Fauna
360 Environmental provides expert zoological advice and survey staff for the terrestrial and marine environments. Our staff have experience in the major bioregions of the state, as well as wider national and international experience. We have an excellent relationship with one of Western Australia’s premier subterranean fauna survey companies and therefore provide a single-point of contact and full survey capability to service our Clients needs for fauna assessments, management and advice.
An understanding of the fauna and habitat within a project’s footprint as well as its surrounds is often a critical component of the impact assessment, design and management of a site, whether the site or proposal is an urban land development, a remote greenfields mine site, or a linear infrastructure corridor or a port development. Early consideration of the faunal constraints of a site or a project can lead to an increased ability to avoid or mitigate impacts and therefore assist in a streamlined assessment and approvals process.
In Western Australia, impacts to fauna and their habitat are considered in impact assessments under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. In addition, all native fauna are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WC Act), meaning that the ‘distrubance of’ or ‘taking’ of fauna must be minised or avoided wherever possible, unless licences are held permitting otherwise. In addition to this general level of care and protection, native fauna may be listed as ‘Specially protected’ under the WC Act – usually in recoginition of their status as threatened or endangered. This provides a higher level of protection, and subsequently a higher level of scrutiny with regard to potential impacts. Threatened and endangered fauna are protected at the Federal level by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) as matters of ‘National Environmental Significance’.
360 Environmental and Fauna
360 Environmental has a team of qualified and experienced zoologists who work together with experienced project managers to provide a comprehensive fauna management service, from presence-absence surveys to detailed technical studies for State and Federal regulatory assessment, approval and compliance management.
Experience
360 Environmental can provide expertise in the following areas:
- Project environmental management (overall responsibility for an entire environmental assessment or responsibility for the fauna component of a segmented project).
- Fauna surveys and monitoring including:
- desktop surveys and project based risk
- surveys for terrestrial vertebrate and invertebrate species including short range endemics
- targeted surveys for threatened species (e.g. Graceful Sun Moth, Black Cockatoos, Western Ringtail Possums)
- marine vertebrate surveys including onshore components (e.g. marine turtles) and offshore components (e.g. marine mammals)
- long term population monitoring.
- Provision of legislative, assessment and approvals advice.
- Preparation of fauna management plans for specific species or project wide.
- Peer review of technical fauna studies.
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Layman explanation of technical reports or presentation to a general audience.
Project Profiles
SSJV Targeted Western Ringtail Possum
In 2009 360 Environmental was commissioned by the Water Corporation to carry out a five year study of the Western Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) between the Leschenault Peninsula Conservation Park and Yalgorup National Park. This study is required by the Federal Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) as part of the approvals for the Southern Seawater Desalination Project (SSDP) located near Binningup, Western Australia (WA). The purpose of the study is to adequately assess the presence and numbers of ringtails between the Leschenault Peninsula and Yalgorup National Park and to determine if ringtails are accessing and moving through the Plant Site and surrounds.
Jane Brook Black Cockatoo Assessment - EPBC referral
The clearing of black cockatoo foraging and breeding habitat in south-west Western Australia is increasingly becoming a concern for the species and proponents alike.
360 Environmental was commissioned by Mirvac to undertake a black cockatoo assessment and federal referral under the EPBC Act for a proposed urban/ rural residential subdivision at Jane Brook in the City of Swan, Western Australia. The project involved the mapping of black cockatoo usage on the site and overlaying the site design, building envelopes and road alignments to assist in mitigating impacts of the development.
The assessment allowed Mirvac to include the retention of remnant vegetation identified as feeding habitat and potential breeding habitat for the black cockatoos and revegetation of public open space with emphasis on Black cockatoo feeding habitat.
In addition, 360 Environmental has provided lead liaison with the DEWHA to discuss Offsets for the species.
Tropicana Gold Project
360 Environmental has provided expert advice and technical support to AngloGold Ashanti Australia (AGAA) for their mining and exploration activities in the Eastern Goldfields. We have provided advice on approval strategies and schedules, assisted in the referral of mining, exploration and ancillary activities to the EPA and the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA). 360 Environmental and AGAA have co-produced a specific management plan for the endangered southern marsupial mole and a general fauna management plan of priority species and federally and state listed threatened species.
Graceful Sun Moths
The Graceful Sun Moth (GSM) has recently been listed as declared threatened fauna under Western Australia’s Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 and Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The GSM is endemic to south-west Western Australia and restricted to the Swan Coastal Plain. This extends as far north as Quinn’s Rocks and south to Mandurah (approximately 60 km). There are only a few known populations of GSMs and none of these lie within formal State-managed conservation estate. All known populations are on small isolated bushland remnants, mostly in local reserves. Development in Western Australia poses significant implications to the species and proponents Land if not appropriately managed.
Contact
We would be pleased to discuss our skills and expertise in this area. Please contact:
Email: admin@360environmental.com.au
Telephone: +61 8 9388 8360