Biodiversity Assessment – Hilliards Creek Corridor, Redland Shire.

(2007/2008) for the Redland Shire Council.  The aim of this project was to design and undertake a baseline assessment of flora, fauna and associated habitat values of the Hilliards Creek Corridor, and establish an ongoing biodiversity monitoring program for this and other catchments within the Redland Shire. 

Pest Monitoring Program for European Foxes, Feral Dogs and Feral Cats inhabiting North Stradbroke Island, Redland Shire

August 2007. Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd (BAAM) were commissioned by Redland Shire Council to design a Pest Monitoring Program for European Foxes, Feral Dogs and Feral Cats inhabiting North Stradbroke Island (NSI). Specifically, the consultancy was to provide guidelines and recommendations that addressed the aims of the NSI Pest Animal Control Committee (PACC). These aims being:

• improve stakeholder knowledge and understanding of pest animal distribution, activity and impacts;
• develop cooperative pest animal monitoring and control programs;
• involve all interested stakeholders in a spirit of cooperation;
• promote the project and impact of pest animals to the wider community.

Terrestrial Vertebrate Monitoring Study – Murrin Murrin Mine, Western Australia.

Report for Minara Resources Pty Ltd. March 2007 – ongoing. In response to the release of “Guideline no. 6: Rehabilitation of Terrestrial Ecosystems”, Minara Resources contracted Biodiversity Assessment and Management to design and implement a monitoring program for their rehabilitated areas. 

In addition, these ongoing studies would allow the accumulation of data for extant fauna communities within the companies mining leases. 

Glossy Black-Cockatoo Assessment and Management Strategy – North Stradbroke Island.

2006/2007 for Consolidated Rutile Limited.  This report provided an assessment of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo population and their resource partitioning over the entire area of North Stradbroke Island to advance appropriate management strategies and recommendations for the species.  

The results of this project were used to identify and guide future investigations into the Glossy Black-Cockatoo population utilising the resources on CRL holdings, provide the means by which resources within the Enterprise study area can be assessed in context with the island as a whole, and provide baseline data for ongoing monitoring and/or evaluation of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo on North Stradbroke Island.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo Investigation – University of the Sunshine Coast.

May, 2007. BAAM were contracted by Guida Moseley Brown Architects to undertake an independent and comprehensive assessment of the population of Eastern Grey Kangaroo that utilise habitat within or immediately adjacent to the University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Campus.  This information was to contribute to the Master Plan for the USC during its five yearly review.

The specific aims of the investigation were to:

• (a) estimate the number of Kangaroos utilising the University grounds and surrounds during a five day field survey program;
• (b) record Kangaroo diurnal movement patterns including favoured feeding and resting locations during a five day field program;
• (c) record Kangaroo behaviour in terms of interactions between individual animals and between animals and the human environment; and
• (d) provide an assessment of the impacts of the proposed future loss of habitat for the Sippy Downs Town Centre and further development of the University on the Kangaroo population.

Targeted Mammal Assessments for Logan City Council Reserves.  Prepared for Logan City Council.

May 2006. This consultancy provided an independent, targeted assessment of the terrestrial mammal fauna and associated habitat values of a number of major conservation reserves within Logan City. 

The specific aims of the assessment were to provide

• (a) the results of a targeted survey and habitat assessment for terrestrial mammal fauna present on or that may utilise the study area, including species lists and significance status under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) and Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA);
• (b) an evaluation of and comment on the presence or absence of any at-risk or otherwise significant species of mammal known or predicted for the study area;
• (c) an overview of significant faunal habitats within the study area; and
• (d) incidental records of amphibian, reptilian and avian fauna detected during the survey, including significance status under the EPBC and NCA. 

All observations and details provided in the reports were based on database interrogation, review of available literature, and targeted site surveys undertaken by BAAM staff, with assistance by Logan City Council staff for their training purposes.

Can a fence strop a frog? Results of frog exclusion fencing trials.

Report prepared for Parsons Brinckerhoff Aus Pty Ltd, November 2005. An Environmental Impact Statement conducted for the Tugan Bypass identified that the roadway could have a significant impact on frog species in the area. BAAM Pty Ltd was asked to test the effectiveness of the exclusion fencing that was recommended in the EIS and to design and test additional structures that may restrict the movement of frogs, in particular the Wallum Sedge Frog (Litoria olongburensis) and the Wallum Froglet (Crinia tinnula) from crossing the Tugan Bypass and hence risking collisions with vehicles.

The trials were conducted at a perched lake on North Stradbroke Island over a three week period. A total of 5 designs were tested using Wallum Sedge Frogs. Only one of the BAAM designs was successful in preventing frogs from escaping out of the enclosures and this design is now incorporated in the design of the Tugan Bypass.

Unimin Fauna Assessment and Monitoring – ML1124 and Ml7064 North Stradbroke Island.

Prepared for Unimin Australia limited.  November 2009.  BAAM undertook an independent assessment of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna values of rehabilitated sites within sand mining lease areas.  The specific aims of the assessment were to provide a detailed terrestrial vertebrate fauna assessment of rehabilitated lands within mining lease areas and compare the results to those obtained within an unmined area.

Assessment of the Terrestrial Vertebrate Assemblage - Lady Annie Copper Mine Dam Discharge, Mt Isa.

Prepared for Freehills, August 2009.  This report briefly documented the results of a first monitoring survey of the riparian terrestrial vertebrate fauna in response to the Lady Annie Copper Mine dam discharge as proposed by the (draft) CopperCo Lady Annie Mine Aquatic and Riparian Ecosystems Recovery, Monitoring Program prepared by FRC.

Wallum Sedgefrog Monitoring Program - North Stradbroke Island, December 2008 - ongoing.

Prepared for Unimin Australia limited.  December 2008 - ongoing.  BAAM conducts bimonthly frog monitoring and assessment of terrestrial habitat features at three potential impact sites within a sand mining lease near Cooroon Cooroonpah Creek. Data is compared to that collected at four control sites located away from the potential impact zone.  The aim of the Wallum Sedgefrog monitoring program is to enable the early detection of any detrimental changes to their habitats that could be contributable to the planned mine extension.

Yarraman Significant Frog Monitoring – North Stradbroke Island.

Prepared for CRL Limited.  March 2005 – ongoing.  Four control sites and four potential impact sites are monitored for the presence of conservation significant frog species. Results from yearly monitoring within CRL sandmine lease areas are compared to results from control sites to identify any changes in frog population diversity/abundance that could be attributable to sandmining practices.

Black-breasted Button-Quail Monitoring, Lenthall’s Dam.

Report prepared for Wide Bay Water- December 2008. This report was prepared for the Wide Bay Water Corporation for the purpose of documenting habitat associations within selected Black-breasted Button-quail monitoring sites at Lenthall’s Dam. The specific aims of this assessment were to identify areas used by Black-breasted Button-quail via active searching for signs of Black-breasted Button-quail activity (e.g. platelets) and the use of call playback to identify Black-breasted Button-quail. The report provides recommendations for future monitoring.

Litoria olongburensis Management Plan and Monitoring Program –North Stradbroke Island.

Prepared for Unimin Australia limited.  November, 2008. BAAM has written a Management Plan and designed a Monitoring Program for the Vulnerable (EPBC Act) Wallum Sedgefrog, Litoria olongburensis. This species is known to inhabit areas that could potentially be disturbed by sand mining and the Management Plan provided the necessary guidelines to ensure impacts on this species and its habitats were minimised. The Monitoring Program was designed to allow the early detection of impacts to the species or its habitats, as a result of works associated with the sand extraction.

Bribie Island Borefield Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Flora and Acid Frog Monitoring.

Undertaken for MWH Australia Pty Ltd.  May 2008 – Ongoing.  BAAM has identified appropriate monitoring sites, acquired baseline data and performs twice-yearly monitoring events at Bribie Island. The aim of the flora and acid frog monitoring program is to document groundwater dependent communities and associated frog species over time to detect any changes that may be attributed to groundwater extraction associated with the Bribie Island aquifer project.  Data from the monitoring program is required to monitor the state of ecosystems dependent on the Bribie Island aquifer system prior to and during groundwater extraction, and to identify any need for corrective actions.