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Appendix A - Flora and Fauna Survey - Grange Resources

Appendix A - Flora and Fauna Survey - Grange Resources

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Given the Project’s proximity to reserves including Mettlers Lake Reserve, <strong>and</strong> National Parks such<br />

Waychinicup <strong>and</strong> Fitzgerald River as well as <strong>Grange</strong>’s proposed offset areas, it is considered that the<br />

plant species are likely to be represented within these conservation areas.<br />

4.2.3 Introduced <strong>Flora</strong><br />

A total of 35 introduced (exotic) species were recorded during the survey.<br />

Some sections of the road verge have been partially cleared <strong>and</strong> these sections showed a higher<br />

proportion of weed species, while other less impacted areas of the road reserve showed minimal weed<br />

invasion. Weed <strong>and</strong> pasture species were the dominant species in the cleared paddock sections of the<br />

study area. A list of the weeds identified within the Study Area is presented in Table 5, <strong>Appendix</strong> C.<br />

4.2.4 Declared Plants<br />

Weeds that are, or may become, a problem to agriculture or the environment can be formally classified<br />

as Declared Plants under the Agriculture <strong>and</strong> Related <strong>Resources</strong> Protection Act 1976. The Department<br />

of Agriculture <strong>and</strong> Food Western Australia (DAFWA) <strong>and</strong> the Agriculture Protection Board maintains a list<br />

of Declared Plants for Western Australia. If a plant is declared for the whole of the State or for particular<br />

Local Government Areas, all l<strong>and</strong>holders are obliged to control the species. One of the weeds identified<br />

within the Study Area, Asparagus asparagoides (Bridal Creeper) is listed as P1 for the whole of the<br />

State.<br />

In 1998 the Australian Government created a framework to identify weeds considered to be of national<br />

significance. Factors used in the assessment include the weed’s invasiveness, impact, potential for<br />

spread, <strong>and</strong> damage to socioeconomic <strong>and</strong> environmental values.<br />

Asparagus asparagoides (identified within the Study Area) is also considered to be a Weeds of National<br />

Significance (WONS). The desktop searches identified two additional WONS as species likely to occur<br />

within the area. These were Lycium ferocissimum (African Boxthorn) <strong>and</strong> Rubus fruticosus aggregate<br />

(Blackberry), neither of these species were identified during the survey.<br />

4.3 <strong>Fauna</strong><br />

4.3.1 <strong>Fauna</strong> Habitat Values<br />

The Study Area is characterised by habitat types that are represented elsewhere in the local area. The<br />

road reserve within the Study Area is mainly Mixed Eucalypt woodl<strong>and</strong> but outside the road reserve it is<br />

mainly cleared paddock or agroforestry with scattered patches of remnant vegetation. The regional<br />

habitat or wildlife corridor values of the study area are reduced by the fragmented nature of the native<br />

vegetation, however, the well vegetated road reserves were observed to provide a high local wildlife<br />

corridor value.<br />

A total of five broad habitat types was identified within the Study Area. These generally correspond with<br />

the vegetation communities identified in Section 4.1.1.<br />

The habitat types consist of:<br />

Mixed Eucalypt woodl<strong>and</strong>s: This broad vegetation type contains varied Eucalyptus spp. over mixed<br />

Myrtaceous <strong>and</strong> Proteaceous shrubs with a dense understory. This is one of two dominant habitats<br />

within the Study Area <strong>and</strong> includes the vegetation types V2, V7, G9 <strong>and</strong> G14.<br />

18

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