Flora and Vegetation
360 Environmental provides expert botanical advice and survey staff for the assessment of botanical values and potential impacts across Western Australia. Our staff are supported by a suite of experts in plant identification and taxonomy and have experience in the major bioregions of the state.
An understanding of the botanical values 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. This is important whether the site is a greenfields mine lying within an extensive area of uncleared vegetation, or is a proposed development in the heavily disturbed landscape of the metropolitan area. Early consideration of the botanical 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 flora and vegetation are considered for clearing permits and other impact assessments under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act). Local government authorities may have clearing regulations for their jurisdictions. In addition, native flora (including trees and shrubs) may be listed as ‘Declared Rare’ under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WC Act) – usually in recognition of their status as threatened or endangered. This provides a higher level of protection than the more general clearing requirements of the EP Act, and subsequently a higher level of scrutiny with regard to potential impacts. Threatened and endangered flora are also protected at the Federal level by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) as matters of ‘National Environmental Significance’.
In addition, vegetation communities that are limited in distribution or are otherwise considered to be endangered or under significant threat can be listed by the WA Department of Environment and Conservation or Federal Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts as ‘Threatened Ecological Communities’ in recognition of these communities importance to biodiversity conservation. These communities will attract a higher level of scrutiny in an impact assessment and thus require careful consideration in the development of a project’s layout.
360 Environmental and Botanical Assessments
360 Environmental has a team of qualified biological staff who work together with experienced project managers to provide a comprehensive flora and vegetation management service that has the capability to undertake detailed technical studies as well as State and Federal regulatory assessment, approval and compliance management.
Experience
360 Environmental can manage, design and undertake all aspects of flora and vegetation related work, such as:
- Declared Rare and Priority Flora searches
- Flora and vegetation assessments
- Floristic Community Type identification
- Threatened Ecological Community identification and management plans
- Plant taxonomy
- Botanical auditing
- Wetland delineation
- Wetland management plans
- Weed mapping and integrated weed management plans
- Remnant vegetation management plans
-
Rehabilitation plans and preparation of planting lists
Project profiles
Land Development
360 Environmental has undertaken flora and vegetation assessments for numerous land development companies such as Mirvac, Department of Housing, Satterley Property Group, Greg Rowe and LandCorp. Surveys have been required to determine the presence of significant flora (including Declared Rare Flora (DRF)) and rare vegetation types (including Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs)) to provide further information for the future planning of sites and to identify any flora and vegetation issues that may need to be addressed in any subsequent environmental assessments.
Karlawinda Exploration Project
In March 2010 360 Environmental undertook a Level 1 Flora and Vegetation Survey of the Karlawinda Exploration Area, approximately 65 km south-east of Newman, Western Australia. The survey covered an area of 8,860 ha located in the Gascoyne Region. The survey area was remote and required the establishment of a camp of four staff.
The primary aim of the survey was to gather baseline data to enable the client to identify key assets and sensitive areas, to inform their management and thereby ensuring that the Environmental Protection Authority objectives are upheld.
Southern Seawater Desalination Project
360 Environmental conducted flora and fauna investigations on the site of the planned Southern Seawater Desalination Project including 30 km of pipeline easement required to allow the installation of integration assets. A Level 2 flora survey was undertaken in accordance with the accordance with Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA’s) Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia.
The flora and vegetation survey included:
- Botanical survey: flora and vegetation survey and mapping, a targeted survey for flora of conservation significance, assessment of the flora and vegetation values.
- Wetland impact assessment for areas on the plant site and areas traversed by the SSDP’s proposed pipeline.
- Hygiene and weeds assessment and advice.
- Provision of management recommendations for Water Corporation’s consideration and for incorporating into management plans and environmental approval documentation.
-
Assessment of the regional and local conservation status of the site (both at the species and ecosystem levels) and the potential role of the site as a contributor to ecological linkage/ s in the region.
Brunswick Dam
360 Environmental was commissioned to undertake a Level 2 flora and vegetation survey of a proposed dam in the Brunswick River Valley, approximately 160 kilometres south of Perth in south western Western Australia. The survey covered a proposed inundation area of approximately 100 hectares and included 18 km of proposed pipeline.
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