address these potential residual effects is wide scale intensive pest control over an area of 633 ha including 314 ha exposed to vibration levels greater than 2mm/s and 318 ha immediately adjacent. Compensation as research funding is proposed to undertake investigative work within the WUG and wider Wharekirauponga Animal Pest Management Area to assess efficacy of pest control regimes for frog recovery. Additional research into the distribution and habitat use of Archey’s frogs within the Coromandel Peninsula is an ongoing research area. Within the wider WNP we have adopted an integrated effects management strategy that means in most cases the ecological mitigation and the landscape mitigation planting take a similar form and in the same key locations, or links locations to one another. Ecology is integrated with landscape to provide a more continuous connection of vegetation and freshwater environments, which will benefit biodiversity throughout the proposed project footprint whilst also providing benefit from a landscape and visual perspective. Where there were opportunities to provide additional ecological benefit, outside of the need for mitigation / offset, these are noted. In line with the intention of OGNZL, we have sought a net gain in biodiversity and ecological value in applying the effects management hierarchy and a demonstration of enhanced connectivity is part of this net gain. In our assessment, the effects of the Project on terrestrial ecological values are minimised to the extent possible through design and management processes; and offset / compensated where appropriate.
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