61 EMROP: Waihi North Project WAI-985-000-PLN-LC-0001_Rev0 clean 5.4.5 Native vegetation planting Creation of new lizard habitat and the enhancement of existing habitat (Figure 13) will occur through an extensive revegetation planting programme. A specific planting schedule for provision of ground cover habitat is provide in Table 15 (Section 2). This ‘lizard-friendly’ native vegetation (e.g. densely growing and fruit producing plants) will provide cover and food resources for lizards. The plantings will be undertaken over 1.7 ha of currently grazed pasture, and be contiguous with existing pine canopy habitat (2.34) and future offset planting that will be contiguous with SNA 166 (Figure 5). 5.5 POST-RELEASE MONITORING Lizard monitoring will be undertaken within the lizard enhancement and the lizard habitat planting area. The purpose of the monitoring is to determine the following success parameters: 1. Population increase (rough scale): Lizard encounters (copper skink, moko skink) increase over time (including recaptures); 2. Evidence of breeding: That captured animals include evidence of breeding (gravid females, juveniles); and 3. Habitat expansion: that lizard (copper skink, moko skink) habitat occupation extends into lizard habitat plantings; 4. Population expansion into planted habitats: That there is evidence of breeding within planted habitats. Lizard monitoring will also assist monitoring of the performance of other actions, including pest control and plant maintenance. 5.5.1 Method and Frequency of monitoring Lizard monitoring will be undertaken annually for the first five years following implementation of the Lizard Management Plan, and then five-yearly until mine closure. Lizard monitoring will be conducted regardless of the number of lizards released. Monitoring will: • Use standard survey techniques (DOC Biodiversity inventory and monitoring toolbox – Herpetofauna): artificial refuges (Lettink & Cree, 2007; Lettink, et al., 2011; Lettink, 2012), live traps (Hare, 2012a, b), and active searches (Hare 2012c), • Trap location and trap types will be consistent each monitor following the initial five years, except where new potential habitats are investigated.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2NDg3