Endangered and threatened species located in the region of the proposed Herries Range Wind Farm will require special attention, according to a submission from the Southern Downs Regional Council to the State Government.
The bulloak jewel butterfly, which is critically endangered and has a very small known habitat location, lives in the area, as does another butterfly which could soon be added to the endangered list, according to advice given to the council from a local ecologist.
The SDRC submission was made under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and was endorsed at the most recent ordinary meeting of council in August.
The council report stated the referral process, as part of the Act, allowed an assessment of impacts on species of national importance.
“It is important to provide local advice to ensure the proposed development has considered adequate mitigation measures for critically endangered and threatened species of national significance in their project area.”
The proposed Herries Range Wind Farm is a project of ACCIONA Energia, which has constructed the Karara Wind Farm and the MacIntyre Wind Farm in the region.
Outlining the extra efforts that he believed needed to be undertaken to protect the species was Matthew Head, senior ecologist from Land and Habitat Environmental Services, who said he had been involved with surveying the known population of the bulloak jewel butterfly (Hypochrysops piceatus) under recognised expert, Associate Professor Donald Sands OAM from the University of Queensland and Honorary Fellow of the CSIRO.
Although mitigation measures had already been indicated in an assessment provided by environmental and social consultants, he believed the listed work would not be sufficient.
The mitigation measures outlined included surveys to determine if the species was present, subsequent avoidance of the site, retaining mature Allocasuarina luehmannii trees and avoiding the clearing of potential breeding and foraging habitat.
Mr Head said that as a minimum, the surveys should include the presence of two specific species of mistletoe, the BOJ ant and the ant’s core habitat of eucalypt, angophora and bulloak trees. He also suggested formal surveys be done during the butterfly’s fly time periods via high quality photography.
“It is worth mentioning that a new species of Ogyris butterfly has been described that occurs in this area and will in most likelihood be listed as a threatened species due to its limited range and habitat like the BOJ,” Mr Head said.
“It would be a worthy addition to include observations for this species while conducting surveys for the bulloak jewel.”
He said cumulative impacts of three wind farms (MacIntyre, Karara and Herries Range) could also affect species such as koala, greater glider, spotted-tail quoll, swift parrot, regent honeyeater and glossy black cockatoo.
He suggested on-going monitoring for the life of the Herries Range project, commitment to make changes as discoveries were made, mitigation of impacts to the State Forest edge on migratory species and fauna movement, plant vegetation corridors to join habitats, nesting boxes and other suitable habitat replacement for breeding and roosting sites and monitoring of the creek line to protect from erosion and sedimentation issues.
