Supporting Technical Assessments

Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project | Terrestrial Ecology Values and Effects of the WUG | 22 June 2022 15 Figure 5: Baseline ecological survey study area, a 2 km2 area within the Wharekirauponga catchment. This figure indicates broad-scale vegetation mapping and RECCE survey locations (top); and fauna monitoring locations (bottom). 4.3 Assessment and Survey of Vegetation 4.3.1 Desktop Analysis Desktop review of available literature on vegetation to inform this assessment included aerial imagery; the SNA report (Waihi ED, (Kessels & Associates, 2010)), Land Environments New Zealand (LENZ) Threatened Environment Classification maps and botanical lists (where available); and collation of existing catchment-specific information from previous surveys (BML 2019, 2022b (in preparation)). 4.3.2 Vegetation Surveys Vegetation surveys comprised site walkovers and rapid plant community assessments at Willows Road Farm. The farm property was assessed over a total of 5 days in July and November 2020, January 2021 and November 2021. Stands of vegetation were typically fragmented and smaller than the 20 x 20 m minimum size requirement for a RECCE plot. A site walkover was carried out in the proposed services trench footprint to assess ecological values on 11 November 2021. Vegetation and habitats on the boundary of Coromandel Forest Park were assessed in May 2022. RECCE plot surveys were carried out at 14 potential vent sites within the paper road in CFP from March 2021 to May 2021. The purpose of sampling 20 x 20 m RECCE plots was to identify

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