Development and OrchidConservation- a practitioner’s perspective

Marc Freestone - Botanist

Ecology and Heritage Partners

The role of consultants

• Native vegetation is proposed to be cleared

• Ecological investigations are required under Commonwealth andState legislation, and Government policy

• Examples

• Road

• Rail

• Pipelines

• Urban development

• Mining and exploration

• Consultants on the frontline

Federal Legislation• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

1999

• Site assessment – is a listed species likely to occur?

• Undertake surveys

• If detected, submit a referral to Department of the Environment

• “Action Unacceptable”

• “Controlled Action”

• Grant approval with conditions (avoid, minimise, offset)

• “Not Controlled Action”

Regional Rail LinkSunshine Diuris• $5b project building 90 km of new track

• Last population of Sunshine Diuris Diuris fragrantissima

• Listed as Endangered under EPBC Act

• Referred for proximity of works

• Permit approved with conditions

• Avoid and protect site with land-title agreement

• Implement Management Plans

• Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988

• Planning and Environment Act 1987

• Environmental Effects Act 1978

• Mineral Resource (Sustainable Development) Act 1990

Victorian Legislation

Victoria

• Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988

• Flora, fauna and ecological communities

• Protects all native orchids (+ other genera)

• Public land only

• Apply to DEPI for a permit

• Road and rail projects, airfields, National Parks?

Glenelg HighwayEmerald-lip Greenhood• Overtaking lanes on Glenelg Highway

• Emerald-lip Greenhood Pterostylis smaragdyna in roadside

• Rare in Victoria

• Protected under FFG Act DEPI required translocation

• 5 plants translocated – 3 survived

Victoria

• Planning and Environment Act 1987

• Planning Permit required from Council for native vegetationremoval – Section 52.17

• Permit issued subject to compliance with Victoria’s NativeVegetation Framework

• Vegetation mapping

• Threatened species surveys

• Avoid + Minimise

• Offsets

Shaw River Power StationBasalt Leek-orchid• Pipeline for power station water intake

• Basalt Leek-orchid Prasophyllum viretum, endangered in Vic

• Private land – i.e. FFG Act doesn’t apply

• Pipeline re-aligned to avoid Basalt Leek-orchid

Victoria

• Permitted Clearing Regulations

• Low Risk = <1 ha Location A (blue); <0.5 ha Location B (purple)

• Assessment information reduced

• No consideration of threatened species

• DEPI / Council cannot refuse permit if offset is secured

Victoria

• Permitted Clearing Regulations

• Moderate Risk = > 1 ha Location A (blue), 0.5 – 1 ha Location B(purple)

• High Risk = >1 ha Location B (purple), any Location C (red)

Offset opportunities

• Removal of like-for-like offset requirements

• Focus on “strategic” offset sites with higher biodiversity values

Cobra Greenhood Pterostylis grandiflora at Pakenham

Key Issues

• Surveys

• Short timeframes

• If a species isn’t found, it’s not there

• Consultants often don’t have detailed knowledge of the area

• Offsets

• Focus on offsets rather than avoid and minimise

Victorian Biodiversity Atlas

• Used to inform habitat importance maps and modelling underPermitted Clearing Regulations.

Questions

Melbourne | Brisbane | Adelaide | Geelongwww.ehpartners.com.au