Whyalla Solar Farm Baseline Ecological Report Whyalla Flora and Fauna Assessment Baseline Ecological Report Whyalla Solar Farm - Baseline Ecological Report 31 January 2017 FINAL Prepared by EBS Ecology for LBW | ep Document Control Revision No. Date issued Authors Reviewed by Date Reviewed Revision type 1 03/11/2016 EBS EBS 02/11/2016 Draft 2 29/11/2016 EBS EBS 28/11/2016 Draft 3 12/12/2016 EBS EBS 09/12/2016 Final 4 31/01/2017 EBS EBS 31/01/2017 Final Distribution of Copies Revision No. Date issued Media Issued to 1 03/11/2016 Electronic Tegan Stehbens, LBW | ep 2 29/11/2016 Electronic Tegan Stehbens, LBW | ep 3 12/12/2016 Electronic Maria Pedicini, LBW | ep 4 31/01/2017 Electronic Maria Pedicini, LBW | ep EBS Ecology Project Number: E60606 COPYRIGHT: Use or copying of this document in whole or in part (including photographs) without the written permission of EBS Ecology’s client and EBS Ecology constitutes an infringement of copyright. LIMITATION: This report has been prepared on behalf of and for the exclusive use of EBS Ecology’s client, and is subject to and issued in connection with the provisions of the agreement between EBS Ecology and its client. EBS Ecology accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report by any third party. CITATION: EBS Ecology (2017) Whyalla Solar Farm - Baseline Ecological Report. Report to LBW | ep. EBS Ecology, Adelaide. Cover photograph: Whyalla Solar Farm Project Site. EBS Ecology 3/119 Hayward Avenue Torrensville, South Australia 5031 t: 08 7127 5607 http://www.ebsecology.com.au email: [email protected] ii Whyalla Flora and Fauna Assessment Baseline Ecological Report GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATION OF TERMS BDBSA Biological Databases of South Australia DEWNR Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources DOE Department of the Environment, referred to now as DotEE DotEE Department of the Environment and Energy EBS EBS Ecology EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 NPW Act National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 NRM Act Natural Resources Management Act 2004 NV Act Native Vegetation Act 1991 NVC Native Vegetation Council SEB Significant Environmental Benefit ssp. Subspecies spp. species (plural) TEC Threatened ecological community iii Whyalla Flora and Fauna Assessment Baseline Ecological Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EBS Ecology was commissioned by LBW | ep to complete a baseline ecological report on a 396.5 ha parcel of land situated north of Whyalla, for a proposed solar farm. The baseline ecological survey was conducted by EBS Field Ecologist’s on the site from 26 September to 1 October 2016. Two vegetation associations were recorded within the project area and are summarised below. The area contains predominately intact plant communities, with good-high diversity values for the area. No vegetation communities of conservation significance were observed. A total of 86 flora species were recorded across the project area. Seventy of the species recorded were native and 14 species were weed species. No EPBC or state listed species were recorded during the survey. Out of the 14 weed species found on site, the dominant weed was Carrichtera annua (Ward’s Weed); a single Prickly Pear (Opuntia sp.) was recorded on the access road. A total of nine mammal species were recorded across the project area. This included four bat species and one native mouse. Five reptile species were also recorded from the survey. No mammal or reptile species of national or State conservation significance were identified from the survey. A total of 39 bird species and 407 individuals were identified across the project area. One species of national significance, the Western Grasswren (Gawler Ranges) (Amytornis textilis myall) and one of State significance, the Slender- billed Thornbill (western subspecies) (Acanthiza iredalei iredalei) were recorded. The Western Grasswren (Gawler Ranges) was observed opportunistically on the site, in groups of two and six, on 30 September and 1 October 2016, respectively. These observations were within chenopod shrublands on site, not within the access corridor. Both of the habitat associations present on site are representative of the habitat types that Western Grasswren (Gawler Ranges) use most often. At present, given the vegetation communities present on site, their high quality, and that they form the preferred habitat for Western Grasswrens, the entire proposed site holds potential habitat for the species. More information needs to be obtained with regard to the Western Grasswren to determine potential impact within a regional context. A total of nine individuals of the Slender-billed Thornbill were observed at the site during the survey. This species is listed as rare from a State significance perspective; it is estimated that the South Australian population consists of at least 30 000 birds. More information needs to be obtained to provide further insight into the extent of habitat usage by this species on site. iv Whyalla Flora and Fauna Assessment Baseline Ecological Report Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Project area ............................................................................................................................... 1 2 COMPLIANCE AND LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY ..................................................... 3 2.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwth) ................................. 3 2.2 Native Vegetation Act 1991 (SA) ............................................................................................... 4 2.3 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (SA) ................................................................................ 4 2.4 Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (SA) ....................................................................... 5 3 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ............................................................................. 6 3.1 Property description and previous land use .............................................................................. 6 3.2 Environmental setting ................................................................................................................ 6 3.2.1 IBRA Associations ........................................................................................................ 6 3.2.2 Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) Vegetation Floristics ........................................................................................................................ 7 3.2.3 Climate .......................................................................................................................... 9 3.2.4 Previous surveys conducted ......................................................................................... 9 4 METHODS ............................................................................................................. 11 4.1 Database searches .................................................................................................................. 11 4.2 Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 11 4.3 Field survey ............................................................................................................................. 12 4.3.1 Flora ............................................................................................................................ 12 4.3.2 Fauna .......................................................................................................................... 12 4.4 Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 13 5 RESULTS .............................................................................................................. 18 5.1 Matters of National Environmental significance ...................................................................... 18 5.1.1 Threatened ecological communities ........................................................................... 18 5.1.2 Threatened flora ......................................................................................................... 18 5.3 Field survey ............................................................................................................................. 30 5.3.1 Vegetation associations .............................................................................................. 30 5.3.2 Flora ............................................................................................................................ 35 5.3.3 Weeds ......................................................................................................................... 37 5.3.4 Fauna .......................................................................................................................... 38 6 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... 42 7 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................ 43 v Whyalla Flora and Fauna Assessment Baseline Ecological Report List of Tables