AGENCY FAUNA CONNECTIVITY WORKSHOP

16th November 2016

W2B Staff Commercial Awareness Workshop Lee Askey, Commercial Leader Ian Dow, Contract Administrator

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Workshop agenda

1. Housekeeping

2. Introduction to Fauna Connectivity workshop

3. W2B general update

4. Development of the Connectivity Strategy S3-11

5. Connectivity Strategy Framework

• Connectivity structures and types

• Design principles

6. Final connectivity structures S3-11

• Structures from S3-11

• Koala mitigation update – S10

7. Summary and wrap-up

8. Next steps

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Introduction

Aims of workshop:

Discuss the evolution of connectivity structures from the EIS, approved management plans to final design

Go through details of ‘final’ connectivity structures and measures as developed throughout the design development – Sections 3-11.

Outline key areas from the Final Connectivity Strategy submitted for review and approval

Outcomes: Increased understanding and awareness of the development of the final connectivity structures for S3-11 of the W2B upgrade

Awareness of the rationale for, final design and location of fauna connectivity structures for Sections 3-11 of the project.

Understanding of key elements of the Connectivity Strategy to be submitted to satisfy NSW MCoA D2 and EPBC CoA 13 of the project approvals.

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W2B – general update

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W2B Pavement reuse strategy

The Woolgoolga to Ballina project has been designed to both Class A and Class M highway configuration.

The project EIS and design outlines the areas of each highway Class being constructed.

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W2B Pavement reuse strategy

Pacific Complete and Roads and Maritime Services are currently examining the potential for reusing sections of existing highway where pavements could be re-used rather than construction of a completely new carriageway.

The sections on the existing Pacific Highway proposed for reuse would be upgraded where required to meet the requirements of Arterial Class.

Primary benefits with the reuse of existing pavements include:

• the reduction in capital expenditure and delivery program

• reducing disruption to communities during the construction phase.

• allows RMS to realise benefits of the remaining lifespan of previously installed pavement.

• opportunities to reuse existing pavements will realise saving in areas of native vegetation clearing.

Potential stages outlined in the W2B Staging Report issued to DP&E and DoEE in XXX

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W2B Pavement reuse strategy

Potential locations will be further assessed and refined during detailed design

Final decision would be made after consideration of:

• relevant affordability,

• technical and constructability investigations

• Total life costs (which include construction and ongoing maintenance costs)

• environmental impacts.

• Impacts to connectivity

Review process will be ongoing into late 2017

Also relevant to Sections 1 and 2 and approved Connectivity Strategy S1 & S2

Any proposals will be discussed with agencies as they are developed further

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Development of the W2B Connectivity Strategy S3-11

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Project Approvals

NSW

• MCoA D2 – Requirement to prepare Connectivity Strategy • Developed from SPIR connectivity strategy

• Outlines the justification for location and design of connectivity structures, including fencing

• Developed during detailed design in consultation with agencies

• Submit to Secretary for approval

• MCoA B10, B11, B12, B13, B39, B40 – specific considerations for connectivity through detailed design and development of connectivity measures

• MCoA D8 & D9 – Threatened Species Management Plans (approved)

Commonwealth

• EPBC CoA 13 – Requirement to prepare Connectivity Strategy outlined in NSW MCoA D2

• EPBC CoA – 7,8,9 Requirement for Ballina Koala Plan

• EPBC CoA 14 – Requirement to implement all plans, frameworks, strategies, including NSW MCoA D2 & B12

• EPBC CoA 11 – requirement to prepare Threatened Species Management Plans

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Development of connectivity strategy

The approach taken in developing the preferred route design with regard to connectivity outcomes included:

• Minimising the impact on threatened flora and fauna species

• Minimising impacts on key habitat areas and local and regional fauna movement corridors

• Ensuring the location and sizing of fauna crossings are such that fauna species are not disadvantaged or threatened by their usage

• Fauna crossings are placed at locations and appropriately designed to ensure their effectiveness for the targeted species

• Crossings provide adequate passage for fauna species across the upgraded highway

• Ensuring that fauna are not channelled onto adjoining roads such as the old highway or busy service roads (SKM, 2012a).

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Development of connectivity strategy

Final connectivity strategy based on multiple inputs over project development.

• EIS & SPIR investigations

• Post-approval targeted surveys that informed the Threatened Species Management Plans (TSMPs) & Ballina Koala Plan (BKP)

• Expert and Agency review process

• Approved TSMPs & BKP

• Detailed design development

• Agency design review, workshops & site inspections

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Biodiversity Mitigation Framework – inputs to strategy

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Connectivity Strategy - guiding principles

Principle 1: Avoid first, mitigate second and if neither is possible, offset impacts.

Principle 2: Connectivity issues need to be addressed at all stages in project development, commencing with the earliest stage.

Principle 3: New road projects should aim to increase the level of overall wildlife connectivity within the region.

Principle 4: Always consider a landscape-scale perspective when making decisions about mitigation measures.

Principle 5: Maintaining connectivity for wildlife in highly cleared landscapes is equally important to maintaining connectivity across large areas of intact habitat.

Principle 6: Mitigation should include measures to (i) facilitate the effective crossing of wildlife; (ii) funnel fauna to the crossing location; and (iii) reduce wildlife mortality.

Principle 7: Wildlife crossing structures need to be designed to maximise environmental benefit.

Principle 8: Projects should aim to maintain and enhance existing connectivity, rather than removing and then creating new connectivity.

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Connectivity goals

• Reduce and minimise roadkill

• Avoid and minimise habitat loss and fragmentation

• Maintain and improve movement pathways for all fauna groups

• Maintain and improve population viability and gene flow

• Maintain and improve connectivity

• Identify monitoring needs that build on existing knowledge to ensure the performance of the mitigation

• Maintain connectivity during construction for aquatic species.

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Target species for Connectivity Strategy

Common name Scientific name Applicable Project Sections

Mammals

Brush-tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9

Long-nosed Potoroo Potorous tridactylus 5, 6, 7 and 10

Rufous Bettong Aepyprymnus rufescens 3, 4, 5 and 6

Spotted-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus 7, 8 and 9

Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis 3, 6, 7 and 9

Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis 3, 4, 7, 9 and 10

Koala Phascolarctos cinereus 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11

Coastal Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae 3 and 4

Frogs Litoria olongburenisis 8, 9 and 10

Green-thighed Frog Litoria brevipalmata 3, 6 and 7

Wallum Sedge Frog Litoria olongburenisis 8, 9 and 10

Fish

Oxleyan Pygmy Perch Nannoperca oxleyana 7, 8 and 9

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Connectivity Design principles

© Lewis Ecological 2014

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Overview of connectivity structure types

Type Description Bridge both under and over the Pacific Highway

Reinforced Concrete Box Culverts (RCBC)

Typical box shaped drainage structure installed under the highway

Reinforced Concrete Pipes (RCPs)

Typical round drainage structure installed under the road

Arborreal Crossings Glider Poles and Rope Crossings

Widened Medians vegetation retained in media area to facilitate crossing by wildlife.

Fauna fencing fencing required to funnel wildlife to crossing measures and prevent animals from accessing the road

Fauna drop-down Structure to allow animals to escape from the road corridor

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Function of Connectivity Structures

DEDICATED Structures that have been design specifically for fauna passage. Includes arborreal crossings.

COMBINED Structures that are designed for dual purpose of accommodating drainage and fauna passage. These structures can include features such as low flow areas or raised cells to improve connectivity opportunities during normal flow events.

INCIDENTAL Drainage structures including box or pipe culverts that are large enough to accommodate fauna passage and that may be used by fauna. Includes use of some bridge structures for Emus

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Fauna fencing strategy

The strategy aims to ensure most appropriate solution is identified to cater for various scenarios along the project.

• Combine fauna fence with boundary fencing and position the fencing at the edge of the construction footprint.

• Through all areas of mapped native vegetation, the boundary fencing is to be brought to within the construction footprint.

• No formal boundary fence will be placed on the acquisition boundary in areas of mapped vegetation, unless specifically requested by the landowner.

• Determine maintenance responsibilities for RMS and landowners for each fence arrangement

• Investigate opportunities to combine access tracks for both landowner and RMS maintenance to reduce clearing requirements.

• Where required by landowners, provide combined fauna fence with stock fence.

Results in 3 scenarios along the alignment:

1. Fauna or combined stock/fauna fencing close to road formation

2. Fauna or combined stock/fauna fencing on the boundary

3. Fauna only fencing at the road formation and stock proof fencing at the project boundary.

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Fauna fencing strategy

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Types of fauna fence

26 different types of fauna fence design available in S3-11

Individual fence types developed in consultation with EPA

Fence standard drawings used by all designers on S3-11

Locations based on the TSMPs

Design optimised during detailed design to allow for consistency in approach – ensure minimum fauna standards are achieved.

Tie into connectivity structures

Type Name F01 Fauna (koala) exclusion fence

F02 Fauna (koala) and stock exclusion fence F03 Fauna (koala) and green-thighed frog exclusion fence

F04 Fauna (koala), green-thighed frog and stock exclusion fence F05 Fauna (koala) and wallum sedge frog exclusion fence F06 Fauna (koala), wallum sedge frog and stock exclusion fence F07 Fauna (koala) and phascogale exclusion fence F08 Fauna (koala), phascogale and stock exclusion fence F11 Mammal exclusion fence

F12 Mammal and stock exclusion fence F13 Mammal and Phascogale exclusion fence

F14 Mammal, Phascogale and stock exclusion Fence F15 Mammal, green-thighed frog and phascogale exclusion fence

F16 Mammal, green-thighed frog, phascogale and stock exclusion fence

F17 Mammal and green-thighed frog exclusion fence F18 Mammal and green-thighed frog and stock exclusion fence F21 Emu exclusion fence

F22 Emu and stock exclusion fence F23 Combined Emu/mammal/ phascogale exclusion fence

F24 Emu, phascogale and stock exclusion fence F25 Combined Emu/mammal/ phascogale/frog exclusion fence F26 Emu, phascogale, green-thighed frog and stock exclusion fence F41 Plain wire fence F42 Three barbed wire fence F45 Five barbed wire fence F55 Hybrid emu and stock fence

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Fauna fence design

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Update to Koala fence design

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Fauna furniture

Standard fauna furniture designs developed in consultation with RMS and EPA

• Dedicated structures

• Combined structures

• Arboreal structures

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Examples from other Pacific Highway projects

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Fauna drop-downs & Koala grids

Designs options include ramps, mounds and drop structures at culvert headwalls and are integrated into the fauna fence arrangements.

Location and design principles for drop downs developed in consultation with the EPA:

• Specific distances from opening in fauna fence eg interchanges and start / finish of fence

• Fauna fencing is to be tied into the culvert wing walls on all drainage/connectivity structures that offer a suitable 1200mm height to create a drop down/escape structure.

• Distance criteria has some flexibility subject to locations of drainage/connectivity structures and adjacent habitat

• The drop-down height is agreed at 1200mm

• Drop-downs are required on both sides of the alignment

• Fauna furniture attached to the culvert wing wall needs to ensure it doesn’t impede the 1200mm drop down.

Koala grids proposed in design at key Koala locations in S3-11

• Iluka interchange

• Broadwater interchange

• Coolgardie interchange

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Minimising vegetation clearing

Clear project requirement to minimise clearing impacts

Water quality design principles- utilising grass swales rather than additional water quality basins to achieve pollution/nutrient reductions.

Rationalising spill basin location to sensitive areas.

Two phase clearing process implemented • Notation included on design drawings to limit initial

stage of clearing adjacent to connectivity structures, glide poles, & bridges

• As part of progressive Hold Point release confirm areas to be cleared. – minimise clearing around connectivity structures. Designing for worst case (compliance) managing for the best case.

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Minimise impact on threatened flora individuals as well as communities

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Revegetation and landscaping near connectivity structures

Soft scour - building on work done on other Pacific Highway projects

Relevant to target species and surrounding vegetation

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Example bridge underpass

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Connectivity considerations in Urban Design and Landscape packages – integrated design approach

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Example creek cross section

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Final connectivity structures – S3-11

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Review of final structures S3-11

• Roll plots

• Connectivity registers

• PC Maps

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Koala mitigations – Section 10

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Summary and next steps

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Summary

W2B Connectivity Strategy S3-11 has been developed over a number of years with high level of detail and input – both ecology and agencies

Proposed connectivity structures for Sections 3-11 will provide effective fauna passage for the target threatened fauna species and other fauna utilising habitats adjacent to the Project.

To maximise effectiveness, fauna connectivity structures have been placed in locations where animals naturally approach and cross the highway, including locations where suitable habitat is present on both sides of the road and where natural movement corridors such as drainage lines intersect the highway.

Structure Type Number*

Dedicated fauna underpass 44 Combined fauna underpass 70 Arboreal crossing 7 Widened median 1 Incidental crossing 178*

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Next steps

Draft Connectivity Strategy Report currently being finalised by Pacific Complete

• Outlines process to develop the strategy

• Details the connectivity principles followed

• Provides summary of final connectivity structures and measures for S3-11

• Provides justification for location of structures for each of the target species

• Outlines summary of changes from SPIR to IFC design

PC Map agency portal being updated with connectivity structures to assist review of the report

Timeframes

• Plan to submit to agencies for review first week in December

• Targeting approval by end of year

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Thank you