Waihi North Project: Assessment of Terrestrial Ecological Values & Effects 62138 WNP AEE 59 6.1 GLADSTONE OPEN PIT The GOP and associated stockpile are situated over an area that currently comprises a processing area, farmland and pine plantation in between two large (22 + ha) areas of indigenous vegetation at Union Hill (adjacent, north) and Ngatikoi Domain (200 m south). The stockpile avoids a watercourse and associated planted riparian vegetation, although the pit itself occupies a small area of the headwaters of this watercourse. Approximately 0.65 ha of the corner of a planted block would be removed for a stockpile, and these activities avoid potentially higher value vegetation and habitats associated with a wetland immediately south. The larger area of naturally occurring vegetation and habitats at Union Hill are also avoided. A small area of the rocky hilltop will be affected which has a small number of native species and some lizard habitat (0.5 ha). 6.1.1 Direct effects The construction of GOP and stockpile would involve permanent removal of approximately 1.4 ha of moderate value planted and remnant (rocky hilltop) vegetation and habitat (including for ‘At Risk’ copper skink), and 5.1 ha of low value pine plantation (Figure 11). This equates to less than 5% of the available local native habitat within the Waihi ED and removes only a small part of the previously voluntarily revegetated area. In terms of the EIANZ guidance, we consider this equates to a minor shift from baseline character and quantum, though a moderate impact on faunal populations may result, due to the high value of copper skink which may also occur within the pine. This results in a low magnitude of effect. A low magnitude effect to a moderate value resource results in a low level of adverse effect. Such levels of effect do not typically require any mitigation or offset, although mitigation for ‘At Risk’ copper skinks by way of capture, relocation and associated habitat enhancement via a lizard management plan is recommended as a minimum, and would be required under the Wildlife Act (1953). The pine plantation currently forms part of a rotational harvest pattern and would ultimately be felled once it reaches harvestable age. Under normal patterns, this area would then be replanted with pines for future harvest, however under WNP, the ecological value of the pine block (negligible) is expected to be permanently lost. Threatened fauna, including bats and native frogs have not been detected within the proposed footprint and are not considered to be present, even on an intermittent basis. However, despite some 220 valid survey nights at the Gladstone Pit and nearby Union Hill area over 2017 and 2022 (and a further 267 survey nights across the surrounding Waihi North Project area over the same period of time), the vegetation and habitats (potentially plantation pine area) are within 10 km of long-tailed bat records and therefore their future presence cannot be discounted because bat flight paths may change over time. Because long-tailed bats are a threatened species, the removal of vegetation that supports an active roost would be a significant (high to very high level) adverse effect, depending on whether the vegetation supports single or multiple individuals. The very low likelihood of this occurrence would be reduced to minor by way of undertaking preclearance surveys for bats from October 1 to April 31, as per DOC guidelines, and employing tree-felling protocols for bats where ‘high risk’ trees are identified by a suitably qualified bat expert. Where loss of a bat roost is confirmed, a bat management plan, prepared by a suitably qualified bat expert, would additionally detail measures to compensate for any loss with provision and placement of artificial roost boxes, as per DOC artificial bat roost advisory note (DOC-6734955). Further, ‘At Risk’ copper skinks have been detected and would be affected, as well as the eggs and unfledged chicks of common native birds, which have a lower likelihood of escape during vegetation removal and would likely be destroyed if unmanaged. Given their protection under the Wildlife Act
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