VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for Bidjigal Reserve - Land

Vegetation Management Plan - Bidjigal Reserve6 BUSHLAND MANAGEMENT ISSUES & IMPACTSA short discussion of management issues and impacts common to bushland reserves in the urban andperi-urban landscapes is presented below. Although this section is largely ‘generic’ in nature, it isoffered as an aid to the effective management of native bushland in Bidjigal Reserve. Whereappropriate, recommendations have been made for the amelioration of impacts.6.1 Threatened Species ManagementTwo (2) threatened flora species - Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens and Hibbertia superans –and three (3) threatened fauna species – Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua), Eastern Bentwing-bat(Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis), and Grey-headed Flying-fox (Peterus poliocephalus) - havebeen recorded for the Bidjigal Reserve bushland. Each of the above-named species is listed underthe Schedules of the NSW TSC Act, while the Grey-headed Flying Fox is also listed under theCommonwealth EPBC Act.The requirements of Commonwealth (EPBC Act) and State (TSC Act) legislation and of regionalconservation policies are summarised in Section 1.5 of the VMP.Under the terms of the NSW environmental legislation, the land manager must assess the impacts ofany proposed activity which might adversely impact on the endangered ecological community or anythreatened species or populations therein, and where these are likely to occur, it must identifystrategies to minimise any such impacts. In requiring the protection and rehabilitation of threatenedflora and fauna species occurring in Bidjigal Reserve and in preparing a special VegetationManagement Plan, the Trust is acting to fulfil its legal obligations under the terms of the TSC Act.These legislative requirements must also be taken into account when planning and implementingbushland restoration or weed control programs on public land. Such activities must take thepresence of significant species, populations and ecological communities into account, and damage tosignificant habitat must be avoided. It is therefore essential that the location of any threatenedspecies, populations or significant areas of habitat known for the Reserve are identified prior to anyon-ground works being carried out.All personnel undertaking on-grounds works (whether professional contractors or communityvolunteers) must be provided with relevant information (species description, location maps) at apreliminary site induction. It will be the Trust’s responsibility to ensure that all personnel workingon-site are kept fully informed.Prior to undertaking any activity which might impact on the threatened species or its habitat, atargeted search must be carried out, and where such occurrences are identified, protectivemeasures must be set in place prior to on-ground works proceeding. Any works likely to result indamage to threatened species, populations or their habitats must not be undertaken withoutwritten permission from the Trust Board. However, prior to giving such permission, the Trust mustobtain concurrence from the Threatened Species Unit of DECC to carry out works that may damage athreatened species or its habitat.UBM Ecological Consultants Pty Ltd 118