Threatened Species Translocation

Narla Environmental’s team of Ecologists, in association with Toolijooa Environmental Restoration, collected Cuttings and Soil Halos from a population of Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens. These individuals were successfully propagated in a nursery and planted in a dedicated conservation area in the Hornsby Shire local government area.

Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens is listed as Vulnerable under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Large areas of habitat for this species have been extensively cleared and modified to accommodate urban development. Urban run-off, altered fire regimes, and weed invasions have also contributed to its vulnerability.

The purpose of this activity was to bolster and ensure the ongoing survival of this threatened species in the area. This species has a high attrition rate (for cuttings), and our experienced Ecologists recently conducted monitoring that observed the newly planted cuttings flowering in their first year.

Koala Assessment Report

Narla Environmental was engaged to conduct a Koala Assessment Report to accompany a Development Application for a proposed dwelling in the Hawkesbury Local Government Area (LGA). The entirety of the Subject Site was dominated by bushland and was located on the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park. The Koala Habitat Protection SEPP (2019) applied to this development as there was no approved Koala Plan of Management for the land, the site had been identified on the Koala Development Application Map, and the site had an area greater than 1 hectare.

The Koala Assessment Report was carried out by one of Narla’s suitably qualified ecologists and followed the guidelines set out in the Koala Habitat Protection Guideline. It detailed the following:

• The Koala Habitat Values of the site;

• How the development was avoiding impacts to Koalas and Koala habitat;

• Potential impacts from the proposed development; and

• Management plans to protect Koalas and their habitat.

This report will be submitted along with the Development Application, satisfying the requirements of the new State Environmental Planning Policy (Koala Habitat Protection) 2019.

Learn more about the Koala Habitat Protection SEPP (2019) and find out if it applies to your development by clicking here.