| Assessment criteria | (a) it comprises a high level of biological diversity., (b) it comprises the whole or a part of, or is necessary for the maintenance of, a significant habitat for fauna indigenous to Western Australia., (e) it is significant as a remnant of native vegetation in an area that has been extensively cleared., (f) it is growing in, or in association with, an environment associated with a watercourse or wetland. |
| Residual impact | Loss of up to 7.93 hectares of native vegetation in completely degraded to very good (Keighery 1994) condition that includes:
- vegetation considered to be foraging and potential nesting habitat for Carnaby's black cockatoo, Forest Red-tailed black cockatoo and Baudin's black cockatoo.
- vegetation that offers potential habitat and linkage for local fauna species.
- vegetation that partly comprises of Beard Vegetation Association 968 (Medium woodland; jarrah, marri & wandoo) and Heddle Vegetation Complex 'Guildford Complex'. These vegetation associations/complexes have less than 10% pre-European extent remaining and are significant as remnants in an area that has been extensively cleared.
- approximately 3 hectares of native vegetation growing in association with wetlands or wetland buffers.
The vegetation to be cleared may also partly comprise the following:
- Floristic Community Type (FCT) 3a described as 'Corymbia calophylla - Kingia australis woodland on heavy soils'. This community is a threatened ecological community.
- FCT 21c described as 'low lying Banksia attenuata woodlands or shrublands'. This community is a priority ecological community (Priority 3). |
| Offset conditions | 11. Offsets
As the clearing to be done is or may be at variance with one or more of the clearing principles, then the Permit Holder must implement an offset in accordance with conditions 11(a) and 11(b) of this Permit with respect to that clearing.
11. (a) Determination of offsets:
(i) in determining the offset to be implemented with respect to a particular area of native vegetation proposed to be cleared under this Permit, the Permit Holder must have regard to the offset principles contained in condition 11(b) of this Permit;
(ii) once the Permit Holder has developed an offset proposal, the Permit Holder must provide that offset proposal to the CEO for the CEO's approval prior to undertaking any clearing to which the offset relates, and prior to implementing the offset;
(iii) clearing shall not commence until and unless the CEO has approved the offset proposal to which the clearing relates;
(iv) the Permit Holder shall implement the offset proposal approved under condition 11(a)(iii); and
(v) each offset proposal shall include a direct offset, timing for implementation of the offset proposal and may additionally include contributing offsets.
11. (b) For the purpose of this condition, the offset principles are as follows:
(i) direct offsets should directly counterbalance the loss of the native vegetation;
(ii) contributing offsets should complement and enhance the direct offset;
(iii) offsets are implemented only once all avenues to avoid, minimise, rectify or reduce environmental impacts have been exhausted;
(iv) the environmental values, habitat, species, ecological community, physical area, ecosystem, landscape, and hydrology of the offset should be the same as, or better than, that of the area of native vegetation being offset;
(v) a ratio greater than 1:1 should be applied to the size of the area of native vegetation that is offset to compensate for the risk that the offset may fail;
(vi) offsets must entail a robust and consistent assessment process;
(vii) in determining an appropriate offset, consideration should be given to ecosystem function, rarity and type of ecological community, vegetation condition, habitat quality and area of native vegetation cleared;
(viii) the offset should either result in no net loss of native vegetation, or lead to a net gain in native vegetation and improve the condition of the natural environment;
(ix) offsets must satisfy all statutory requirements;
(x) offsets must be clearly defined, documented and audited;
(xi) offsets must ensure a long-term (10-30 year) benefit; and
(xii) an environmental specialist must be involved in the design, assessment and monitoring of offsets. |
