Waihi North Project: Assessment of Terrestrial Ecological Values & Effects 62138 WNP AEE 75 9 MITIGATION HIERARCHY AND OFFSETTING Removal of planted vegetation within the WNP at GOP and NRS is considered a permitted activity under the Hauraki District Plan. However, OGNZL intends to provide for replacement of the values associated with such removal as far as practicable, including replacing the area of pines lost with an equal or greater area of higher value native vegetation. OGNZL also proposes to minimise harm and adverse effects to all fauna within those habitats through management actions prior to, and at the time of vegetation / habitat removal. This includes salvage, resurvey for the presence of special taxa, and timing of vegetation removal, as well as procedures for the removal and use of felled material. Details for methods and triggers for habitat enhancement or compensation, where necessary, would be provided in fauna management plans. With regard to TSF3 and the SNA vegetation proposed to be removed, while the vegetation and habitat values within the proposed footprint are considered to be low (and recognising the avoidance of the significant values), we assess the effects of the WNP on the overall moderate value SNA to be moderate, and as such, OGNZL intends to provide for a biodiversity offset that demonstrates an overall net environmental gain. Therefore, as part of the restoration and enhancement opportunities related to the loss of around 8.3 ha of the SNA 166 southern feature, OGNZL proposes a suite of enhancement actions for the SNA as well as revegetation actions. Together these actions will assist the SNA to progress ecologically, removing the ongoing threat of the pine encroachment and revegetate / restore areas to provide for: - Buffers: edge protection for SNA 166 - Connections: connecting areas of existing habitats and facilitating access through terrestrial and aquatic environments for mobile species - Building sequences: reconnecting pathways across ecological gradients and ecosystems Further, a unique opportunity to maximise biodiversity gains occurs in the immediate landscape, where the rare moko skink occurs within OGNZL landholdings. This species has few remaining populations on mainland New Zealand. Therefore, we recommend a broad ecological mitigation and offset package that brings together opportunities to connect fragmented values as well as protect and enhance high value features, including moko skink.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2NDg3