Botanical Baseline Assessment – Oaky Creek Coal Mine.

Prepared for Xstrata Coal Queensland Pty Ltd. August 2011.

BAAM undertook an independent baseline assessment of the botanical values of an area adjoining the existing Oaky Creek Coal Mine located north of Emerald in central Queensland. Specifically, the assessment provided an account of the site's terrestrial vegetation communities and flora species with a focus on communities and species of significance (native and non-native) under relevant legislation and associated development constraints and management implications. Of particular value was the production of site-specific ground-truthed vegetation mapping that identified the location of significant communities recognised under State and Commonwealth legislation in order to facilitate Project planning. This was based on a review of available information and seasonal site investigations undertaken in December 2010 and May 2011.

Terrestrial Ecology and Impact Assessment – Paradise South Phosphate Project EIS.

Prepared for Legend International Holdings Inc. July 2011.

Existing terrestrial ecological values of the study area and potential impacts of the Project on those values were assessed on the basis of desktop investigations and seasonal surveys undertaken in 2009 and 2010. The study area comprised a proposed Mining Lease Area and nearby Inundation Area and Tailings Dam Area, together with linear infrastructure easements. A range of mitigation strategies were identified to manage potential impacts during the construction and operation phases of the Project.

Terrestrial Ecology Baseline Assessment – CSG Project.

Completed June 2011. This involved a desktop and field assessment of the existing terrestrial ecological values of land potentially impacted by a proposed coal seam gas development in southern Queensland. Specifically, the assessment provided an account of the study area's terrestrial vegetation communities, habitats and flora and fauna species with a focus on communities/habitats and species of significance (native and non-native) under relevant legislation and associated development constraints and management implications. Of particular value was the production of Project-specific sensitivity mapping that identified the relative ecological value of vegetation across the landscape in order to provide a solid foundation for project planning. This was based on a review of available information and site investigations undertaken in February 2011.

Ecological Assessment – Clutha Creek Sand Quarry, Tamborine.

Prepared for Groundwork Plus.  June 2010.  The purpose of this investigation was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the proposed noise attenuation bunding to terrestrial flora and fauna and associated habitats.  The aim of the investigation was to provide:
(a) identification of any conservation-significant flora and terrestrial vertebrate species listed under the EBPC Act and the NC Act that are present on or may use the subject site and associated habitats;
(b) a description of Regional Ecosystems and associated Essential Habitat as mapped by DERM under the VM Act for the subject site;
(c) identification of assessment provisions or performance criteria under the relevant environmental regulatory framework in relation to the proposed works;
(d) discussion of fauna movement corridors and associated values with regard to State and local mapping for the subject site; and
(e) discussion of potential impacts to significant species, habitats and/or corridor values on the subject site during the construction and operational stages of the proposed works.

Terrestrial Ecology and Impact Assessment – Australia Pacific LNG Project EIS (gas fields component).

Prepared for WorleyParsons on behalf of Origin Energy (2010). This project involves the assessment of terrestrial vertebrate habitat and flora assessment of a broad swathe of lands located in southern central Queensland stretching (approximately) from Milmerran north-west to north of Roma.  The purpose of the assessment is to provide a description of the flora and terrestrial vertebrate habitat values of the project area, including:
(a) ground-truthed assessment and GIS-based mapping of terrestrial flora and vertebrate habitat values;
(b) assessment of extant flora with a focus on conservation significant species including discussion of range, habitat, recruitment, and current level of protection;
(c) broad assessment of habitat types and their suitability for terrestrial vertebrates, particularly conservation significant species;
(d) fauna species conservation significance, including discussion of range, habitat, breeding, recruitment, feeding and movement requirements and current level of protection;
(e) feral or exotic animals; and
(f) site data compatible with EPA WildNet databases.  This has culminated in the development of terrestrial ecology sensitivity mapping to inform infrastructure design and the subsequent impact assessment.

Following the baseline assessments and mapping, an impact assessment report was prepared for incorporation within the overall EIS project, which identifies potential impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed LNG project, pipelines and associated infrastructure on terrestrial flora and terrestrial vertebrate fauna within and surrounding the proposed project area.  The EIS identified a number of mitigation and compensatory measures to be implemented in order to reduce impacts to levels that will not cause permanent harm to significant ecosystems or flora and fauna populations.  This includes the preparation of Habitat Management Guidelines for incorporation into the Project EMP as part of the Supplementary EIS.  Recommendations were also made for a strategy to offset unavoidable impacts on significant terrestrial ecology values.

Targeted Flora and Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Assessment – Warwick Mining Leases.

Prepared for Unimin Australia Limited. June 2009.  BAAM was commissioned to conduct   targeted assessments to determine the likely presence of EPBC Act and/or NC Act significant flora and terrestrial vertebrate fauna within the proposed area of extension of the Warwick Mining Lease area. Based on results from a detailed field survey, advice on the potential likelihood of conservation significant flora and/or fauna species was provided. Recommendations for minimising potential impacts to the site’s flora and fauna values were provided as part of the report.

Baseline Terrestrial Ecological Assessment and Preliminary Impact Assessment - Georgina Basin Phosphate Project, D-Tree North DSO.

Prepared for PB, July 2009, and revised for Legend International Holdings Inc, August 2009.  The aim of this project was to provide an expert assessment of the terrestrial ecology for the D-Tree North DSO project area near Mt Isa, proposed for phosphate mining.  The assessment included the identification of potential impacts on and mitigation for significant terrestrial flora, fauna and associated habitat values, based on a comprehensive baseline survey.

Caval Ridge Coal Mine Ecological Baseline and Impact Assessment for EIS.

Prepared for URS Australia, May 2009.  BAAM provided a comprehensive baseline assessment of the flora and terrestrial vertebrate and aquatic fauna and associated habitat values of the site of the Caval Ridge Coal Mine Project, located near Moranbah in Central Queensland, and a subsequent assessment of potential ecological impacts from the proposed mining activities.  The specific aims of the Baseline Assessment component were to provide:
(a) an account of the vegetation types present within the project site, including significance status under relevant legislation, site-specific Regional Ecosystem (RE) mapping and, if necessary, recommendations for alterations to current certified RE mapping;
(b) an account of the flora, terrestrial vertebrate and aquatic fauna present on, or that may utilise, the project site, including species lists and significance status under relevant legislation;
(c) an evaluation and comment on the presence or absence of any at-risk, migratory or otherwise significant species of flora and fauna of the area;
(d) an assessment and comment on any significant habitats within the project site, including their contribution to faunal movement corridors; and
(e) an account of the general distribution and abundance of pest plants and animals within the project site, including mapping of locations of significant infestations.

The specific aims of the Impact Assessment component were to:
(a) describe the potential environmental harm to the ecological values of the area affected by the construction and operation of the Project; and (b) describe measures to mitigate and/or offset the environmental harm to habitat or the inhibition of ecological processes, including strategies for protecting significant species and controlling exotic species, and any specific obligations imposed by Local, State or Commonwealth legislation.

Comprehensive Terrestrial Fauna Baseline Studies – McFarlane and Stuart Shales to Liquid Project areas.

Undertaken for SKM and URS on behalf of QER, February 2007 to April 2008. BAAM were commissioned to undertake independent, comprehensive, seasonal baseline monitoring surveys and background literature searches of terrestrial vertebrate and invertebrate fauna within the proposed ‘McFarlane’ and ‘Stuart’ Shales to Liquid Project areas, located to the south of Proserpine and to the north of Gladstone, respectively. The overall aim of the studies was to contribute to the description of the existing environment within an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project, as well as providing a basis for future terrestrial vertebrate and invertebrate monitoring.  Specific outcomes included:
(a) a full description of study methodologies to allow the field surveys to be easily replicated;
(b) a comprehensive account of the terrestrial vertebrate and (indicator) invertebrate fauna present on or that may utilise the study area, including species lists and significance under relevant legislation and listing and locations for significant species and exotic or pest species encountered; (c) an evaluation and comment on the presence or absence of any at-risk, migratory or otherwise significant species of fauna of the area, including discussion of range, habitat, breeding, recruitment, feeding and movement requirements and current level of protection, as well as the implications of such for the project; and
(d) an assessment and comment on any significant faunal habitats within the study area.

Ecological Assessment Report – Wolffdene Quarry, Luscombe

Report prepared for Groundwork EMS, February 2008.  As part of an information request from Gold Coast City Council regarding future activities within the existing Wolffdene Quarry site at Luscombe, a detailed ecological assessment was required to be submitted in support of the application incorporating an independent baseline assessment of terrestrial flora and vertebrate fauna and associated habitat values.  The specific aims of the assessment were to provide:
(a) an account of the native and exotic terrestrial flora communities/species and vertebrate species known or likely to be present within the study area, including significance status under relevant legislation;
(b) Regional Ecosystem mapping and, if necessary, recommendations for alterations to current certified RE mapping, with accompanying data;
(c) an evaluation of, and comment on, the presence of any significant terrestrial flora and/or vertebrate species and associated habitats/movement corridors within the study area;
(d) an assessment of the implications of proposed quarry development on the status of REs, species of significance and important habitat, and subsequent recommendations for impact mitigation and on-site vegetation and fauna management; and
(e) a Weed Management Plan for the study area, including recommended control techniques and management and monitoring schedules based on the types of existing weed species and levels of infestation.

Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Assessment Report – Proposed Boral Narangba Quarry Extension.

Report prepared for Chenoweth EPLA, March 2007.  The purpose of this consultancy was to provide an independent and comprehensive assessment of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna and associated habitat values of the site of the proposed extension of Boral’s existing Narangba Quarry.

Terrestrial Fauna Assessment Report – Boral Petrie Quarry Proposed Extension Area.

Prepared for Chenoweth EPLA.  June 2006. The purpose of this consultancy was to provide an independent assessment of the terrestrial fauna and associated habitat values of those areas subject to the proposed extension of the existing Boral Petrie Quarry.

Targeted Terrestrial Vertebrate Study – Yarraman South Project, North Stradbroke Island.

Report prepared for Consolidated Rutile Limited. December 2005. This report was compiled for the purpose of providing an independent, targeted assessment of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna and associated habitat values of the Yarraman South project area, situated on North Stradbroke Island.

Flora, Fauna and Aquatic Ecology Assessment Report – Ensham Central Development Project.

Report prepared for Hansen Consulting. November 2005. The purpose of this consultancy was to provide an independent flora, fauna and aquatic ecology assessment of the area covered by the 9116 ha ‘Ensham Central Development Project’ area located adjacent to the Nogoa River, approximately 30 km east of Emerald in Central Queensland, in order to inform the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment to accompany an application for an Environmental Authority and expanded Mining Lease.

Fauna Assessment Report – Cameby Downs Coal Project. 

Report prepared for Hansen Consulting. November 2005. The purpose of this consultancy was to provide an independent assessment of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna and faunal values of the area covered by the 2040ha ‘Cameby Downs’ property and surrounding lands, located near Miles in south-central Queensland, in order to inform the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment supporting an application for an Environmental Authority and Mining Lease.

Fauna Assessment Report – Barro Group Mt Cotton Quarry Extension. 

Prepared for Groundwork Environmental Management Services Pty Ltd. September 2004.  The purpose of this consultancy was to provide an independent assessment of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna and faunal values of the area covered by the proposed extension of the Mt Cotton Quarry, Mt Cotton, in order to inform the preparation of an application to Redland Shire Council for a Material Change of Use to expand existing operations.