Henry Lawson Drive Upgrade Stage 1A Biodiversity Development Assessment Report Transport for NSW | July 2021 BLANK PAGE Transport for NSW Henry Lawson Drive Upgrade Stage 1A Biodiversity Development Assessment Report July 2021 Prepared by WSP and Transport for NSW Copyright: The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Transport for NSW. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Transport for NSW constitutes an infringement of copyright. Project no: PS119522 Date: 16/07/2021 Rev Date Details A 5/03/2021 Working Draft B 20/04/2021 Comments on working draft addressed C 14/05/2021 Final draft D 16/07/2021 Final Author, Reviewer and Approver details Prepared by: Lukas Clews Date: 16/07/2021 Signature: Reviewed by: Toby Lambert Date: 16/07/2021 Signature: Approved by: Toby Lambert Date: 16/07/2021 Signature: This report has been prepared in accordance with the scope of services set out in the contract, or as otherwise agreed, between the client and WSP (scope of services). In some circumstances the scope of services may have been limited by a range of factors such as time, budget, access and/or disturbance constraints. In preparing the report, WSP has relied upon data, surveys, analyses, designs, plans and other information provided by the client and other individuals and organisations, most of which are referred to in the report (the data). Except as otherwise stated in the report, WSP has not verified the accuracy or completeness of the data. To the extent that the statements, opinions, facts, information, conclusions and/or recommendations in the report (conclusions) are based in whole or part on the data, those conclusions are contingent upon the accuracy and completeness of the data. WSP will not be liable in relation to incorrect conclusions should any data, information or condition be incorrect or have been concealed, withheld, misrepresented or otherwise not fully disclosed to WSP. No sampling technique can eliminate the possibility that results are not totally representative of conditions encountered. The conclusions are based upon the data and the ecological surveys and are therefore merely indicative of the condition of the study area at the time of preparing the report. Also, it should be recognised that conditions, including the presence of threatened biodiversity, can change with time. No sampling technique can eliminate the possibility that a species is present within the proposal area. Within the limitations imposed by the scope of services, the surveys and preparation of this report have been undertaken and performed in a professional manner, in accordance with generally accepted practices and using a degree of skill and care ordinarily exercised by reputable environmental consultants under similar circumstances. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made. The report has been prepared for the benefit of the client (and no other party). WSP assumes no responsibility and will not be liable to any other person or organisation for or in relation to any matter dealt with or conclusions expressed in the report, or for any loss or damage suffered by any other person or organisation arising from matters dealt with or conclusions expressed in the report (including without limitation matters arising from any negligent act or omission of WSP or for any loss or damage suffered by any other party relying upon the matters dealt with or conclusions expressed in the report). Except as provided below parties other than the client should not rely upon the report or the accuracy or completeness of any conclusions and should make their own enquiries and obtain independent advice in relation to such matters. Executive summary Introduction Transport for NSW (Transport) is proposing to upgrade Henry Lawson Drive between Keys Parade, Milperra, to Tower Road, Bankstown Aerodrome (known as Henry Lawson Drive Upgrade Stage 1A) (the overall proposal). The overall proposal consists of upgrading a 1.3 kilometre length of Henry Lawson Drive and an additional 480 metres along Milperra Road, including intersection upgrades. The overall proposal forms the first stage of the progressive upgrade to 7.5 kilometres of Henry Lawson Drive between the intersections of Hume Highway, Villawood, and the M5 South Western Motorway, Milperra. The upgrade would help ease existing traffic issues and increase traffic capacity at key intersections to help meet growing demand, with residential, commercial and industrial development in the surrounding area expected to increase in the coming years. The upgrade would be delivered in three stages. The overall proposal has been split into two parts as a result of proposed activities interacting with both Divisions 4.1 and 5.1 of the Environment Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). The two parts are assessed separately as illustrated in Figure 1.1 and described briefly below. • REF proposal – incorporates the majority of the overall proposal subject to assessment under Division 5.1 of the Environment Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). • EIS proposal – areas of the overall proposal occurring on land mapped as Coastal Wetlands under the State Environment Planning Policy (Coastal Management) area subject to assessment as designated development under Division 4.1 of the EP&A Act. This report provides an assessment of biodiversity values associated with the EIS proposal to support an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) subject to assessment as designated development under Division 4.1 of the EP&A Act. Other stages of upgrading Henry Lawson Drive would be developed separately in the future and will be subject to future separate assessment processes. Methodology A combination of desk-based research and field assessment was used to develop an appreciation of the existing environment of the study area to inform the impact assessment. The field survey aimed to ground-truth the results of the background research and habitat assessment. As such, all threatened species, populations and communities that were considered likely to occur within the study area were targeted during the field survey to determine presence or likely occurrence. Vegetation and Flora Surveys Initial native vegetation surveys were undertaken by WSP (2019) over an eight-day period on the 21 to 25 & 31 May, 1 & 21 of June 2018. Additional field surveys were undertaken on the 6 & 7 April, 29 & 30 September and 1 October 2020.These surveys sought primarily to assess the extent and condition of vegetation and fauna habitat, especially for threatened species, populations and ecological communities. The field surveys aimed to ground-truth the results of the background research including desktop analysis of vegetation and habitat assessment. The floristic diversity and possible presence of threatened species was assessed using a combination of survey techniques including; plot-based (quadrat/transect) (14 plots were completed), rapid point assessments and parallel line transverses in accordance with the relevant guidelines. Data on geology, dominant canopy species, native diversity, vegetation structure and condition was collected across the study area to validate and refine existing vegetation Henry Lawson Drive Stage 1A i Biodiversity Development Assessment Report classifications and to determine the associated Plant Community Type (PCT) in accordance with the BioNet Vegetation Classification (Environment Energy and Science, 2021c). Vegetation zones and conditions were identified and mapped following the BAM (Department of Planning Industry and Environment, 2020a). This was based on field verification of the PCT, class and formation as outlined in BioNet Vegetation Classification (Environment Energy and Science, 2021c). Targeted threatened flora surveys were conducted for candidate species that were considered to have a moderate or higher likelihood of occurrence in the study area. Targeted flora surveys were completed by conducting reference checks, parallel line traverses, random meanders and during BAM plot surveys. Fauna Surveys Targeted threatened fauna surveys involved: • Fauna habitat assessment to assess the likelihood of threatened fauna species (those species known or predicted to occur within the locality from the literature and database review) occurring within the study area. • Nocturnal surveys consisted of spotlighting and call playback, targeting threatened owls, threatened arboreal mammals and threatened amphibians. • 20 minute diurnal bird searches completed by actively walking through the nominated site (transect) over a period of 20-minutes (this included areas of potential shorebird habitat). • Remote motion sensing infra-red cameras were positioned in the study area/subject land to target arboreal mammals (e.g. Squirrel Glider). • Spot Assessment Technique (SAT) was undertaken to identify the presence of Koala usage within the habitats. • Active invertebrate searches involved diurnal hand searches (i.e. disturbance of habitat) and visual searches targeting Cumberland Plain Land Snail. • Ultrasonic Anabat bat detection was used to record and identify the echolocation calls of insectivorous bats foraging across the study area. • Daytime inspections of culverts and bridges were undertaken within the study area and subject land to identify potential bat roosting sites. • Opportunistic sightings of animals were recorded during field surveys. Evidence of animal activity, such as scats, diggings, scratch marks, nests/dreys, burrows etc., was also noted.