ECOtas has undertaken a wide range of ecological consultancy sevices for a number of clients from the public and private sector. Some examples of the type of ecological assessments undertaken by ECOtas are described below.
Hobart City Council
Assessment of Austrodanthonia induta (tall wallabygrass) on proposed fire-trail
A short section of disused firetrail in the Ridgeway Park area required upgrading. Hobart City Council had already obtained a permit to disturb threatened plants (Austrodanthonia induta, a species of rare wallabygrass) but needed to meet reporting obligations under that permit. A detailed assessment of the trail and fringing forest was undertaken to provide a count of the number of plants likely to be disturbed.
Gunns Limited
Assessment of proposed forestry coupe SY005b at Storeys Creek for Prasophyllum stellatum
Gunns Limited were advised by the Forest Practices Authority that a specialist survey would be required for the endangered leek-orchid Prasophyllum stellatum (known as the ben lomond leek-orchid) for a patch of forest proposed for selective harvesting. The species was previously only known from the vicinity of the proposed coupe. A detailed assessment for the species was undertaken and it was found to be relatively widespread within and adjacent to the proposed coupe. It was considered unlikely that the proposed harvesting would substantially impact on the species but the report was used by the Forest Practices Authority, the Threatened Species Section and Gunns Limited to develop appropriate management prescriptions.
Department of Primary Industries & Water (Threatened Species Section)
Preparation of species profiles for threatened species
As part of a project aligning the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, ECOtas was engaged by the Threatened Species Section to prepare several profiles of threatened flora and fauna. The species were mainly those endemic to Tasmania (e.g. live-bearing seastar) currently listed on the State legislation but not the Commonwealth legislation, or species listed on both Acts but at different levels (e.g. Critically Endangered on one Act, Vulnerable on the other). The project involved a detailed literature and database review, followed by preparation of a species profile.
Forest Practices Authority
Survey of forestry coupes for threatened orchids: Pterostylis atriola (snug greenhood) in BG034A
A State forest coupe in the State's central north proposed for selective harvesting was known to support a high diversity of native orchid species. A detailed assessment showed that Pterostylis atriola (snug greenhood) was relatively widespread in the coupe, locally common and often associated with disturbed sites such as old tracks.
A monitoring program was designed and established to assess the longer term response of Pterostylis atriola to forestry-related disturbance. Some parts of the population in the coupe have been excluded from timber harvesting and others will be subject to standard forest harvesting techniques.
Read more on the project in the following reports:
ECOtas (Mark Wapstra) (2008). Report on the Establishment of Long-term Monitoring Sites for Pterostylis atriola in State Forest Coupe BG034A: ECOtas for Forest Practices Authority 27 February 2008. [download this article]
ECOtas (Mark Wapstra) (2007). An Assessment of the Significance of Proposed State Forest Coupe BG034A for Species of Native Orchid: ECOtas for Forest Practices Authority 20 September 2007. [download this article]
Residential Subdivision Assessments
Several assessments of private property proposed for subdivision for residential purposes
ECOtas has undertaken several assessments of private property proposed for subdivision. Proposals have ranged from single lot developments to multiple hundred lot developments. These assessments require a detailed examination of the ecological values present and a consideration of the possible impacts of the proposed development on these values, in the local and wider area. Detailed mitigation proposals are often needed, taking into account various planning and legal requirements. ECOtas aims to find equitable and balanced solutions that satisfy the conservation management requirements of the identified values and allow the development proposal to be progressed.
A close-up of a floret of Austrodanthonia induta. The species is quite distinctive because of its stature (one of the State’s tallest wallabygrasses) and floral morphology.
Prasophyllum stellatum occurs in grassy to shrubby eucalypt forest, apparently most strongly associated with disturbed sites such as banks of tracks and old forestry tracks and landings.
The live-bearing seastar, Patiriella vivipara, is a small (only about 1.5 cm) orange seastar that lives on the surface of flat rocks in the shallow intertidal zone around the southeast coast of Tasmania.
Viminaria juncea (golden spray), a native leguminous shrub, is localised to the Coles Bay area. This species was found within the bounds of a proposed development and will require careful consideration during the design of the subdivision because the site represents the westerly extent of the species.
Hypoxis vaginata (sheathing yellowstar), a native lily, is widespread in eastern and central (Midlands) Tasmania. It was widespread and locally abundant within a proposed residential subdivision, occuring in many locations on the property, providing excellent opportunities to design a subdivision that allows for the long-term management of the species.
Commercial Projects
