Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project | Terrestrial Ecology Values and Effects of the WUG | 22 June 2022 33 Smaller tributaries in the catchment are more likely to provide high quality habitat for Hochstetter’s frog, rather than larger faster flowing streams. Hochstetter’s frogs were also observed during targeted surveys in the Wharekirauponga catchment in 2019 and 2020 (BML 2019b, 2022 (in preparation)). Within the wider CFP, Hochstetter’s and Archey’s frog have been recorded at many sites, with observations of frogs provided in Table 5. Table 5: Native frog records within 10 km of the Project Area (Boffa Miskell / OceanaGold records). Species Threat classification Habitat Number of records Archey’s frog (Leiopelma archeyi) At Risk - Declining Lowland broadleaved podocarp forest >600 Hochstetter’s frog (L. hochstetteri) At Risk - Declining Stream margins in forested low light environments >100 1Burns et al., 2018 5.3.2 Habitat Assessment and Survey Results Willows Road farm Habitat within the farm property was assessed as generally unsuitable for Archey’s frogs, being typically small bush patches with stock damage impacts to the ground layer. Vegetation areas 1 and 5 (outside of the Project Area) provided more complex ground layer habitat but were assessed as being too dry for Archey’s frogs and likely impacted by edge effects. Four potentially affected streams within the Project footprint were assessed for possible Hochstetter’s frog habitat and searched using systematic search methods (Hare 2012)17. Habitat within these streams was assessed as unsuitable for Hochstetter’s frogs due to the high level of disturbance and lack of protected long-term refuges for frogs. Hochstetter’s frogs favour small streams and tributaries as well as damp forest areas with abundant damp crevices. Vegetation on the boundary of CFP and Willows Road farm was assessed as lower quality habitat for native frogs, compared to interior forest areas, with more variable leaf litter depth and fern density. Rats and possums were observed during surveys. Native frogs were not observed during frog surveys conducted over 2 nights in May 2022 on the boundary of CFP and Willows Road farm. Habitats outside of the Project Area in Vegetation Areas 1, 2 and 3 may provide suitable habitats for native frogs, although none were observed during surveys except in Vegetation Area 3 (Appendix 3). A juvenile Hochstetter’s frog was recorded in a small stream in Vegetation Area 3 on the eastern side of the property. This indicates that Vegetation Area 3 provides suitable habitat, and that recruitment is occurring for native frog populations within that Area. Vegetation Area 3 is outside of any proposed works and vegetation and frog habitats here will benefit from fencing, pest control and planting as a result of the biodiversity offsetting associated with WUG (Section 8.5). 17 Hochstetter’s frog survey dates within the from property include Impact sites 1 and 2 (20-22 July 2020 and 21 January 2021, respectively), and within Vegetation Areas 1-7 (11 November 2020).
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