Research Project/Conservancy –
Habitat Management for Glossy Black-Cockatoo populations of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands and adjacent Mainland Areas.

Biodiversity Assessment and Management (BAAM) Pty Ltd initiated and is helping to facilitate a non for profit consortium (the ‘Glossy Black Conservancy’), with initial and ongoing support from Brisbane City Council, Redland Shire Council and Consolidated Rutile Limited and subsequent involvement from Gold Coast City, Logan City, Caloundra City, Maroochy Shire, Caboolture Shire and Ipswich City Councils, as well as the Brisbane Bird Observer’s Club of Australia, Birds Queensland, SEQ Catchments and the Burnett Inland North LGA Cluster. 

The Conservancy seeks to engage all relevant stakeholders (including government agencies, private enterprise and the community) to increase awareness and promote a collaborative conservation management approach across SEQ.

Core Biodiversity Network Study –
Oxley Wedge, Brisbane City. 

Report prepared for Brisbane City Council.  June 2007.  This report was prepared for the Natural Environment & Sustainability Branch of Brisbane City Council for the purpose of informing the management of future development within Brisbane’s ‘Oxley Wedge’ with respect to the protection of species of special conservation significance and associated habitat values. 

This work was a continuation of the Oxley and Blunder Creeks Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation Status Review undertaken by BAAM in 2005, which identified components of the Core Biodiversity Network associated with Oxley and Blunder Creeks requiring additional investigation to facilitate environmental planning.

Specialist Fauna Management Advice – Compton Road Upgrade, Kuraby. 

Report prepared for Brisbane City Council, November 2003.  Provision of specialist fauna management advice to BCC’s Transport and Structures City Design team for their intended widening of Compton Road at Kuraby, which severs a significant bushland remnant with Karawatha Forest to the south and Kuraby Forest to the north. 

The study sought to ensure that the upgraded section of road is designed to incorporate opportunities for fauna movement between habitats north and south of the road and minimises fauna deaths by vehicle strike.  This involved an appraisal of current proposed infrastructure solutions for managing the long-term and local survival of identified species of special interest across Compton Road, including:

• an examination of the ability of individual species to utilise the nominated structures, paying particular attention to species that are of special conservation significance;
• the proposed locations of the various structures;
• the materials and design features of the various structures; and
• consideration of the cost-effectiveness of the alternative fauna movement facilitation options in relation to their likely success for the species of concern.

Audit and Gap Identification of Ipswich City Council Environmental Mechanisms to Deliver Native Conservation Outcomes. 

Prepared for Ipswich City Council. October 2009. The specific objectives of the study included:
(a)an analysis of Council’s relevant environmental documentation;
(b)a brief overview of how the documents assist Council to protect and manage nature to achieve conservation outcomes;
(c)gap analysis to determine Council’s ability to protect, manage, maintain or increase levels of vegetation, protect significant flora and fauna, manage Conservation Estates and Bushland Reserves, and protect and manage healthy waterways;
(d)provide recommendations on what changes are required and how they can be implemented with examples for each; and
(e)facilitate a workshop for Council employees in relevant departments to discuss how to address the identified gaps.

Hilliards Creek Invertebrate Survey, southeast Queensland.

Prepared for Redlands City Council.  August 2009. BAAM undertook a baseline assessment of flora, fauna and associated habitat values of the Hilliards Creek Corridor, and established the procedures for an ongoing biodiversity monitoring program for this and other catchments within Redland City.

Assessment of Wildlife Movement Solutions – Rochedale Masterplan. 

Report prepared for Brisbane City Council.  May 2005.  The purpose of this consultancy was to identify effective long-term solutions for native wildlife movement through the future urban landscape of the Rochedale Masterplan area.  Specifically, the consultancy was to identify key transport infrastructure design and management outcomes that need to be integrated into the proposed future community in Rochedale as set out in the Draft Rochedale Masterplan. 

The report also provided the results of an overview of native wildlife movement issues and solutions throughout the greater Rochedale area.

Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation Status Review – Oxley and Blunder Creeks, Brisbane. 

Report prepared for Brisbane City Council.  May 2005.  The purpose of this consultancy was to undertake a review of the conservation status of terrestrial biodiversity (including wetlands) within the southern portions of the Oxley and Blunder Creek catchments that occur within Brisbane City. 

This area had recently been subject to an intensive investigation to identify habitat rehabilitation options and the subsequent review was designed to supplement that work with more specific information in relation to the existing and potential future ecological values of the study area. 

The key tasks of the consultancy were to:

• review and provide a synopsis of existing nature conservation assessments for Brisbane City within the study area;
• provide a synopsis of key threat abatement responses; and
• undertake an assessment of conceptual waterway restoration actions.

Action Plan to Reduce Koala Hits from Vehicles in Redland Shire.

Report prepared for Redland Shire Council. updated in August 2009. The purpose of the consultancy was to assist Redland Shire Council with the development of a report that helps to guide their response to Koala mortality on roads within the Shire, through the identification of technically and economically feasible actions that can be implemented for roads identified as major contributors to Koala hits. 

Weed Management Plan - Tarong Power Station, Yarraman.  

Prepared for Tarong Energy. February 2006.  BAAM were commissioned to prepare a Weed Management Plan for a property contained within Tarong Power Station. 

The objectives of the plan were to:

• provide a list of declared weed species (Class 1, 2 and 3 under the provisions of the Queensland Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act (LPA) 2002) that occur on the subject site;
• identify habitat that has the potential to support significant fauna species;
• identify areas in which weed control should be a priority;
• provide guidelines for on-going weed management that will ensure the maintenance of ecological processes on the subject site; and
• recommend monitoring procedures to identify subsequent re-infestation by declared species.

Flora, Fauna and Aquatic Ecology Assessment and Conservation Management Report – Springbrook Conservation Areas and Adjacent GCCC Land. 

Prepared for Gold Coast City Council. April 2006.  The purpose of this consultancy was to undertake comprehensive surveys of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna, flora and aquatic fauna (macroinvertebrates and fish) of the lands and major creeks within the Springbrook/Numinbah valley conservation areas, in order to contribute to existing knowledge of the areas’ ecological values with the aim of developing a Conservation Management Plan. 

This involved intensive summer surveys to supplement the results of previous survey work, with a focus on Regional Ecosystems and species of significance under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) and Queensland’s Nature Conservation Wildlife Regulation 1994 (NCWR).  The results of the surveys and a review of existing data were used to complete a comprehensive baseline inventory of the flora, fauna and conservation values of the lands and to direct their management in accordance with the over-arching principle of nature conservation. 

Roadside Remnants in the Stanthorpe Shire – Botanical Survey and Training.

Prepared for Stanthorpe Shire Council. May 2006. BAAM Pty Ltd undertook a survey of roadside vegetation throughout Stanthorpe Shire to identify significant species and important Regional Ecosystems (REs), and provide training to staff and stake holders. 

Specific aims included:

• an assessment and record of ‘Endangered’ and ‘Of Concern’ REs and listed rare and threatened plant species found in off-park locations in the Stanthorpe Shire, focusing on roadside reserves;
• provision of training to interested local naturalists in the identification and recoding of listed rare and threatened plant species and/or REs found in the Stanthorpe Shire;
• building the capacity of the Stanthorpe community to protect and manage listed rare and threatened plant species or REs; and
• increasing council and community involvement in the protection and management of Endangered and Of Concern REs and listed rare and threatened plant species. 

Ecological Site Management Reports – Various Bushland Acquisition Sites within Brisbane.

Reports prepared for Brisbane City Council, August 2006. BAAM Pty Ltd was contracted to provide independent assessments of the condition, conservation value and management intent of a number of properties acquired through BCC’s Bushland Acquisition program, and to identify land use/management requirements for the identified features or values. 

Fauna Conservation Action Plan - Tarong Power Station.

Prepared for Tarong Energy Pty Ltd. June 2006.  BAAM was commissioned to prepare an integrated Fauna Action Plan for land contained within and adjacent to Tarong Power Station. 

The specific aims of this Action plan were to:

• Provide a detailed overview and outline for land use and permitted activities across the site;
• Provide clear conservation intents that can be readily accessed by all relevant Tarong Energy Staff and contractors;
• Collate existing information on the significant fauna species present, their distribution, ecology and management requirements;
• Identify threatening processes and provide practical strategies and actions for their mitigation, including weed control, fire management and threatened species management;
• Identify gaps in existing knowledge required to develop appropriate habitat and species management actions and to direct future research; and
• Contribute to the long-term protection and management of the site’s ecological values.

Climate Change Impacts on Natural Areas.

Prepared for Ipswich City Council.  July 2009. Undertaken by Tim Low for BAAM, the purpose of this study was to review of the impacts and likely risk of climate change on the protected natural areas and waterways within the boundaries if the Ipswich City local government area.

Fauna Habitat Conservation Action Plan – Wivenhoe Power Station.

Report prepared for Tarong Energy. July 2005. BAAM Pty Ltd was contracted to prepare the Plan specifically for the active management of habitat occurring within natural and semi-natural areas of lands surrounding the Wivenhoe Power Station, with the intent of retaining and enhancing values of the lands for fauna.  Impetus for preparing the Action Plan resulted from a preliminary fauna investigation of the subject areas by BAAM in 2003 that identified the presence or likely presence of a number of fauna species of special conservation significance, including:

• Collared Delma Delma torquata;
• Black-breasted Button-quail Turnix melanogaster;
• Glossy Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami;
• Koala Phascolarctos cinereus;
• Tusked Frog Adelotus brevis;
• Grey-headed Flying-fox  Pteropus poliocephalus;
• Red Goshawk Erythrotriorchis radiatus;
• Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae;
• Squatter Pigeon Geophaps scripta scripta;
• Long-nosed Potoroo Potorous tridactylus tridactylus;
• Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura;
• Powerful Owl Ninox strenua; and
• Spotted-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus maculatus.

Migratory species present or likely to be present that are listed as protected under international treaties through the EPBC were also addressed, with all species’ habitat requirements and conservation actions. 

Conservation Status Reviews – Significant Species in Brisbane.

Reports prepared for Brisbane City Council. June 2005-June 2009. BAAM Pty Ltd were contracted to provide overviews of the conservation status of the following locally significant species in order to contribute to corresponding Conservation Action Statements for the species in the Brisbane City Council Local Government Area (BCC LGA):

• Cryptic rails and crakes
• Glider species
• Running water frogs
• Temporary water frogs
• Tusked Frog Adelotus brevis
• Wallum Froglet Crinia tinnula
• Soft-spined Sunfish Rhadinocentrus ornatus.

The conservation status reviews were designed to contribute to the development of the Conservation Action Statement by:

• providing a collation of existing information on the distribution, ecology and management requirements of each species within Brisbane and surrounds;
• identifying key threatening processes that significantly impact upon each species within Brisbane;
• identifying gaps in existing knowledge of the habitat and management requirements of each species and research priorities; and
• detailing practical and affordable strategies and actions that support the long-term protection and conservation of each species within Brisbane.

Weed Management Plan, Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island, southeast Queensland.

Prepared for Redland City Council. February 2009. Following a field-based assessment of Point Lookout, the Plan was prepared to provide Redland City Council and Indigenous Land Management Trainees with weed management strategies to reduce the prevalence of exotic species in this area.