71 EMROP: Waihi North Project WAI-985-000-PLN-LC-0001_Rev0 clean 7.2.4.2 Protocol B: Pre-felling procedures The following pre-felling protocols apply only to those trees identified as ‘High risk’ (Table 23). 7.2.4.2.1 Seasonal constraints ‘High risk’ trees should only be felled between the period of 1 October and 30 April, inclusive. This period aligns with the season when bats are active (October to April, inclusive) and avoids the more sensitive bat maternity season (November -February, inclusive) where the risk of injury or mortality is considered the highest. 7.2.4.2.2 Tree felling supervision An appropriately certified bat ecologist (competency level D; Table 21) will be required to supervise the felling of all ‘High risk’ trees and they must be available at all times during the vegetation removal stages to respond immediately to any incidental bat discoveries within the WNP area. 7.2.4.2.3 Pre-felling procedures 1) All ‘High risk’ trees or areas of ‘High risk’ trees to be removed will be clearly marked by the Project bat ecologist(s) in advance of removal. 2) To determine roosting activity, all ‘High risk’ trees will be acoustically monitored using ABMs for three consecutive nights (with optimal weather conditions; Table 22) immediately prior to removal. The ABMs will monitor bat activity each night from one hour before dusk to one hour after dawn, and the results of the night’s monitoring will be analysed by a bat ecologist the following morning as early as possible. If tree removal does not take place the day after the second night of monitoring, an additional night of acoustic monitoring will be carried out to ensure two consecutive nights of monitoring occur before tree felling. 3) No monitoring should take place during a full moon, or one night either side of a full moon. Where a night of monitoring is lost or interrupted due to unsuitable weather conditions (as defined above) a further night of monitoring must take place to compensate, until a total of two consecutive nights of monitoring is achieved. 7.2.4.2.3.1 No bat activity recorded In the event no bat activity is recorded during the two nights of acoustic monitoring, the bat ecologist(s) will inform the Site Manager and Environmental Manager within one hour of reviewing the data to give permission for the affected tree(s) to be felled. 7.2.4.2.3.2 Bat activity recorded 1) If the bat activity patterns recorded on the ABM(s) suggest that bats may be roosting in the vicinity of the ABM, or if a bat roost is observed, the bat ecologist shall inform the Site Manager
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