Waihi North Project: Assessment of Terrestrial Ecological Values & Effects 62138 WNP AEE 65 survey has not detected them. No native lizards were recorded from any of the other three non-SNA blocks of vegetation within the TSF3 area. NZ pipit (and At-Risk NZ dotterel, Figure 32) could also be expected to utilise the proposed TSF3 at various stages of its development. If anything, the outcome of the establishment of TSF3 could be positive for these ‘At-Risk’ bird species. Figure 32. New Zealand dotterel at existing Waihi tailings area 6.3.2 Indirect Effects Potential indirect effects are associated with degradation of surrounding vegetation and habitats. These effects would generally be minor beyond SNA 166 where vegetation values are generally much lower. Some reduction in habitat availability to local, common native fauna that currently use the vegetation for foraging, roosting or potentially nesting, could cause some low-level of displacement into surrounding habitats. Approximately 1.15 km of new edge, some 100 m inside of the existing edge, would be created along the retained area of the SNA at TSF3 as a result of removal of the affected vegetation. At least half of this new edge would be where existing seral mamaku-dominant vegetation occurs, and half is through young rewarewa dominant vegetation. All of these areas are currently or were recently subject to high light levels and weed presence. For example, weed species, such as barberry, gorse and pampas are still present through mamaku-dominant (treefern scrub) areas, and evidence of barberry being shaded out within areas of rewarewa forest is present in both rewarewa plots. In addition, large blocks of pine north of the TSF3 footprint and above the TSF1A footprint are inhibiting natural regeneration and limiting rewarewa-dominant forest at the western and northeastern end of the TSF3 footprints. This pine reduces the potential value of the native forest in these areas. These factors lead to a consideration of the magnitude of the effect of the new edges to be no more than low. Therefore, the potential edge effects on vegetation values of a low magnitude edge effect (where values are low in the rewarewa and low in the native scrub) are very low.
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