Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site Callala Bay Prepared for: Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd August 2017 1 Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site PROJECT NUMBER 2017-083 PROJECT NAME Expert Report – Genoplesium baueri PROJECT ADDRESS Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site PREPARED FOR Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd AUTHOR/S Brian Towle Technical QA Version REVIEW Bruce Mullins Bruce Mullins 1.0 Version Date to client VERSION 1.0 25 July 2017 2.0 25 August 2018 Assistance in the preparation of this report has been provided by Jennie ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Powell, Ryan Smithers and Alan Stephenson. This report should be cited as: ‘Ecoplanning (2017). Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri, Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site. Prepared for Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd.’ Disclaimer: This report has been prepared by Ecoplanning Pty Ltd for Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd and may only be used for the purpose agreed between these parties, as described in this report. The opinions, conclusions and recommendations set out in this report are limited to those set out in the scope of works and agreed between these parties. Ecoplanning P/L accepts no responsibility or obligation for any third party that may use this information or for conclusions drawn from this report not provided in the scope of works or following changes occurring subsequent to the date that the report was prepared. ECOPLANNING PTY LTD | 74 HUTTON AVENUE BULLI NSW 2516 | M: 0477 888 251 i Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Reason for this report .................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Qualifications/experience of expert ............................................................................... 1 2. Species information .............................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Legal status.................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Abundance and distribution ........................................................................................... 5 2.3 Ecology and habitat requirements ................................................................................. 5 3. Assessment methodology and results.................................................................................. 7 3.1 Literature review ............................................................................................................ 7 3.2 Field survey.................................................................................................................... 7 3.3 Estimate of population size............................................................................................ 7 3.3.1 Area of habitat ........................................................................................................ 8 4. Conclusions......................................................................................................................... 14 References ................................................................................................................................. 15 Figures Figure 1.1: Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site ................................................................................ 3 Figure 1.2: Callala Bay portion of the Biobank Site ..................................................................... 4 Figure 3.1: Survey effort, records and identified habitat for Genoplesium baueri ................... 13 Tables Table 3.1: Survey methodology and effort for Genoplesium baueri............................................ 7 Table 3.2: Results of targeted surveys for Genoplesium baueri (BES 2006; ELA 2017) ........... 8 Table 3.3: Areas of known and unconfirmed habitat within the Callala Bay site and adjacent area of the Halloran Trust Planning Proposal .................................................................................... 10 Table 3.4: Vegetation descriptions (taken from Eco Logical Australia, 2017) .......................... 10 ii Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site Glossary and abbreviations Acronym Description BBAM BioBanking Assessment Methodology ELA Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd EPBC Act Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 TSC Act NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 iii Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site 1. Introduction 1 . 1 Reason for this report A Biodiversity Assessment Report and Management Plan is being prepared by Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd (ELA) for the establishment of a Biobank site on land owned by the Halloran Trust, known as the Wollumboola Biobank Site (herein referred to as the 'Biobank site'). The 1,090 ha Biobank Site is located on the south coast of NSW and is composed of three areas of land connected by Jervis Bay National Park (Figure 1.1). The three areas, known as Culburra Beach, Callala Bay and Kinghorn Point (Figure 1.1), are included in a single biobanking assessment for the proposed Biobank site. The Biobank site and credits generated will be used to partially offset proposed development on land at Culburra Beach to the north and south of the Biobank site and the Halloran Trust Planning Proposal (Figure 1.1). The Callala Bay portion of the Biobank site (301.18 ha) (herein referred to as the 'Callala Bay site') is located to the north of the Callala Bay residential area and is composed of three portions separated by roads (Figure 1.2). The northern portion is bounded by Forest Road to the south, Coonemia Road to the east, and Jervis Bay National Park to the west and north where the site has a boundary with Coonemia Creek. The western portion is bounded by Callala Bay Road to the east, Forest Road to the north, Callala Beach Road to the west and in the south, land owned by the Halloran Trust north of the Callala Bay residential development. The eastern portion is bounded by Currarong Road to the north, Callala Bay Road to the west, Jervis Bay National Park to the east, and in the south, land owned by the Halloran Trust north of the Callala Bay residential development. The Callala Bay area consists of coastal forest and wetland vegetation with the exception of the former tip site to the south of Forest Road. Targeted surveys within the area of the Halloran Trust Planning Proposal and the Callala Bay site first identified the presence of Genoplesium baueri (Bauer's Midge Orchid) in 2006 (BES 2006) with further surveys for this species confirming its continued presence in 2016 (ELA 2017). In accordance with section 6.6.2.5 of the BioBanking Assessment Methodology (OEH 2014; BBAM), this expert report has been prepared to identify whether: "the species [Genoplesium baueri] is likely to be present on the site – in this case the expert report must provide an estimate of the number of individuals or area of habitat to be impacted by the development or the management actions (according to the unit of measurement identified for the species in the Threatened Species Profile Database)." 1 . 2 Qualifications/experience of expert Brian Towle has over 13 years’ experience undertaking flora surveys, and specialises in the identification and ecology of members of the Orchidaceae. During this time, he has undertaken a range of projects including expert reports for threatened orchid species, targeted surveys, vegetation monitoring programs, BioBanking agreements, applications for Biodiversity certification, large scale vegetation mapping/modelling projects, and a range of impact assessments. Brian has worked across a range of ecosystems across NSW, and in parts of QLD (Bowen Basin), from the coast to the far western plains including arid woodlands, shrublands and grasslands, wet sclerophyll forests, rainforests and coastal swamps. This 1 Expert Report for Genoplesium baueri Lake Wollumboola Biobank Site experience has exposed him to a diversity of flora and fauna distributed across these ecosystems. In relation to threatened orchids, Brian has undertaken research into the ecology of native orchids and in particular species of Genoplesium (sensu lato) co-authoring publications within peer-reviewed journals: • Bower, C., Towle, B. and Bickel, D. (2015). Reproductive success and pollination of the Tuncurry Midge Orchid (Genoplesium littorale) (Orchidaceae) by Chloropid Flies. Telopea 18:43-55. • Bernhardt, P., Edens-Meier, R., Grimm, W., Ren, Z. and Towle, B. (2017). Global collaborative research on the pollination biology of rare and threatened orchid species (Orchidaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Brian has prepared expert reports assessing the habitat for threatened orchid species, Pterostylis sp. Botany Bay and Thelymitra atronitida. He has also undertaken targeted surveys for and mapping the habitat of numerous threatened orchids species including: • Caladenia arenaria (syn. Arachnorchis arenaria, Spider Orchid) • Microtis angusii • Pterostylis saxicola (syn. Oligochaetochilus saxicola, Sydney Plains Greenhood) • Pterostylis ventricosa (syn. Speculantha ventricosa) • Pterostylis vernalis (syn. Speculantha vernalis) During his work surveying for threatened orchid species, Brian has discovered new