 4: Otter Holts/Resting Places Identified Within The Study Area (Survey February To March 2010) Appendix 5: Otter holts/resting places identified within the study area surveys from 2002 to 2008 Appendix 6: Details of otter spraints identified within the study area (2002 to 2010) Appendix 7: Notes on otter survey methodology Appendix 8: Otter diet, holts and sprainting Appendix 9: Bat ecology – general Appendix 10: Description of bat species known or expected on site Appendix 11: List of birds referred to in the text Appendix 12: Site synopses for designated conservation sites within 5 km of the proposed pipeline Appendix 13: Bird counts and summary tables Appendix 14: Field Schedule for Bird Surveys; 2007 Post-breeding aquatic bird survey peak counts Appendix 15: Photographic record (plates listed below) Appendix 16: Vegetation survey quadrat data Appendix 17: Noise and light