Offset Management Plan January 2018 - Metallica...

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Urquhart Bauxite Project

Offset Management Plan

January 2018

Oresome Bauxite Pty Ltd

Contents 1 Introduction 2

1.1 Project Description 5

1.2 Purpose of Offset Management Plan 6

2 Legislative Context 8

2.1 Commonwealth Legislation 8

2.2 Preliminary Documentation 8

2.3 Offset Requirement 8

2.3.1 Legal Security Mechanism 9

2.3.2 Habitat Connectivity and Long Term Conservation 10

3 Offset Assessment Methodology 11

3.1 Methodology for Assessing Residual Significant Impacts 11

3.2 The EPBC Act “Offset Assessment Guide” 11

3.3 Approved Conservation Advice 12

4 Management Plan 13

4.1 Description of Clearing 13

4.2 Future Habitat for Palm Cockatoo 13

4.3 Overview of Offset Area 14

4.4 Offset Values 15

4.4.1 Baseline Assessment of Offset Monitoring Sites 16

4.5 Future Condition and Completion Criteria 19

4.6 Detailed Offset Area Mapping 24

5 Management Objectives 26

6 Management Actions 27

6.1 Ecological Burning 27

6.2 Fuel Hazard Management 27

6.3 Pest and Weed Control 27

6.4 Adaptive Implementation and Addressing Uncertainty 28

6.5 Suitably Qualified Persons 29

7 Risks to Achieving Management Objectives 31

8 Restrictions Imposed on the Offset Area 34

9 Monitoring and Reporting 35

9.1 Purpose of Monitoring Program 36

9.2 Monitoring Methods 36

9.2.1 Field Assessment for Offset Areas 37

9.3 Data Handling Program 38

9.4 Audit, Review and Evaluation 39

9.5 Reporting 40

10 Declaration of Accuracy 42

References 43

List of Figures Figure 1: Offset Area Location 4

Figure 2: Offset Area Monitoring Site Locations 25

Figure 3: The Adaptive Management Cycle 29

List of Tables Table 1: EPBC Act conditions of approval specifying the requirements of this OMP and Response 2

Table 2: Policy Principles Addressed 9

Table 3: Threats to Palm Cockatoo and Mitigation Measures 12

Table 4: REs to be Cleared at UBx 13

Table 5: Details of Offset Area within ML100044 14

Table 6: Offset calculator input values 15

Table 7: Reference Site Baseline Condition 17

Table 8: Site Characteristics (defined DoEE Offsets Assessment Guide: Offset Calculator) and applied scores in the approved calculator 21

Table 9: Habitat Quality Metrics 22

Table 10: Management Actions and Implementation Schedule for Offset Area 30

Table 11: Likelihood Rating 31

Table 12: Maximum Reasonable Consequence Rating 31

Table 13: Key Risks Associated with Offset Area 33

Table 14: Declared Offset Area Restrictions 34

Table 15: Habitat Indicators for Reference Sites 37

Table 16: Monitoring and Reporting Requirements 41

List of Appendices Appendix A – Offset Monitoring Field Assessment Sheet

Document History and Status

Revision Date Issued Approved By Date Approved Revision Type Issued To

A 29/08/17 M. Breitfuss 29/08/17 Draft DoEE

B 05/10/17 M. Breitfuss 05/10/17 Final DoEE

C 25/10/17 M. Breitfuss 25/10/17 Updated version DoEE

D 01/11/17 M. Breitfuss 01/11/17 Updated Final DoEE

E 09/11/17 M. Breitfuss 09/11/17 Updated Final DoEE

0 16/11/17 M. Breitfuss 15/11/17 Final DoEE

Printed: 16 November 2017

Last saved: 16 November 2017 08:54 AM

File name: BE170008.01-RPT-Offset Mgmt Plan_Rev0

Author: Mark Breitfuss

Project manager: Mark Breitfuss

Client: Oresome Bauxite Pty Ltd

Document Title: Offset Management Plan

Document version: Final

Project number: BE170008.01

UBx Offset Management Plan

EPBC 2016/7706 - Urquhart Bauxite Project OMP - 15/11/17 1

Executive Summary

Oresome Bauxite Pty Ltd (Oresome, the principal proponent) and Ozore Resources Pty Ltd (Ozore) plan

to develop the Urquhart Bauxite Project (UBx) at a site approximately 5 km south of the township of

Weipa on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Oresome’s Mining Lease (ML100044) for

the Project comprises 1,359 ha and covers two areas of bauxite – Area A and Area B.

The UBx was declared a Controlled Action – decision on Assessment of Preliminary Documentation on 17

June 2016 for listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 and 18A) under the Environment

Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). On 1 May 2017, Oresome was directed to

publish the Preliminary Documentation Report (PD Report). In accordance with s95A of the EPBC Act,

Oresome gave notice of the publication of the PD Report for public comment for the period 10 May to 8

June 2017. No comments were received during the comment period. On 18 August 2017 the Project was

approved with conditions under the EPBC Act, and included Offset requirements for significant residual

impacts.

The UBx Offset (Offset) comprises a single component for Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus

macgillivrayi) and is provided within mine Area A of ML100044. This Offset Management Plan (OMP)

implements the EPBC Act Environmental Offsets Policy and Offsets Assessment Guide to determine the

Offset area and future condition for the Offset to meet the policy objectives.

The Offset will be secured via a Voluntary Declaration (VDec). A VDec is a means to secure an Offset so

the area can then be noted as high conservation value under the Queensland Vegetation Management

Act 1999 (VM Act). Ultimately, the Offset area will be declared an area of high nature conservation value

under Section 19F of the VM Act, secured for the purposes of an Environmental Offset.

The Offset area is characterised by a mosaic of mangrove, vine thicket and paperbark swamps. These

areas are considered to offer significant refugia potential for fauna and flora, especially following annual

periods of fire. Parinari nonda, a very important food tree for Palm Cockatoo (Wood 1988), is common

in the woodland and open forest throughout UBx, and adjacent Regional Ecosystem 3.2.2a, semi-

deciduous vine thicket to vine forest on beach dunes and ridges (DEHP 2016). The overarching

management intent for the Offset area is to meet or exceed the Offset obligations set under the EPBC

Act approval, principally by enhancing the foraging habitat values of the Offset area. The key strategies

for managing risks and for achieving the OMP’s objectives are:

▪ Effective fire hazard management and conducting ecological burns;

▪ Pest animal control;

▪ Robust and transparent monitoring of Offset condition; and

▪ Adaptively implementing the OMP.



1 Introduction

The purpose of this Offset Management Plan (OMP) is to fulfil a statutory requirement for the provision

of an Offset under an approval (EPBC 2016/7706) granted under the Environment Protection and

Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act) to Oresome Bauxite Pty Ltd (Oresome, the principal

proponent) and Ozore Resources Pty Ltd (Ozore). Furthermore, the purpose of the OMP is to identify

Offset area management objectives and completion criteria, and to describe actions necessary to meet

those requirements. This OMP has been developed to meet the EPBC Act requirements for impacts to

Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus macgillivrayi), a ‘Vulnerable’ species listed under the EPBC Act,

within mine Area A only (Figure 1). The OMP also forms one of the mandatory requirements for a

Voluntary Declaration (VDec) Application under the Queensland Vegetation Management Act 1999 (VM

Act).

This OMP forms part of a broader set of requirements and plans associated with the Urquhart Point

Bauxite Project (UBx), located on the Cape York Peninsula, south of Weipa. The Project is also approved

under an Environmental Authority (EPML04313116) conditioned by the Queensland Department of

Environment and Heritage Protection. The legislative requirements are outlined in Section 2. Conditions

of the EPBC Act approval relevant to this OMP are included in Table 1.

Table 1: EPBC Act conditions of approval specifying the requirements of this OMP and Response

Condition Response

3. Prior to the commencement of mining in Area A, the approval holder must

secure the offset specified as ‘Offset area (306 ha)’ for the loss of 176.1

hectares palm cockatoo habitat at mine Area A.

This OMP is for management of the ‘Offset area (306 ha)’ shown at Appendix B of the conditions of approval.

5. The Offset Management Plan must be prepared in accordance with the

Department’s Environmental Management Plan Guidelines, the EPBC Act

Environmental Offsets Policy (2012), the preliminary documentation and

include:

a) A description of the current ecological condition (prior to any

management activities) of the proposed Offset area, including existing

vegetation (the baseline condition);

b) A description of the management measures (including timing,

frequency and longevity) that will be implemented at each Offset

area;

c) Details of how the proposed Offset will improve habitat availability for

the palm cockatoo;

d) Details of how fire will be managed on the Offset sites to improve

habitat availability for palm cockatoos, including but not limited to

nesting habitat;

e) Details of how the proposed Offset will provide landscape scale

habitat connectivity;

This OMP has been prepared in accordance with the Department’s Environmental Management Plan Guidelines and the EPBC Act Environmental Offsets Policy (2012), and is consistent with the Project’s Preliminary Documentation. The approval conditions are addressed respectively:

a) Section 4.4.1 b) Section 5 c) Section 4.2 d) Section 6 e) Section 4.2 f) Section 4 g) Section 6 h) Section 9 i) Section 7



Condition Response

f) Performance and completion criteria for evaluating the management

of the Offset area, and criteria for triggering remedial action (if

necessary);

g) A description of the management measures that will be implemented

for the protection of EPBC Act listed threatened species, including a

discussion of how the measures take into account relevant

conservation advice and are consistent with the measures in relevant

recovery plans and threat abatement plans;

h) A program to monitor and report on the effectiveness of these

measures, and progress against the performance and completion

criteria;

i) A description of potential risks to the successful implementation of

the Offset/s and contingency measures that would be implemented to

mitigate against these risks.

6. To ensure the effectiveness of the Offset in achieving a long-term protection

and management of the palm cockatoo, the Offset must be managed for

the life of the project.

The OMP applies during the period of approval, i.e. to 10 August 2030.



1.1 Project Description

Oresome plans to develop the UBx Project at a site approximately 5 km south of the township of Weipa

on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Oresome’s Mining Lease (ML100044) for the

Project comprises 1,359 ha and covers two areas of bauxite – Area A and Area B.

The Preliminary Documentation Report (PD Report) was submitted in final form to the Department of

the Environment and Energy (DoEE) on 17 May 2017, subsequent to the Project being declared a

Controlled Action on 17 June 2016. The reference document is Urquhart Point Bauxite Project EPBC

Preliminary Documentation (EPBC 2016/7706). Section 3.1 (d) of the PD Report describes impacts to

Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES), which will be offset by securing the 306 ha

Offset area (the Offset) and implementing this OMP.

On 1 May 2017, Oresome was directed to publish the PD Report and in accordance with s95A of the

EPBC Act, gave notice of the publication of the PD Report for public comment for the period between 10

May and 8 June 2017. No submissions were received during the period for comment. Through the PD

Report, Oresome met its requirement to provide the DoEE with a response to the EPBC Act Controlled

Action Assessment (2016/7706) for the Urquhart Bauxite Project. Key features of the PD Report that

underpin this OMP include:

▪ Defined Offset area for the purposes of mine Area A only.

▪ Defined future condition; the proposed Offset will directly contribute to the ongoing potential

future viability of Palm Cockatoo habitat in the region around the UBx and will deliver a

conservation outcome that improves or maintains the viability of Palm Cockatoo as compared to

what is likely to have occurred if neither the action nor the Offset had taken place.

▪ Fire and fuel management; the implementation of improved fire management at mine Area A

could reduce the frequency of burning of E. tetrodonta woodland which is known to currently

be a limiting factor to the formation of hollow trees.

▪ Overarching features such as; residual impacts, Offset requirements, social and economic

matters and ecological sustainability pertaining to the UBx Project.

These key features all reflect the approval conditions, namely:

▪ For the purpose of the action, the approval holder must not take any action outside the areas

identified as Area A and Area B in the project area within MLA 100044 at Appendix A of the

condition notice;

▪ Prior to the commencement of mining in Area A, the approval holder must secure the Offset

specified as ‘Offset area (306 ha)’ in Figure 1, for the loss of 176.1 hectares palm cockatoo

habitat at mine Area A; and

▪ To ensure the effectiveness of the Offset in achieving a long-term protection and management

of the Palm Cockatoo, the Offset must be managed for the life of the project.



The UBx Project is expected to commence mining in 2018 with closure occurring approximately eight

years later, in around 2026. The main stages of the mining activity are:

▪ Site establishment: Vegetation will be cleared, mulched and stockpiled. Larger trees with

hollows will be felled and placed in the rehabilitation area to provide fauna habitat.

▪ Early works and construction: A two-stage stripping process will be implemented. Topsoil will

be stripped, followed by the subsoil, leaving exposed bauxite to be mined. The topsoil and

subsoil will be placed into the previously mined panel, commencing the progressive

rehabilitation process.

▪ Operations: Exposed bauxite will be pushed up into windrows with a bulldozer. The majority of

windrowed bauxite will be loaded into rear dump trucks or scrapers and transported by access

road to the product stockpile area where it will be exported. Minor screening is likely to be

required at the stockpile prior to export.

▪ Decommissioning/Rehabilitation: The remaining mined areas will be rehabilitated with

progress monitored according to the Rehabilitation Plan and program.

The key feature of the mining sequence is that all mining panels will commence rehabilitation activities

prior to the shut-down of operations at the end of each dry season. With this progressive rehabilitation

approach, it is expected that vegetation will begin the process of regeneration during the subsequent

wet season.

1.2 Purpose of Offset Management Plan

This OMP provides additional information and management commitments to that provided in the PD

Report, including an expanded offset area, to address the Project’s potential residual significant impacts

to MNES (Palm Cockatoo) in mine Area A. As identified in the PD Report and in subsequent discussion

with DoEE in determining the appropriateness of Offset activities, relevant conservation advice and

ecological descriptions were reviewed in preparation of this OMP.

The EPBC Act Environmental Offsets Policy (October 2012) (EOP) requires that in the first instance,

approved recovery plans, threat abatement plans, and management plans must be reviewed to develop

an appropriate Offset package. As Palm Cockatoo was only recently listed, these plans are not available

to inform this OMP. Instead, the adopted methodology employed ecological descriptions, approved

conservation advice (TSSC 2015) and peer-reviewed scientific literature on the ecology of Palm Cockatoo

to inform OMP activities.

The Offset will provide environmental benefits to counterbalance the potential impacts of the Project

that will remain after measures to avoid and mitigate impacts, and site conservation management

activities have been implemented. The OMP describes:

▪ Offset requirements of the Project in accordance with the EPBC Act EOP;



▪ Management activities to meet the Offset requirements of the Project, in accordance with the

EOP and associated Offsets Assessment Guide; and

▪ Monitoring, reporting, auditing and continuous improvement systems to ensure the Offset

requirements are attained and maintained during the project period of approval.



2 Legislative Context 2.1 Commonwealth Legislation

The EPBC Act is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a

legal framework for the Australian Government to meet its international commitments to protect

natural and cultural heritage. The EPBC Act focuses Australian Government interests on the protection

of MNES, with the states and territories having responsibility for matters of state significance.

2.2 Preliminary Documentation

The PD Report is the preceding document to this OMP. The PD provided information requested by the

Australian Government DoEE to assist with the assessment of the UBx Project. Key commitments in the

PD that are implemented through this OMP include:

▪ A description of the current ecological condition (prior to any management activities) of the

proposed Offset area, including existing vegetation (the baseline condition);

▪ A description of the management measures (including timing, frequency and longevity) that will

be implemented at each Offset area;

▪ Details of how the proposed Offset will improve habitat availability for the palm cockatoo;

▪ Details of how fire will be managed on the Offset sites to improve habitat availability for palm

cockatoos, including but not limited to nesting habitat;

▪ Details of how the proposed Offset will provide landscape scale habitat connectivity;

▪ Performance and completion criteria for evaluating the management of the Offset area, and

criteria for triggering remedial action (if necessary);

▪ A description of the management measures that will be implemented for the protection of EPBC

Act listed threatened species, including a discussion of how the measures take into account

relevant conservation advice and are consistent with the measures in relevant recovery plans

and threat abatement plans;

▪ A program to monitor and report on the effectiveness of these measures, and progress against

the performance and completion criteria;

▪ A description of potential risks to the successful implementation of the Offset/s and contingency

measures that would be implemented to mitigate against these risks.

2.3 Offset Requirement

Under the EOP, consideration of Offsets are required for MNES where a residual significant impact is

likely to remain after avoidance and mitigation measures have been implemented.

For Palm Cockatoo, there is a future potential that breeding pairs could utilise some parts of the UBx

site, despite there being no current or historical evidence that the species has used the site. In addition,



the presence of known food trees across the Urquhart Peninsula, including on the UBx site, means that

the Project could reduce the existing feeding potential for foraging Palm Cockatoo.

The requirement for an Offset is based on a likely residual significant impact to Palm Cockatoo based on

feeding resources and future potential breeding habitat.

The EPBC Act EOP sets out eight key overarching principles that must be applied in determining the

suitability of Offsets. These principles are summarised in Table 2.

Table 2: Policy Principles Addressed

Principles How Addressed Location in OMP

Deliver an overall conservation outcome that improves or maintains viability

Through commitment to monitor Offset reference sites and meet completion criteria associated with habitat quality characteristics.

Section 4

Be built around direct Offsets but may include other compensatory measures

Use only of direct Offsets with specific management objectives. Use of VDec to legally secure the Offset.

Sections 2 and 4

Be in proportion to the level of statutory protection that applies

Determined and approved by DoEE Offsets Assessment Guide calculator.

Section 3

Be of a size and scale proportionate to the residual impacts on the protected matter

Determined and approved by DoEE Offsets Assessment Guide calculator.

Section 3

Manage the risks of the Offset not succeeding

Analysis of risks to achieving management objectives outlined.

Section 7

Be additional to what is already required The Offset is in addition to existing management obligations for the offset area.

Section 9

Be efficient, effective, timely, transparent, scientifically robust and reasonable

Using a habitat condition assessment scoring process to measure the effectiveness of OMP. Only proposing improvements to foraging habitat condition through fire and pest control

Section 5, 6, and 9

Have transparent governance arrangements This OMP and compliance reporting requirements associated with this approval. Information will be kept in accordance with conditions of approval.

Section 9

Considering the above principles, and how Oresome has responded to each within the relevant sections

of this document, Oresome considers implementation of this OMP will meet the Offset policy objectives.

2.3.1 Legal Security Mechanism

Under Queensland legislation, the following legal security mechanisms exist for Offsetting impacts to

the terrestrial environments:

▪ An environmental Offset protection area under section 30 of the Environmental Offsets Act

2014;

▪ An area declared as an area of high nature conservation value under section 19F of the VM Act,

where it is secured for the purposes of an environmental Offset;

▪ An area declared as a nature refuge under section 46 of the Nature Conservation Act 1992,

where it is secured for the purposes of an environmental Offset;

▪ An area declared as a protected area under section 29(1) of the Nature Conservation Act 1992,

where it is secured for the purposes of an environmental Offset; or



▪ An area secured as a statutory covenant for environmental purposes under the Land Act 1994 or

Land Title Act 1994;

The Offset for the UBx Project will be secured as an area of high nature conservation value for the

purposes of an Environmental Offset under section 19F of the VM Act. The Offset is anticipated to be

secured by December 2017.

2.3.2 Habitat Connectivity and Long Term Conservation

Habitat fragmentation occurs when continuous areas of habitat, such as forests, woodlands or

grasslands, are subdivided into a number of separate components. This term encompasses two

interrelated components; habitat loss (i.e. a reduction in the amount of habitat) and fragmentation (i.e.

a breaking apart of habitat) (Bennett 2006). The impacts of habitat fragmentation are also scale

dependent and may differ depending on the species or community under consideration. For example,

loss of small areas of habitat that do not present a significant barrier to movement by highly mobile

species (e.g. birds) may present a much greater barrier to dispersal of less mobile or far-ranging species

(e.g. amphibians or small reptiles such as skinks).

Connectivity across the broader Project area has been considered in terms of habitat connections and

broader corridors with regional linkages beyond the boundaries of the Project area. Within the Project

area, connectivity is linked to riparian corridors associated with Roberts Creek and Urquhart Point and

contiguous areas of terrestrial vegetation in the Project area.

The UBx site will be progressively rehabilitated to resemble a vegetation community that existed prior to

mining commencing. This will enhance the regional connectivity of the area, and potentially provide

refugia for species when adjacent projects are commenced. It is unknown what the future land-use of

the site will be once relevant approvals have been relinquished. Future adjacent land-use to the south

and east of the Project will be governed by the Amrun Project, coordinated by Rio Tinto Alcan Pty Ltd.



3 Offset Assessment Methodology 3.1 Methodology for Assessing Residual Significant Impacts

The EPBC Act EOP states that ‘environmental Offsets’ are measures that compensate for the residual

adverse impacts of an action on the environment and defines residual adverse impacts as those impacts

which remain after avoidance and mitigation measures have been implemented. The EPBC Act EOP

requires residual adverse impacts to be offset if the impact is considered to be ‘significant’ as defined by

the ‘Matters of National Environmental Significance – Significant Impact Guidelines Version 1.1’ (DoEE

2013).

During ecological surveys conducted over four events between April 2015 and July 2016 to inform the

PD Report, there was no evidence of presence or breeding by Palm Cockatoo at mine Area A. The

species has been recorded flying over the UBx, though this could simply be accounted for as individuals

flying between preferred sites. The absence of rainforest or preferred hollow trees in proximity to

rainforest, as identified by Murphy et al. (2003) is likely responsible for the lack of current or historic

breeding records at the site. Therefore, it could be concluded that mine Area A is not suitable to support

breeding of Palm Cockatoo.

Data collected from the assessment was used to inform required inputs for the Offset proposal, using

the DoEE Offset Assessment Guide: Offset Calculator tool. The calculated impact area for mine Area A is

included in this current proposal. The area for the buffer to be retained on the perimeter of mine Area A

was removed from the impact area calculation.

3.2 The EPBC Act “Offset Assessment Guide”

The Offset Assessment Guide supports the requirements of the EPBC Act EOP through a balance sheet

approach to determining suitable Offsets for threatened species and ecological communities. The guide

is a tool to assist expert users to determine the adequacy of offset proposals. The guide is comprised of

four parts:

▪ MNES assessment box;

▪ Impact calculator;

▪ Offset calculator; and

▪ Summary box.

User inputs to the EPBC Act Offset Assessment Guide are informed by the document titled “How to use

the Offsets Assessment Guide”. The key components of the guide are the Impact Calculator and Offset

Calculator. Once the inputs have been provided for the Impact Calculator and Offset Calculator, the

Offset Assessment Guide provides the results as a percentage of impact offset, where >100% indicates

that all of the impact is achieved through a direct offset (such as for this offset) and >90% indicates that



the minimum (90%) direct offset requirement from the EPBC Act EOP has been met and financial offsets

are required to meet the 100% Offset obligation. The inputs for the impact calculator and offsets

calculator as well as the results are provided in Section 4.0.

3.3 Approved Conservation Advice

The Approved Conservation Advice for the species, published by the Threatened Species Scientific

Committee of Australia (TSSC 2015), states that the greatest threat to Palm Cockatoo is the cumulative

impacts of multiple contrasting mechanisms all operating to reduce the availability of nesting hollows,

including; fire, cyclones, land clearing and competition. For offsets to be relevant, they must work to

reduce the impact of known threats. Key actions from the approved conservation advice (TSSC 2015)

that are relevant to implementation and continuous improvement of this OMP are to:

▪ Implement active and appropriate fire management regimes to optimise the creation and

longevity of large tree hollows and/or hollow trees (see Management Action Section 6.1); and

▪ Identify fire management regimes (see Adaptive Management Section 6.2).

Table 3 outlines threats to Palm Cockatoo, and how this OMP addresses these impacts.

Table 3: Threats to Palm Cockatoo and Mitigation Measures

Threat Description How Addressed

Fire Inappropriate fire regimes are a significant threat to Palm Cockatoo (Murphy et al. 2003).

Due to the frequent (annual) burning of the landscape at UBx, hollow bearing trees are not prevalent because they are either destroyed during fires or do not have time to develop sufficient hollow depth before being destroyed in fire events. Implementing improved fire management at mine Area A is expected to reduce the frequency of burning of E. tetrodonta woodland which will eventually result in the formation of hollow trees. The structure and condition of vegetation within the Offset, particularly the abundance and diversity of food tree species, will improve with the exclusion of frequent, high intensity fires. High intensity fires are those which destroy important habitat qualities including large, hollow trees and vegetation characteristics. High intensity fires are typically uncontrolled burns.

Cyclones Destruction of suitable hollows. Natural events are unable to be avoided. However, as cyclones act cumulatively with other listed threats, the management of fire can reduce the cumulative impact of cyclones on hollow development when they occur.

Land Clearing

Mining activities are likely to cause a net loss in the availability of woodland habitat containing hollow-bearing trees.

Land within the Offset area will not be cleared. Further, the Offset area will be managed to improve the ecological condition of the Regional Ecosystem through appropriate land management actions (control of weeds and pest species).

Competition Competition for nesting hollows. There is no known competition for nesting hollows within the Offset area as the species is not present.



4 Management Plan 4.1 Description of Clearing

No more than 198.1 ha of vegetation that is important to Palm Cockatoo within mine Area A will be

cleared within the mining period for this area (Table 4). A significant proportion of land surrounding

mine Area A, within the ML will be retained as undisturbed native vegetation. The schedule for

clearing commencement and completion will vary between operational years. However, mining and

clearing will only commence in the dry season (April to December).

Oresome will return the UBx ML to a native ecological community that is progressing towards a state

resembling vegetation that occurred onsite prior to mining. Dry season mining will provide an

opportunity for progressive rehabilitation of mining panels to occur during each wet season.

Regional Ecosystems (REs) are vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated

with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil (Sattler and Williams 1999). Two REs that

will be cleared as part of UBx operations have been verified within mine Area A (Table 4). Both REs are

listed as Least Concern under the VM Act.

Table 4: REs to be Cleared at UBx

4.2 Future Habitat for Palm Cockatoo

The Palm Cockatoo is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ under the EPBC Act and is yet to have a formal Recovery Plan

prepared. The approved Conservation Advice for Palm Cockatoo provides guidance on priority actions to

mitigate key threats and these have been outlined in this document (Section 3.3).

It is important to understand the relevance of fire and the abundance and richness of food tree species

in determining Palm Cockatoo habitat quality within the Offset. Based on site studies completed in

2015, 2016 and historical records, the UBx site does not support breeding of Palm Cockatoo (Epic

Environmental 2015 and 2016). Largely, this is due to the lack of principal habitat features, namely;

rainforest and large, hollow trees. However, with specific activities such as fire management, the

woodland habitat at UBx may develop hollow characteristics that are closer to known breeding sites,

despite the lack of rainforest. Murphy et al. (2003) found that active nest trees utilised for breeding by

Clearing (ha)

Verified Regional Ecosystem (RE)

Description Listing Mine Area A

RE 3.2.10 Eucalyptus tetrodonta and Corymbia clarksoniana +/- E. brassiana or Erythrophleum chlorostachys woodland on stabilised dunes

Of concern 184

RE 3.3.22 Corymbia clarksoniana or C. novoguinensis woodland on alluvial plains Least concern

1.15

Note: Some historically cleared areas occur onsite that are not RE mapped, and therefore do not form part of the RE clearing calculations above. The 198.1 ha stated above, includes clearing associated with access road development, and mine

infrastructure. Total: 185.4



Palm Cockatoo were commonly found in E. tetrodonta – a species that dominates the UBx site –

adjacent rainforest. However, because of the frequent (annual) burning of the landscape at UBx, hollow

trees are not prevalent because they are either destroyed during fires or do not have time to develop

sufficient hollow depth before being destroyed in fire events (Woinarski et al. 2004). Native Australian

trees do not usually develop hollows suitable for use by vertebrates until they are very old (over 30

years) (Adkins 2013). Further, data from DEHP suggests that hollows suitable for Palm Cockatoo

breeding include limbs that are upward facing and greater than 18.5 cm in diameter. Field assessment of

hollows greater than 20 cm at UBx was undertaken, revealing that many are not suitable as nest sites

due to limited depth.

In the targeted surveys completed for UBx, a Palm Cockatoo food source; Parinari nonda was found to

be common in both woodland and open forest, with large numbers of the species in fruit. Palm

Cockatoo is also known to feed on Canarium australianum, Planchonia careya, Melaleuca sp., Pandanus

sp., E. tetrodonta and Grevillea glauca (Higgins 1999; Rowland 2013), all of which occur in the Offset.

Previous studies have shown that Palm Cockatoo is recorded in woodland, open forest and closed

habitats and is often in the ecotone between open savannah woodland and rainforest (Rowland 2013).

In rainforest they are usually found only on edges (Wood 1988) and in woodland they are usually within

1 km of rainforest (Higgins 1999). We note that rainforest is not present at UBx.

The 2015 and 2016 field surveys concluded that Parinari nonda was common in the eastern side of the

vine thicket outside of mine Area A, and within the Offset. Many of the Parinari nonda were in fruit but

avian feeding signs were found below only one tree which was within 50 m of vine thicket to the east of

Roberts Creek in mine Area A. Further, Melaleuca and Pandanus species were common in the open

savannah contained in the northern and western portions of the Offset.

It is anticipated that the management of fire (that is the reduction in occurrence and intensity) within

the Offset area will increase site habitat qualities by potentially reducing the destruction of potential

hollows, and protecting the abundance and diversity of key food tree species.

4.3 Overview of Offset Area

Table 5 summarises details of the Offset area within ML100044.

Table 5: Details of Offset Area within ML100044

ML100044 Details

Ownership: Oresome Bauxite Pty Ltd 50% and Ozore Resources Pty Ltd 50%

Real property description (lot on Plan/s): Lot 213, SP241407 (Aurukun Shire Council) and Lot 10, SP266623 (Napranum Aboriginal Shire).

Tenure Primary Local Government Area: Aurukun Shire Council and Napranum Aboriginal Shire.

Planning Scheme/Zone No planning schemes or Regional Plans apply to the area

Landzone/Geology The Project is located in the Carpentaria Basin, a Mesozoic intracratonic basin comprised of marine and fluvial siliciclastic sediments and sedimentary rocks.

Soils The soils in the Offset area were formed by quaternary deposits comprising of Holocene quartzose sand.



ML100044 Details

Pre-clear regional ecosystem (RE) (for which Offset is required)

RE 3.2.10 (E. tetrodonta) dominates the northern half of Mine Area A. Small section of RE 3.3.22 (Corymbia clarksoniana or C. novoguinensis woodland) exists within mine Area A.

Offset area RE Five (5) REs present, ranging from open E. tetrodonta woodland to vine thicket.

Existing Vegetation Entire UBx area is comprised of remnant, no concern at present, vegetation under Queensland’s Regulated Vegetation Management Map.

Estimated Age of vegetation Based on average height of canopy layers and the diversity of habitat types, the approximate age of vegetation within the Offset area is > 50 years (pers. comm. A. Daniel 2016).

Offset monitoring Sites Eight (8) monitoring sites within the Offset area, represent the main vegetation communities supporting known food trees and roosting opportunities and appropriate distribution of monitoring sites in the Offset area (Figure 2).

Mining Area A Offset Area 306 ha

4.4 Offset Values

Table 6 justifies the values used in the DoEE Offsets Assessment Guide calculator.

Table 6: Offset calculator input values

Offset calculator Step Value Justification

Offset site

Time horizon 20 years The maximum of 20 years for the Offset site.

Time until ecological benefit 8 years Time to achieve future quality.

Offset area 306 ha Area of suitable Palm Cockatoo habitat outside of ML.

Start quality (Scale 0-10) 3 The current quality of the proposed Offset (Table 7).

Future quality/Risk of loss (%) Without Offset

2/5% Likely future quality of the proposed Offset site in two different futures.

Future quality /Risk of loss (%) with Offset

4/1% Level of risk when the area of habitat is used in an Offset.

Confidence in Result (RoL)

95% 95% confidence in future protection of the Offset site.

Confidence in Result (Condition)

85% 85% confidence based on habitat surveys of the site and proven management measures.

Percentage Direct Offset

100.19% Automatic Calculator Output.

Six REs exist within the Offset, with RE 3.2.10 (E. tetrodonta open forest/woodland) dominating the area

and followed by large areas of savannah supporting Melaleuca and Pandanus species (Figure 1).

Regional Ecosystems describe broad habitat types within the Offset, with their value to Palm Cockatoo

provided in Table 7. The E. tetrodonta woodland community is remnant, relatively homogenous for

fauna and the most abundant vegetation type across Cape York and the broader gulf. Outside of mine

Area A, a mosaic of mangrove, vine thicket, saltmarsh, grassland and paperbark swamps are

represented (RE 3.2.2a – deciduous vine thicket). There is a lack of rainforest (RE 3.5.4 - Semi deciduous

notophyll vine forest) across mine Area A. Throughout the Offset, monitoring sites have been

established based on the site being representative of relevant Palm Cockatoo habitat features. As part

of the adaptive implementation of this OMP, Oresome will identify benchmark sites in consultation with

the Queensland Government. The baseline condition of Offset monitoring sites is summarised in Section

4.4.1.



A full floristic analysis of the site was undertaken in 2015 (MetServe 2015). The vegetation mapped and

onsite represents remnant vegetation that has never been cleared. The site has a low abundance of

weeds, and intensive grazing activity has not been conducted in the area. This 2015 study was used as a

basis for determining the selection of six of the eight sites used as monitoring sites.

Offset monitoring sites help monitor risk and are therefore appropriate for the purposes of tracking

overall habitat quality, management performance and attainment of future condition (completion

criteria). On-ground vegetation mapping surveys were used to establish monitoring sites, that in future

will serve as reference sites to compare Offset progress. These sites were chosen as they contain

relevant habitat features for Palm Cockatoo. Notes on disturbance including the presence of weed

species, pest animals and fire history were included as part of the baseline assessment, and will

continue to be used as part of the Offset monitoring program. Offset reference sites were chosen based

on a site’s representation of value to Palm Cockatoo, as described in Table 7. The survey procedure used

to determine the condition of reference sites is outlined in Section 9.2.

4.4.1 Baseline Assessment of Offset Monitoring Sites

The baseline assessment of Offset monitoring sites focused on areas containing relevant habitat

features for the Palm Cockatoo. Published literature suggests that there is a maximum distance that

Palm Cockatoo’s will fly from roosting and feeding sites to shelter areas, aiding the assessment of

habitat suitability. Nests are in large hollow trees, primarily large eucalypts in woodland, with an

average distance of 320 m, and up to 1.04 km, to rainforest (Murphy et al. 2003). Other hollow trees

may be claimed by pairs as display sites (Wood 1988; Murphy et al. 2003). Furthermore, Notophyll vine

forest (RE 3.5.4) typically has a canopy height of 18-25 m (DEHP 2016b). It is possible that this habitat

type may provide Palm Cockatoo with refuge from the heat of mid-day, for ‘loafing’ as per Forshaw and

Muller (1978). We note that Notophyll vine forest (RE 3.5.4) is absent from the UBx site. However, lower

and dryer, vine thicket (RE 3.2.2a) located throughout the Offset may also provide shelter for Palm

Cockatoo.

Table 7 outlines the key findings from the primary site assessment undertaken by Epic Environmental in

July 2016. The projected future improvement column details the metrics that will be used to measure

the future habitat quality of the Offset. Offset reference sites will continue to be monitored and

managed until Offset future condition completion criteria are attained, having regard for identified

benchmark sites.



Table 7: Reference Site Baseline Condition

Offset Site (OS), RE and total RE area in the Offset Primary Assessment Findings RE Management Outcomes for Palm Cockatoo

RE 3.3.60/3.1.1/3.1.3 - Chrysopogon elongatus dominated grassland on swampy flats adjacent to vine thicket and Rhizophora stylosa and/or Bruguiera spp. closed forest (total area 54.7 ha)

OS1: Presence of several food tree species, including Pandanus sp. Roosting and foraging habitat. Important to protect as natural fire break for fire management.

▪ 5 food tree species, 20 individuals. ▪ No hollows. ▪ 10% weed cover.

▪ Increased abundance and diversity of food tree species. ▪ Reduced incidence of high intensity fires. ▪ Maintained or decreased abundance of weeds

RE 3.2.2a - Semi-deciduous vine thicket on sand dunes (total area 33.3ha)

OS3: Vine thicket has potential to provide surrogate habitat for rainforest as possible resting and shade opportunities for species at UBx. Parinari nonda, an important tree species, is also common within this RE. Area is in good ecological condition (low abundance of weeds, area burnt on edge otherwise no disturbance).


▪ Increased abundance and diversity of food tree species. ▪ Reduced incidence of high intensity fires ▪ Maintained or decreased abundance of weeds ▪ Disturbance from pest species is reduced.

RE 3.3.14a - Melaleuca leucadendra forest fringing an ephemeral lagoon (total area 18 ha)

OS4: Potential roosting and foraging habitat with connectivity between habitats. Melaleuca is a known roost tree. Area is in good ecological condition (low abundance of weeds, some evidence of disturbance by pigs).


▪ Increased abundance and diversity of food tree species. ▪ Reduced incidence of high intensity fires ▪ Disturbance from pest species is reduced. ▪ Maintained or decreased abundance of weeds

RE 3.2.10c - Eucalyptus tetrodonta and Corymbia novoguinensis dominated open forest on sandy soil (total area 200 ha)

OS2: Potential nesting habitat. High diversity and abundance of food tree species.

▪ 10 food tree species, 42 individuals. ▪ No hollows. ▪ 10% weed cover. ▪ Evidence of burning in previous year.

▪ Increased abundance and diversity of food tree species. ▪ Increased number of large hollows and/or hollow trees. ▪ Reduced incidence of high intensity fires. ▪ Maintained or decreased abundance of weeds


▪ 5 food tree species, 42 individuals. ▪ 1 large hollow (> 20 cm, not occupied). ▪ 10% weed cover.


▪ 4 food tree species, 32 individuals. ▪ 1 small hollow (< 20 cm, not occupied). ▪ 10% weed cover.



Offset Site (OS), RE and total RE area in the Offset Primary Assessment Findings RE Management Outcomes for Palm Cockatoo

OS7: Potential nesting habitat. High diversity and abundance of food tree species. To be determined during 2018 survey and

reported in the 2018 annual compliance report.


Site Coordinates (Figure 2)

Site Number Longitude Latitude

OS1 141.826100 -12.692851

OS2 141.827101 -12.694125

OS3 141.820713 -12.704589

OS4 141.832978 -12.691829

OS5 141.833012 -12.694065

OS6 141.831104 -12.698122

OS7 141.8094 -12.727523

OS8 141.799691 -12.743002



4.5 Future Condition and Completion Criteria

The habitat quality score for an area of habitat is a measure of how well a particular site supports a

threatened species and contributes to its ongoing viability. Within the DoEE Offset Assessment Guide:

Offset Calculator tool, there are three components that contribute to the calculation of habitat quality:

▪ Site condition;

▪ Site context; and

▪ Species stocking rates.

The quality score that is input into the impact calculator should be the quality at the time of assessment,

this was assessed and subsequently approved by DoEE as 3 out of 10 (3/10) for Palm Cockatoo (Table 9).

Future quality without Offset is the estimate of the habitat quality at a future time based on a business

as usual scenario – that is, considering current management practices, use of the site and historic trends

for the quality of habitat on the site. Future quality with Offset should be the estimated habitat quality

at the same future time incorporating the proposed Offset activities. The future quality with the Offset

is projected to be 4/10. Start values and condition uplift have been justified in Table 9.

The Offset activities outlined in Section 5 of this OMP aim to increase habitat quality through the

management of fire to enhance the ecological function of the Offset for use by Palm Cockatoo. This

specifically relates to maintaining and improving the presence of known food tree species, and

protecting areas for the species to potentially use as resting and foraging sites.

Completion criteria for the Offset area so as to achieve a classification of 4/10 are set out in Table 15,

and address:

▪ Retention of trees with large hollows and/or hollow trees;

▪ Recruitment of food tree species;

▪ Food tree species richness and abundance; and

▪ Weed cover.

The germination of food tree seeds retained in the soil seedbank is a key objective of management

within the Offset area. Improvement will be achieved through a reduction of destructive fires that

currently result in a loss of each season’s germinated seeds. Management success will be measured as

retention of seedlings through to maturity. This assumes a natural level of mortality and will be

compared against the baseline condition.

The key objective of this OMP is therefore to enhance habitat values to support/encourage foraging by

Palm Cockatoo. If during the period of the approval Palm Cockatoo are detected foraging in multiple



patches of the Offset area, over two consecutive years, the completion criteria, monitoring and

management commitments actions set out in this OMP will be reviewed.



Table 8: Site Characteristics (defined DoEE Offsets Assessment Guide: Offset Calculator) and applied scores in the approved calculator

Site characteristic for habitat condition Condition class Offset calculation values

Max Value

Start Value

Future Value

Explanation

Site Condition

Structure and condition of the vegetation on

site. 1 1 2

Management activities in the Offset will be used to maintain and protect current condition of the site. The management of fire will reduce the destruction of vegetation and facilitate the recruitment of key food tree species. The structure and diversity of relevant food tree species (including Parinari nonda, Canarium australianum, Pandanus sp., Planchonia careya, E. tetrodonta and Grevillea glauca) will increase. This in turn will protect and enhance relevant habitat features to the Palm Cockatoo in the Offset area. The management of fire will reduce the destruction of vegetation that could offer roosting habitat in Eucalypt and Melaleuca woodland.

Diversity of the relevant habitat species

present (including both endemic and non-

endemic).

1 1 1

Relevant habitat features are on site. 2 0 1

Site Context

Connectivity with other suitable/known

habitat or remnants. 1 0 0

No management activities part of the OMP are associated with this site characteristic. Progressive rehabilitation of the mine footprint to a vegetation community resembling what was present before mining is an objective of the UBx Rehabilitation Plan.

Importance of the site in relation to the

overall species population. 1 0 0

Threats occurring on or near the site. 1 0 0

Species Stocking Rate

Presence of the species on the site. 1 0 0 As the species is not known to utilise the site,

the unplanned presence of species on site

and the calculation of the species density in

the Offset area will improve this score.

It is extremely difficult to predict the future

use of the Offset by Palm Cockatoo.

Discerning the magnitude of change in the

ecological condition of the Offset with the

use of management actions, and the future

use of the Offset by the species is an

unrealistic assessment criterion. However,

the unplanned use of the Offset by the

species will be monitored until site condition

completion criteria have been met. The

abundance of the species within the Offset is

important data to collect that may inform

future research on the species.

Density of the species known to utilise the

site. 1 0 0

Role of the population in regards to the

overall species population. 1 0 0

Total Offset condition value 10 2 4



Table 9: Habitat Quality Metrics

Site Characteristics (defined DoEE Offsets Assessment Guide: Offset Calculator) and applied scores in the approved calculator.

Start Value (3/10)

Management Activity

Future Offset Value (4/10)

Site Condition

▪ What is the structure and condition

of the vegetation on site? (1/2)

▪ What is the diversity of the relevant

habitat species present (including

both endemic and non-endemic and

non-endemic) (1/1)

▪ What relevant habitat features are on

site? (1/1)

Total score: 3/4

Based on ecological survey of the site and comparison

against sites where Palm Cockatoo is known to occur, it

was determined that the site represents quality below an

average score. This was determined considering

vegetation communities present, vegetation condition

and structure, diversity of habitat present and number of

relevant habitat features. Palm Cockatoo is known to

inhabit woodland adjacent rainforest. Rainforest is

absent from the UBx site. Whilst the condition of

vegetation was generally good, annual fire events have

significantly modified the structure and diversity of

habitat features available. This has resulted in very few

to no hollow trees suitable for nesting of Palm Cockatoo,

and the regular disturbance of important food tree

species. Investigation of tree hollows indicated that

whilst hollows were present, there was no evidence of

current or historical use by Palm Cockatoo. This is

consistent with the scientific literature (Murphy et al.

2003). The general availability of principal food tree

species was not limited across the site but may have

been impacted in the past from frequent fire.

Management of fire. Monitoring of reference sites.

Completion criteria:

▪ What is the structure and condition of the

vegetation on site? (2/2 – improved).

▪ Diversity of the relevant habitat species present

(1/1 - maintained).

▪ Relevant habitat features are on site (1/2 –

maintained).

Projected total score: 4/4

Site Context

▪ What is the connectivity with other

suitable/known habitat or remnants?

(0/1)

▪ What is the important for the site in

relation to the overall species

populations? (0/1)

A spatial assessment was undertaken to estimate the

extent of similar vegetation communities beyond the

proposed UBx footprint. It was calculated that

approximately 200,000 ha of open forest and woodland

communities dominated by E. tetrodonta occur within a

50 km radius of the Project. For comparative purposes,

the area of REs within the UBx mine areas (namely REs

3.5.2 and 3.2.10) is equivalent to less than 0.4 percent of

No management activities part of the OMP are associated with this site characteristic. Progressive rehabilitation of the mine footprint to a vegetation

This site characteristic is expected to remain unchanged.

▪ What is the connectivity with other suitable/known

habitat or remnants? (0/1)

▪ What is the important for the site in relation to the

overall species populations? (0/1)

▪ What threats occur on or near the site? (0/1)



Site Characteristics (defined DoEE Offsets Assessment Guide: Offset Calculator) and applied scores in the approved calculator.

Start Value (3/10)

Management Activity

Future Offset Value (4/10)

▪ What threats occur on or near the

site? (0/1)

Total score: 0/3

similar habitat available within a 50 km radius. The

relevant connectivity of these habitats is not limiting for

the species. The distribution of species records supports

this statement regarding locations in the vicinity of

Weipa.

community resembling what was present before mining is an objective of the UBx Rehabilitation Plan.


Species Stocking Rate

▪ What is the presence of the species

on the site? (0/1)

▪ What is the density of the species

known to utilise the site? (0/1)

▪ What is the role of the population in

regards to the overall species

population? (0/1)

Total score: 0/3

The species is not known to utilise the site for breeding

or feeding purposes. However, it is accepted that with

ongoing management, there is a potential for future use

by the species.

Management of fire. Monitoring of reference sites.

Completion criteria:

▪ What is the presence of the species on the site?

(0/1 – presence or absence of species on site)

▪ What is the density of the species known to utilise

the site? (0/1 – calculation of species density)

▪ What is the role of the population in regards to the

overall species population? (0/1)


Total score for habitat quality: 3/10 Total score for future habitat quality with Offset: 4/10



4.6 Detailed Offset Area Mapping

A detailed Offset area map identifying Offset area boundary, vegetation types (REs) and monitoring

points is included in Figure 1 and Figure 2.



5 Management Objectives

A primary threat to Palm Cockatoo habitat is intensive fire regimes, and therefore the objective of

management is to enhance habitat condition (through the presence, diversity and quality of food tree

species and potential roost sites) and mitigate the impact of fire through active management of the

Offset area.

The overarching management intent for the Offset area is to improve the site characteristics for Palm

Cockatoo foraging habitat. The management objective for the Offset is to increase the diversity and

abundance of food tree species within the Offset, principally by reducing the intensity and frequency of

fire within the Offset for the life of the Offset.

The OMP will apply for the life of the Project. Monitoring and adaptive plan implementation will

continue until future condition requirements listed in Table 9 are achieved. It is recognised that

attainment timeframes are subject to natural conditions and unexpected events, and the risks identified

in Section 7.



6 Management Actions

The proposed Offset will contribute to the future viability of Palm Cockatoo habitat impacted by the

proposed action at UBx, and deliver an overall conservation outcome that improves or maintains the

viability of Palm Cockatoo as compared to what is likely to have occurred if neither the action nor the

Offset had taken place. The following management actions will be implemented within the offset area.

6.1 Ecological Burning

Ecological burning to achieve biodiversity conservation outcomes is a recognised tool to improve habitat

structure and prevent the loss of hollow trees (Good 1981; Murphy et al. 2003; Adkins 2013). Fuel

reduction burns are fires of low intensity used to reduce the risk of high intensity and destructive fires,

and in this instance to reduce the likelihood of fire destroying nesting hollows. This technique will be

used to aid the conditions that result in the development of hollow trees (such as termite populations)

at UBx to facilitate the eventual formation of hollows, similar to known breeding habitat for Palm

Cockatoo. Further, with reduced fire frequency and intensity, the hollows that form after annual

cyclones are more likely to remain viable in the system.

There are numerous factors influencing the creation of suitable hollows, including the presence of

termites, competition from other species and stochastic events such as cyclones and storms. It is

anticipated that reducing the frequency and intensity of fire in the offset area will improve the

abundance and diversity of food tree species, and development of hollows.

Ecological burning will occur as part of a managed fire regime, in consultation with Traditional Owners,

RTA Weipa and Rio Tinto’s Amrun Project which adjoins the UBx. Fire will be introduced with caution, as

the fuel loads present (grass and shrubs) may be large, and high scorch heights may kill the trees

present. Low-intensity, ‘cool’ fires, lit in April-May will be used to reduce fuel loads without killing trees.

6.2 Fuel Hazard Management

Fire will be excluded from the Offset (except for low intensity ecological burns) by maintaining

firebreaks along the boundary of the Offset and monitoring and managing fuel loads. Trees with the

potential to form breeding hollows will be protected from fire by actively removing leaf litter from the

base of these trees and will be prioritised for localised, fuel reducing, low intensity ecological burns.

6.3 Pest and Weed Control

Pest and weed control will be implemented as a management activity where the presence of weeds and

pest species may prejudice attainment of the 4/10 condition score. The management of feral pigs may



be required to minimise soil disturbance and assist the recruitment of key food tree species. Weeds will

be managed in terms of fuel load for fire management and to the recruitment of food tree species.

6.4 Adaptive Implementation and Addressing Uncertainty

As part of the OMP, Oresome will adaptively implementing this plan to address learnings from

implementing the plan, to mitigate uncertainty associated with plan implementation, and where

implementing the plan is not delivering improvements to site habitat condition. The adaptive

management cycle is based on core adaptive management principles, outlined in the diagram below.

Adaptively implementing the plan is critical to achieving the plan’s objectives, for example where

adjustment actions and arrangements to enhance effectiveness can be made to deliver improvements

to site habitat condition. To maintain an adaptive approach, Oresome will:

▪ Collect and incorporate new data / information as a result of implementing the plan, with new

findings from data collected or from new information derived from external sources;

▪ Effectively schedule monitoring of the Offset on an annual basis to make informed decisions on

risk management, auditing and reporting activities. A schedule has been provided in Section 9;

▪ Commit to periodically reviewing risks, including those in response to the changing risk level,

new information, changing circumstances or the results from implementing corrective actions;

▪ On an annual basis, undertake a review of the effectiveness of management measures with

significant levels of uncertainty and relatively long implementation timeframes, upon which the

plan is highly dependent;

▪ Indicate that the consequences of significant environmental incidents are addressed, as per

Section 7; and

▪ Review the plan as soon as possible when there are indications of OMP failure/s.



Figure 3: The Adaptive Management Cycle

6.5 Suitably Qualified Persons

All management actions will be carried out by a suitably qualified person, with the necessary training

and induction to access the Project site. A suitably qualified person will have a relevant degree and

sufficient experience that certifies them to undertake field based activities. For Offset monitoring, this

includes qualified ecologists and botanists with relevant experience to carry out site assessments.

Fire management will occur in consultation with Traditional Owners, RTA Weipa, and Rio Tinto’s

neigbouring Amrun Project that adjoins the Project which will also be subject to a managed fire regime.

The person undertaking fire management will have experience in rural fire management, and the

necessary permit/s to undertake informed fire management.

In respect to fire management, the Queensland Herbarium (2016) Regional Ecosystem Fire Guidelines

(the Guidelines) will provide guidance on ecological burns to enhance biodiversity. The Guidelines are

based on quantitative and qualitative information from published literature and expert observation and

opinion. The Guidelines are to be considered in conjunction with any other deliberations and decisions

undertaken when planning low intensity controlled burns.



Table 10: Management Actions and Implementation Schedule for Offset Area

Management Objective Management

Outcome Management Measure/s Location Timing

Performance monitoring

Responsibility

To improve Offset condition by increasing the diversity and abundance of food tree species within the Offset.

Reduction in fuel load across Offset.

Ecological burning. Throughout the Offset area.

April-May of each year. Any occurrence of fire in the Offset area will be recorded. Regular inspections of Offset.

Site Senior Executive (SSE)

Increased number of large hollows and/or hollow trees.

Establish fire control lines / breaks on the northern and eastern boundaries of the Offset.

Along the boundary of the Offset area and existing internal tracks.

Regular maintenance undertaken at an interval of at least every two years or following flood events.

Regular inspections during the mining operation.

SSE

Repair fire control management lines, re-establish fire breaks and control lines, widen fire control lines.

Along the boundary of the Offset area and existing internal tracks.

During the same dry season as the need for the repair is reported.

Regular inspections of control lines during the mining operation.

SSE

Increased number and diversity of food tree species.

Ecological burning to promote food tree species seedling recruitment.

Throughout the Offset area.

April-May of each year.

Annual assessment of reference sites.

SSE



7 Risks to Achieving Management Objectives

Any land management program must consider the impacts of unplanned/stochastic events. This section

of the OMP has reviewed the impact of these events and impacts via a risk based approach which

assesses the potential consequences and mitigation measures in terms of the consequence category -

environment.

The key risks associated with biodiversity and land management have been assessed using the likelihood

ratings, maximum reasonable consequence ratings, risk matrix and classifications listed in Table 11 and

Table 12.

Table 11: Likelihood Rating

Consequence

Like

liho

od

Minor Moderate High Major Critical

Highly Likely Medium High High Severe Severe

Likely Low Medium High High Severe

Possible Low Medium Medium High Severe

Unlikely Low Low Medium High High

Rare Low Low Low Medium High

Table 12: Maximum Reasonable Consequence Rating

Qualitative measure of likelihood (how likely is it that this event/circumstances will occur after management actions have been put in place/are being implemented)

Highly likely Is expected to occur in most circumstances

Likely Will probably occur during the life of the project

Possible Might occur during the life of the project

Unlikely Could occur but considered unlikely or doubtful

Rare May occur in exceptional circumstances

Qualitative measure of consequences (what will be the consequence/result if the issue does occur)

Minor Minor risk of failure to achieve the plan’s objectives. Results in short term delays to achieving plan objectives, implementing low cost, well characterised corrective actions.

Moderate Moderate risk of failure to achieve the plan’s objectives. Results in short term delays to achieving plan objectives, implementing well characterised, high cost/effort corrective actions.

High High risk of failure to achieve the plan’s objectives. Results in medium-long term delays to achieving plan objectives, implementing uncertain, high cost/effort corrective actions.

Major The plan’s objectives are unlikely to be achieved, with significant legislative, technical, ecological and/or administrative barriers to attainment that have no evidenced mitigation strategies.

Critical The plan’s objectives are unable to be achieved, with no evidenced mitigation strategies.

Table 13 outlines the key identified risks and feasible correction actions for these risks associated with

failure of the Offset to achieve completion criteria related to habitat quality. The ratings assume that the

risks are untreated i.e. have not been addressed by specific risk mitigation measures other than routine

design and operational practice. The residual risk resulting from each risk event or circumstance is

explained through the following:



1. Impacts of flood events. The residual risk to planned objectives from flood events has been

considered as flooding is a stochastic event, possibly as a result of monsoon or cyclonic conditions, that

may differ in intensity and frequency across the Offset. Residual risk has been conservatively assessed

based on the difficultly to accurately predict impacts from flooding.

2. Impacts of fires. The residual risk to planned objectives from fire events has been considered as fire

can be unpredictable and difficult to manage. Further, fires may differ in intensity and frequency across

the Offset. Fire management activities will be implemented in the Offset to reduce the risk of high

intensity fire, however residual risk remains as fires may not always respond to management activities.

3. Impacts of weeds and pest species. The residual risk to planned objectives from weeds and pest

species has been considered as impacts may occur rapidly once infestation occurs, having a detrimental

impact on Offset condition. Weeds will be monitored closely to ensure they are not encroaching on the

Offset or creating additional fuel load for potential fire events.



Table 13: Key Risks Associated with Offset Area

Management objective:

Event or circumstance Relevant management measures

Residual risk

Trigger detection and monitoring activity/ies

Feasible/effective corrective actions

L C RL

To meet the EPBC Offset Policy requirements by attaining completion criteria (condition quality, timeframe) for Palm Cockatoo habitat in Area A Offset area.

1. One or more flood events, prejudicing fire control management lines.

Design fire control lines etc to minimise the impact of flood events (see Section 6.3).

L M Low Record occurrence and severity of flood events. Post flood monitoring (see Section 9.2.1).

Repair fire control management lines, re-establish fire breaks and control lines.

2. One or more fires exceeding the prescribed burn regime.

Undertake fuel load reduction burns (see Section 6.2).

Establish and maintain firebreaks and potential containment lines in and/or adjacent to the Offset area (see Section 6.3).

L M High Record occurrence and severity of fire events. Post burn monitoring (see Section 9.2.1).

Implement more intensive fuel hazard management across the Offset area.

Increase the size of firebreaks and containment lines outside of the Offset area.

3. Inadequate weed and pest animal control leading to widespread failure of food tree species recruitment.

Weed control undertaken in accordance with requirements under the Biosecurity Act 2014.

Weed control undertaken by suitably qualified person.

P M L Record occurrence and severity of weed and pest species. Weed and pest species management.

Control any new infestations of non-native weeds including Declared Pest Plants under the Biosecurity Act 2014 to ensure that the non-native weeds do not cover more than 10% of the Offset Area.



8 Restrictions Imposed on the Offset Area

Table 14 details the restrictions imposed on the Offset area.

Table 14: Declared Offset Area Restrictions

Restrictions Detail

Vegetation Clearing Vegetation clearing is restricted to:

▪ Mine Area A;

▪ the removal of weeds or vegetation necessary to control declared pests;

▪ Establishing and maintaining fencing around the boundary of the declared area; and

▪ Establishing and maintaining fire breaks.

Fauna ▪ Activities in the Offset area will not damage, destroy, mark, move, dig up or otherwise

interfere with active nests, burrows, roots, or other structures used by native animals.

Fire ▪ Fire is to be, excluded from the Offset area by:

a) Maintaining firebreaks relative to the Offset area; b) Co-locating firebreaks with existing roads and fence lines; and c) Only using fire as a tool for fuel reduction in the Offset area.

Waterways ▪ The bed and banks of waterways are not to be modified during the management period.

Grazing ▪ Domestic livestock will be excluded from the Offset area.

Pest Animal ▪ Minimise the introduction of pest animals within the Offset Area in accordance with the

Biosecurity Act 2014.

Weeds Note: existing levels of weed infestation are low. Any weed control required will be undertaken as early as practicable within the natural regeneration process throughout the Offset and then periodically as the presence of weed infestations are reported and verified.

▪ Keep the introduction, establishment and spread of non-native weeds including

Declared Pest Plants listed under the Biosecurity Act 2014 to no more than 10% weed

cover over the Offset Area.

▪ Control any existing infestations of non-native weeds including Declared Pest Plants

under the Biosecurity Act 2014 to ensure that the non-native weeds do not cover more

than 10% of the Offset Area.

▪ The use of broadscale herbicide will not be used due to the potential impact on fauna

species and non-select flora. This impact would lead to a negative impact on the Palm

Cockatoo population via the loss of potential feeding trees.

▪ Spot spraying of patches of high priority weed species is acceptable. Potential weeds of

concern include Leucaena Leucaena leucocephala and Gamba Grass Andropogon

gayanus.

▪ Any weed control required will be undertaken as early as practicable throughout the

Offset Area and then periodically to treat the weeds at the optimum time in their life

cycles to control and minimise the spread of the existing weed species.

▪ Minimise the spread of any non-native pasture species within the Offset area.



9 Monitoring and Reporting

Suitable offsets must have transparent governance arrangements including being able to be readily

measured, monitored, audited and enforced. The BioCondition Framework that will be used to monitor

post-mine rehabilitation progress, has been modified and used as a basis for assessing attributes

relevant to offset condition at the eight nominated reference sites (Figure 2). BioCondition is a

Queensland Herbarium endorsed vegetation assessment framework that measures vegetation

characteristics along a transect. The use of an amended BioCondition assessment at monitoring sites is

appropriate for the purpose of tracking overall offset condition for the attainment of future condition

completion criteria for Palm Cockatoo habitat.

The offset monitoring site assessment method is a site-based, quantitative, and therefore, repeatable

assessment. It makes assessments between years comparable, allowing the offset to be monitored and

records created. It is a robust and effective tool to measure overall ecological condition, which

contributes to attaining habitat condition values for Palm Cockatoo.

The offset monitoring will be undertaken annually by a suitably qualified ecologist or botanist.

Reference sites are representative of areas where offset management actions are being implemented,

and capable of detecting beneficial changes resulting from management activities. Reference sites may

change in the future as part of the adaptive implementation process at UBx, to reflect varying habitat

features within the offset. These changes will be justified and discussed in annual compliance reporting.

The monitoring program is designed to support operational decision-making, in particular to:

▪ Inform and report ‘early-control’, i.e. to demonstrate that management actions are effective in

achieving interim performance targets, and therefore in time completion criteria; and

▪ Support an ‘early warning’ function, i.e. to inform timely decisions on corrective actions to

ensure performance and completion criteria are achieved / maintained.

Data for each of the attributes monitored will be collected at reference sites and reported / presented in

a sequential manner (including previous data collected) to quantify habitat condition improvement from

the baseline condition collected in 2015 (or 2018 for sites 7 and 8). This will record any change in

attributes measured, thus enabling a comparison to previous years’ data and progress towards

attainment of the completion criteria for the Offset site condition and EPBC Offset Assessment Guide

Calculator inputs.



9.1 Purpose of Monitoring Program

The objective of the monitoring program is to evaluate the progress of Offset management activities

and inform successful and timely interventions. Monitoring of the Offset area will be undertaken

annually. As a minimum, monitoring will:

▪ Identify trends and areas for improvement through early control and early warning functions;

▪ Assess effectiveness of environmental controls implemented;

▪ Where necessary, identify modifications required for the monitoring program, practices or areas

requiring research;

▪ Compare flora species present against baseline conditions;

▪ Assess vegetation health;

▪ Assess vegetation structure (upper, mid and lower storey);

▪ Determine attainment of future habitat condition completion criteria;

▪ Assess Palm Cockatoo presence/abundance; and

▪ Assess native fauna species diversity and the effectiveness of habitat creation for target fauna

species.

In addition to ecological characteristics, the incidence and extent of fire and pest animals in the Offset

will be recorded in accordance with the Environmental Management Plan for ML100044.

9.2 Monitoring Methods

UBx is required to implement an annual rehabilitation inspection to evaluate the success of

rehabilitation works. This inspection activity will be extended to include the monitoring and assessment

of Offset area habitat for Palm Cockatoo.

The objective of field assessment for the Offset area at UBx is to provide a simple, robust and easy to

follow monitoring program that adjoins the Rehabilitation Monitoring Program at the site. Monitoring

using an amended BioCondition Assessment is a useful means to track attainment of Offset completion

criteria and to mitigate risks should they be realised.

Fixed transect (100 x 10 m) monitoring of assessable attributes will take place during each monitoring

year using the classes and scores derived from Table 15. Relevant habitat quality characteristics for Palm

Cockatoo, on which site based condition attributes will be assessed include:

▪ Number of large hollows/hollow bearing trees (number of hollows greater than 10 cm but less

than 20 cm and the number of hollows greater than 20 cm);

▪ Abundance and diversity of key food tree species; and

▪ Evidence of recent disturbance (termites, fire, cyclone or pest species).



Occurrence of Palm Cockatoo utilising the Offset (presence/absence of species during annual monitoring

event) will also be monitored to understand species stocking rate over time. Observations of hollow

trees (the known preferred nesting feature for the species) and suitably large tree hollows, will be made

across the Offset site when moving around the Site, and between reference sites. Suitably large tree

hollows will be examined by GoPro camera on an extendable pole, with images streamed to a mobile

phone. Suitable hollow-bearing trees will be identified by evidence of nesting activity, such as piles of

small, dead branches. The number and size of hollows within the Offset will be quantified by being

counted and GPS marked.

At all reference sites photo monitoring points will be established. Photos will be clearly marked with the

date, location, time of day, type of camera used and include images to the north, east, south, west and

the ground of the plot.

During the annual monitoring event, focus will remain on aspects of vegetation communities important

to the Palm Cockatoo. At Offset reference sites, this focus will be the diversity and presence of food tree

species, signs of disturbance and impacts from fire, and the number of large hollows and/or hollow

trees.

No statistical analyses will be employed as the data to be collected will be compared to baseline, and

previous years’ data on an annual basis. The capacity to detect improvement in parameters measured

due to management is strong as management activities are known to impact selected parameters. As

part of this OMP, there is a large capacity to demonstrate attainment of performance targets and

completion criteria through regular and robust reporting methods and adaptive implementation.

Quantitative completion criteria have been chosen to demonstrate attainment of performance targets.

9.2.1 Field Assessment for Offset Areas

To evaluate the Offset area, the assessment unit will consist of a 100 m X 10 m plot. Along a 100 m

transect, and 5 m either side of the transect, the following indicators (Table 15) will be recorded in the

template provided in Appendix A. Each attribute will be scored according to the descriptions below, with

the following weightings (assigned as percentage). Once all eight monitoring sites achieve the

completion score, and exceed or maintain 100% weighting for the life of the UBx mine, completion

criteria will have been met to satisfy 4/10 habitat quality for the Offset.

Table 15: Habitat Indicators for Reference Sites

Attribute Description and Score Baseline Score Completion Score Weighting (%)

Trees with large hollows and/or hollow trees.

No large trees present (0)

0 to 50% of baseline number of large trees (10)

Baseline number of tree with large hollows and/or hollow trees.

>baseline number of large trees (30)

30



Attribute Description and Score Baseline Score Completion Score Weighting (%)

>50% to 100% of baseline number of large trees (15)

> baseline number of large trees (30)

Recruitment of food tree species

<20% of dominant species present as regeneration (0)

>20% - 75% of dominant species present as regeneration (5)

>75% of dominant species present as regeneration (10)

There is a naturally occurring seedbank within the soil that germinates following each wet season. The majority of this germinated seedbank is lost during annual fires.

1. The number of seedlings is 30 individuals greater than the baseline number at each site (NB. There will be a natural decline in the number of seedlings progressing through to maturity.)

2. >75% of dominant species present as regeneration (10)

10

Food tree species diversity.

<25% of baseline number of species (0)

>25% to 90% of baseline number of species (20)

>90% of baseline number of species (40)

Baseline diversity of food tree species within each Offset site.

>90% of baseline number of species (40)

40

Weed cover >50% of vegetation cover are non-native plants (0)

>25-50% of vegetation cover are non-native plants (10)

>5-25% of vegetation cover are non-native plants (15)

<5% of vegetation cover are non-native plants (20)

>5-25% of vegetation cover are non-native plants.

<5% of vegetation cover are non-native plants (20).

20

Total: 100%

9.3 Data Handling Program

The annual monitoring program is designed to determine whether completion criteria have been met

and will be maintained over the life of the approval. This annual monitoring and assessment program

will inform planning for remedial actions where monitoring demonstrates that criteria are unlikely to be

met, or methods to achieve these outcomes are failing. Annual monitoring of reference sites will be

undertaken at the cessation of dry season mining, coinciding with rehabilitation site assessment. Within

three months of every 12 month anniversary of the commencement of the action, condition monitoring,

assessment and management reports will be submitted to the Minister and published on Oresome’s

website.



The OMP, and any revisions to the plan, will also be published on Oresome’s website for public access.

Documentary evidence providing proof of the date of publication and details of non-compliance with

any of the conditions of this approval will be provided to the Department in accordance with the EPBC

conditions of approval.

A data handling program will be implemented to ensure proper data storage and protection, data

extraction, quality control, analysis, interpretation, reporting and presentation. Key features of the data

handling program include:

▪ A standard template and structure for all reports;

▪ Standardised data collection methods by qualified personnel;

▪ Use of field assessment form;

▪ Quality Assurance review process by informed individuals; and

▪ Consistent filing within Oresome’s network.

DoEE will be licensed to receive, distribute and utilise data used in formulating and implementing the

data for compliance and recovery planning purposes. Data will be sent to DoEE on an annual basis via

electronic means, e.g. email or via data sharing software. For ease of reference, the relevant reporting

details of the OMP are shown in Table 16 below.

9.4 Audit, Review and Evaluation

In addition to any audit required under EPBC conditions of approval, self-auditing will be undertaken on

a continuous basis to verify OMP implementation. A formal internal audit will be undertaken every two

years from commencement of the action to evaluate plan implementation and attainment and/or

maintenance of performance targets and completion criteria. Systems for recording plan

implementation and performance will be auditable, and include details of who, what, where and how

implementation and performance were identified and/or assessed.

If reporting indicates performance targets and/or completion criteria are unlikely to be achieved, a full

internal audit of the plan will be conducted, the plan subject to a technical review by a suitably qualified

person other than a person who prepared or implemented the plan, and the outcomes of the audit and

review process reported to the DoEE along with proposed corrective actions.

If a technical review is not undertaken in accordance with the above, the implementation and

effectiveness of the plan will be undertaken in 2022, 2026, 2030 and a component of the final annual

compliance report.



9.5 Reporting

Reports detailing the progress against the proposed management outcomes will be required following

each monitoring event. Reporting is to be completed by the personnel conducting monitoring and

following the completion of each monitoring event. The report will contain:

▪ A description of the monitoring conducted;

▪ A discussion of the weather in the lead up to and during the monitoring;

▪ Photos from photo monitoring points;

▪ Site data including site description and location and results for all site based condition attributes

listed in Section 9.0;

▪ An overview of the progress of the management area in achieving the management outcomes

and how any risks or threats have impacted on the area; and

▪ An indication of any risks or potential threats that have become apparent to the management

area since the development of this management plan, and activities to be undertaken to

manage these threats and/or risks.

The reporting will provide commentary of each point listed above and include a discussion of how the

above points relate to each other. Comparison of relevant photo monitoring points, and a comparison of

the previous years data as well as a discussion on how the photos back up or contradict the ecological

data for all site based condition attributes will form part of the discussion. This will serve to outline how

the Offset is improving or declining in condition and how the self-audit and review process ensures the

site improves in condition for the Palm Cockatoo. The monitoring and reporting requirements of the

Offset are summarised in Table 16.

Orseome will report on OMP implementation as part of the annual compliance reporting to the DoEE.

The report to DoEE will summarise plan implementation (including monitoring activities), learnings from

implementing the OMP, and how implementation of the OMP in forward years will be modified to

maximise the likelihood of achieving and/or maintaining the completion scores (Table 15).



Table 16: Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

Monitoring Activity Variables monitored Frequency Method Location/s

Habitat condition - Surveys undertaken by Suitably Qualified Persons

Habitat value condition

▪ Tree with large hollows and/or hollow trees;

▪ Recruitment of food tree species; ▪ Food tree species richness and

abundance; and ▪ Weed cover.

Annually Field assessment methodology.

Data for each of the ecological condition attributes monitored will be collected at each site outlined in Figure 2 and reported on and presented in a sequential manner (including previous data collected). This will record the change in each attribute measured and habitat, thus enabling a comparison to previous years’ data and the progression of the Offset site condition.

Offset monitoring sites.

Management performance - Regular Reporting

Photo Points Food tree species richness and abundance. Large trees.

During annual inspection at commencement (year 0) and then every year until end of mine life.

A sequence of photos taken annually from the same location and at the same time of year will record changes in ground cover, woody plant populations, and illustrate the long-term effects of management as well as short-term changes caused by seasonal conditions, enabling a direct comparison to previous years’ photos and the progression of the Offset site condition.

Offset monitoring sites.

Fire Weed cover, fuel load, recruitment of food tree species.

A suitably qualified person nominated by the SSE will undertake inspections of the Offset area to observe and record grass cover levels, weed occurrence and any evidence of pest animal incursion.

Within Offset area.

Weeds Occurrence, control measures adopted (if required), timing of the control measures and the result.

Pest animals Occurrence, control measures adopted (if required), timing of control measures and the result.


EPBC 2016/7706 - Urquhart Bauxite Project OMP - 01/11/17

10 Declaration of Accuracy

I declare that:

1. To the best of my knowledge, all the information contained in, or accompanying this OresomeBauxite Pty Ltd Offset Management Plan (January 2018) is complete, current and correct.

2. I am duly authorised to sign this declaration on behalf of the approval holder.

3. I am aware that:

a. Section 490 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBCAct) makes it an offence for an approval holder to provide information in response to anapproval condition where the person is reckless as to whether the information is false ormisleading.

b. Section 491 of the EPBC Act makes it an offence for a person to provide information ordocuments to specified persons who are known by the person to be performing a duty orcarrying out a function under the EPBC Act or the Environment Protection and BiodiversityConservation Regulations 2000 (Cth) where the person knows the information or document isfalse or misleading.

c. The above offences are punishable on conviction by imprisonment, a fine or both.

Signed

Full name: Chris Broadhead

Position: General Manager

Organisation: Oresome Bauxite Pty Ltd

Date: 16/11/2017



References

Adkins, M. F. (2013). A burning issue: using fire to accelerate tree hollow formation in Eucalyptus species.

Australian Forestry. 107-113. 158.

Bennett, A.F. (2006). Habitat loss and fragmentation. In: Ecology: An Australian Perspective (eds P.

Attiwill and B. Wilson) pp. 399-414. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP) (2016). Regional Ecosystem Details for

3.2.2. Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Brisbane.

https://environment.ehp.qld.gov.au/regionalecosystems/details/?re=3.2.2.

Department of the Environment and Energy (DoEE) (2012), EPBC Act Environmental Offsets Policy.

Available online: http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/epbc-act-environmental-

Offsets-policy.

Epic Environmental (2015). Urquhart Point Bauxite Project Targeted Fauna Survey. Epic Environmental

Pty Ltd, Brisbane. Unpublished report for Oresome Australia.

Epic Environmental (2016). Urquhart Point Bauxite Project Targeted Fauna Survey. Epic Environmental

Pty Ltd, Brisbane. Unpublished report for Oresome Australia.

Good R.B. (1981) The role of fire in conservation reserves. In Fire and the Australian Biota. (Eds A.M. Gill,

R.H. Groves and I.R. Noble) pp. 529-549. (Australian Academy of Science, Canberra)

Higgins, P.J. (ed.) (1999). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds, Volume 4: Parrots to

dollarbird. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

MET Serve (2015). Urquhart Point Bauxite Project Terrestrial Ecology Report. MET Serve Mining and

Energy Technical Services, Fortitude Valley. Unpublished report for Oresome Australia.

Murphy, S., Legge, S. and Heinsohn, R. (2003). The Breeding Biology of Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger

aterrimus): A Case of a Slow Life History. Journal of the Zoological Society of London, 261: 327-

339.

Neldner, V.J., Wilson, B.A., Thompson, E.J., and Dillewaard, H.A. (2012). Methodology for Survey and

Mapping of Regional Ecosystems and Vegetation Communities in Queensland. Version 3.2.

Updated August 2012. Queensland Herbarium, Queensland Department of Science, Information

Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Brisbane.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00049158.2006.10676236

https://environment.ehp.qld.gov.au/regionalecosystems/details/?re=3.2.2

http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/epbc-act-environmental-Offsets-policy

http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/epbc-act-environmental-Offsets-policy



Rowland, J. (2013). Palm Cockatoo, Probosciger aterrimus. Targeted species survey guidelines.

Queensland Herbarium, Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation.

Brisbane.

Sattler P. and Williams R. (1999). The conservation status of Queensland's bioregional ecosystems.

Environmental Protection Agency, Queensland Government.

Winter, J.W. & Lethbridge, P.J. (1995). Terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Cape York Peninsula. Cape York

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Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, Canberra, and Queensland Department

of Environment and Heritage, Brisbane.

Winter, J.W. and Atherton, R.G. (1985). Survey of the mammals and other vertebrates of the Weipa

region, Cape York Peninsula. Final report compiled by Research and Planning Branch of

Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service for Comalco Ltd.

Woinarski, J.C.Z., J. Risler and L. Kean (2004). Response of vegetation and vertebrate fauna to 23 years of

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EPBC 2016/7706 - Urquhart Bauxite Project OMP - 15/11/17

Appendix A – Offset Monitoring Field Assessment Sheet

OFFSET MONITORING FIELD SHEET

Epic Environmental 1 FWL-I-18 Offset Monitoring Field Sheet (Master) Version 160115 THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED

SITE ID: DATE:

Location: Plot Bearing:

Recorded By: Plot Origin:

Plot Alignment Description: Plot Centre:

Regional Ecosystem and Tree Heights

Habitat Description: Tree Canopy EDL height:

Sub canopy and/or emergent ht:

Site Photos (photo numbers)

North ( ) South ( ) East ( ) West ( )

Landscape Photos:

Spot photos:

100 x 10 m area

Food tree species richness: Planchonia careya ( ) Corymbia clarksoniana ( ) Eucalyptus tetradonta ( )Parinari nonda ( ) Persoonia falcata ( ) Sersalsia unmackiana ( ) Grevillea parallela ( ) Acacia torulosa ( ) Acacia rothii ( ) Erythrophleum chlorostachys ( )

Total:

Trees with large hollows (>20cm): Total ( ) Inspected:

Hollow trees: Total ( ) Inspected:

Total:

Per hectare

Estimate per ha (same RE):

Disturbance observations (from fire, flooding, storm activity, weeds or pest species): _____________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Five 1 x 1m Plots:

Groundcover 1 2 3 4 5 Mean

Native perennial grass cover:

Native other grass (if relevant):

Native forbs, shrubs and other species:

Weed cover:

Litter

Bare ground

Rock

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Notes:

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