382800 383100 9 1 DE DE 5 DE 10 2 DE 6317400 DE 6317400 8 7 DE DE Hewdon Rd Piggott Dr 3 DE 6 DE 6317100 6317100 4 DE Glentana App Aquila Dr Grand Ent Ditchingham Pl 382800 383100 Figure 12: Fauna Habitat Legend Scale 1:3,000 at A4 Existing cadastre m DE Habitat Assessment 0 30 60 90 ¹ Eucalyptus Woodland Coordinate System: GDA 1994 MGA Zone 50 Project area Note that positional errors may occur in some areas Cleared Date: 11/01/2018 Author: JCrute [email protected] Shrubland www.strategen.com.au Source: Aerial image: Nearmap, flown 09/2017. Existing cadastre: Landgate 2017. Path: Q:\Consult\2017\WCO\WCO17452\01_GIS_documents\ArcMap_documents\WCO17452_G011_RevA.mxd FINAL Australind Wastewater Treatment Plant 5. Discussion 5.1 Flora 5.1.1 Flora composition The Swan Coastal Plain supports a high species and ecosystem diversity (Mitchell et al. 2002). A total of 4624 vascular flora taxa are known to occur on the Swan Coastal Plain (DBCA 2018). Of these, a total of 67 vascular flora taxa were recorded within the project area comprising 47 native flora taxa and 20 introduced flora taxa (weeds), representing 20 families and 53 genera. The most represented families were Orchidaceae, Myrtaceae and Fabaceae, while the most represented genera were Acacia, Caladenia and Eucalyptus. The total size of the project was 14.18 ha, and comprised a homogenous landscape of flat plain on grey loamy soils, except for where the historical WWTP had been located. Given the small size of the project area, the limited range of landforms and habitats, and large degraded areas, the low floral diversity that recorded was to be expected. 5.1.2 Survey adequacy A total of eight quadrats were sampled across the project area, with approximately 0.6 sites completed per hectare. Where possible three quadrats were sampled per vegetation type as per Technical Guidance: Flora and Vegetation Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment (EPA 2016a). This was achieved for VT1 and VT4, however it was not deemed practical to sample three quadrats on VT3 and VT4 given the small area of each of these vegetation types. The species accumulation curve for the project indicated that survey effort was adequate with the observed data approaching the theoretical asymptote. 5.1.3 Flora of conservation significance Eighty-two threatened taxa are known to occur on the Swan Coastal Plain, however only one Threatened flora taxa, Drakaea micrantha, was identified from the desktop assessment as having the potential to occur within the project area. There were no flora taxa listed as Threatened under the EPBC Act or WC Act recorded within the project area. One DBCA listed Priority flora taxa, Caladenia speciosa (P4) was recorded within the project area. Four records of Caladenia speciosa were identified by the database searches within 6 km of the project area. None of these were recorded from within the project area. There are 83 records of Caladenia speciosa (P4), 79 of which are from the Swan Coastal Plain, distributed from Lancelin in the North, to Busselton in the South. 5.1.4 Flora of other significance. No flora taxa of other significance were recorded from within the project area. 5.1.5 Unknown flora taxa None of the unknown flora taxa collected (taxa that have not been confidently identified to species level) are likely be of conservation concern, given that none are analogous to DBCA listed Threatened or Priority flora taxa or likely to represent flora of other significance. WCO17452_01 R001 Rev B0 23-Nov-18 45 FINAL Australind Wastewater Treatment Plant 5.1.6 Introduced flora taxa No WoNS or DPs were recorded within the project area. The weeds recorded from the project area are all known from the Swan Coastal Plain and have previously been recorded from the local area (Naturemap 2017b). Most weeds within the project area were recorded in the completely degraded area near the middle of the site, or in the altered landscape in the north-west portion of the site. The introduced taxa recorded are consistent with disturbed lands in the Swan Coastal Plain, and are not considered to be new for the bioregion. 5.1.7 Vegetation types Four vegetation types were recorded within the project area, comprising Marri (Corymbia calophylla) woodland, Spearwood (Kunzea glabrescens) shrubland, and Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) woodland in native remnants, and a planted River Gum (Eucalyptus marginata) woodland. Vegetation within the project area is representative of those found on similar geology and landforms in built up and rural areas in the region. 5.1.8 Vegetation of significance The TEC/PEC database search (DBCA 2017c) identified the entire project area as comprising Banksia Dominated Woodlands of the swan Coastal Plain IBRA Region TEC or the associated buffer. Assessment against the key diagnostic criteria for the Banksia woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain TEC (TSSC 2016) however identified that only 4.84 ha (34%) within the project area meet the diagnostic criteria for the TEC. The remainder of the project area comprises Jarrah woodland, planted River Gum woodland and completely degraded or degraded vegetation and is not considered to be significant. 5.1.9 Vegetation condition Vegetation condition within the project area ranged from completely degraded throughout the cleared areas, to very good. The completely degraded area in the middle of the project area had previously been cleared, and had since been colonised by aggressive weed species. The large degraded area in the north-western part of the site had been previously cleared and the landform reshaped to form three infiltration channels. This area has since been planted with a monoculture of native species Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The degraded area comprises some native vegetation, however intensive management would be required to bring the area back good condition. The remainder of the project area was considered very good to good, with disturbances including edge effects from the disturbed surrounds, weeds, access tracks, and minor amounts of rubbish. 5.2 Fauna 5.2.1 Fauna of Conservation Significance During the field assessment, one conservation significant species was recorded; the Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. A large number of FRTBC were recorded in Marri trees throughout the project area and foraging evidence was also present throughout the project area. There was also a small amount of evidence of Black Cockatoo feeding on Banksia cones on the ground. As a WRP and Black Cockatoo habitat assessment forms part of this report, these species will be discussed further below. WCO17452_01 R001 Rev B0 23-Nov-18 46 FINAL Australind Wastewater Treatment Plant Species Considered Likely to Occur Rainbow Bee-eater The Rainbow Bee-eater is listed as Marine under the EPBC Act and Schedule 5 under the WC Act. This species is one of the most common and widespread birds in Australia with a distribution that covers the majority of Australia (Barrett et al. 2003). It occurs in lightly wooded, often sandy country, preferring areas near water. It feeds on airborne insects, and nests throughout its range in WA in burrows excavated in sandy ground or banks, often at the margins of roads and tracks. In WA this species can occur as a ‘resident, breeding visitor, postnuptial nomad, passage migrant and winter visitor’ (Johnstone & Storr 1998b). DBCA Threatened Fauna Database returned 23 records of the Rainbow Bee-eater from the vicinity of the project area. Whilst no Rainbow Bee-eaters were recorded during the field survey, the project area contains potential foraging habitat for this species and as such is considered likely to occur. Southern Brown Bandicoot The Bandicoot is listed as P5 under the DPaW Priority List. This species once occurred throughout south- west WA; it now occurs from Guilderton southwards on the SCP, including the Perth Metropolitan area, in Jarrah and Karri (E. diversicolor) forests and adjacent coastal vegetation complexes. The species inhabits scrubby, often swampy, vegetation with dense cover up to about 1 m high. It feeds in adjacent forest and woodland that is burnt on a regular basis and in areas of pasture and cropland lying close to dense cover. The Bandicoot is patchily distributed in suitable habitat, with populations inhabiting Jarrah and Wandoo forests usually associated with watercourses. On the Swan Coastal Plain it is often associated with wetlands with dense vegetation where they feed on fruit, seeds, insects and fungi (Woinarski et al. 2014). The DBCA Threatened Fauna Database returned 7 records from the vicinity of the project area and suitable habitat is present. Whilst no Southern Brown Bandicoots were recorded during the field survey, the project area contains potential foraging habitat for this species and as such is considered likely to occur. Southern Brush-tailed Phascogale The Southern Brush-tailed Phascogale is listed Schedule 3 under the WC Act. It is restricted to the extreme south-west, and its characteristic low population densities make it vulnerable to localised extinction (Van Dyck & Strahan 2008). This subspecies has been observed in dry sclerophyll forests and open woodlands containing hollow-bearing trees with a sparse ground cover. Some sections of the project area do have potential foraging habitat for this species, however, there were very few hollows observed in which the species could den. The DBCA Threatened Fauna Database returned 16 records of the Southern Brush-tailed Phascogale from the vicinity of the project area and suitable habitat is present. Whilst no Southern Brush-tailed Phascogales were recorded during the field survey, the project area contains potential foraging habitat for this species and as such is considered likely to occur. Species Considered as Possibly Occurring No species are considered as Possibly occurring in the project area. Species Considered Unlikely to Occur No species are considered as unlikely to occur in the project area.