34 Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project | Terrestrial Ecology Values and Effects of the WUG | 22 June 2022 Coromandel Forest Park Archey’s frog surveys were carried out at 11 potential vent sites in CFP (Appendix 3). Vegetation at these sites comprised mature forest contributing deep leaf litter, tree ferns with abundant fallen fern fronds and low growing grasses and sedges. Hochstetter’s frog habitat was not assessed within the CFP as the paper road is located some distance from waterways likely to be occupied by Hochstetter’s frogs. Native frog surveys are required as part of the site selection process in any areas where there may be disturbance to native forest, damp forest habitat and streams, and stream edges (see Section 7.2). 5.3.3 Ecological Value of Native Frog Species Ecological values of native frog species are summarised in Table 6. The native frog communities within the Project footprint on the farm property and in CFP have been categorised as having negligible and very high ecological value, respectively. Table 6: Ecological values of native frog communities within the Project Area. Attribute Willows Road farm Coromandel Forest Park Representativeness Very Low Vegetation communities within the farm property have been highly modified through livestock grazing. Habitat within the farm property was assessed as predominantly unsuitable for native frogs with the exception of streams and flow paths in Vegetation Area 3 (outside of the Project Area). Vegetation Area 3 will benefit from proposed management implemented as a result of the Project but is outside of works areas. High The Project Area has habitat value for both Archey’s and, to a lesser extent, Hochstetter’s frogs. Both species are known to be present in surrounding catchments and the Coromandel Ranges forest environments more generally. Hochstetter’s frogs are more likely to be associated with stream margins and small tributaries. Rarity / distinctiveness Very Low Not applicable. High Both Archey’s and Hochstetter’s frogs at classified as ‘At Risk – Declining’, although Archey’s frogs have a more restricted range nationally. The Coromandel population of Archey’s frogs is one of three populations in NZ18. Wharekirauponga and the Project Area are close to the known range limit for the species in southern Coromandel (although data is patchy). As described in Section 5.3.1, we consider that current published population estimates are likely to underestimate the true population size. 18 Archey’s frogs occur naturally in the Coromandel and Whareorino Forest. A population of Archey’s frogs was translocated to Pureora Forest in 2006 (Bishop et. al 2013).
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