Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project | Terrestrial Ecology Values and Effects of the WUG | 22 June 2022 39 5.5.2 Habitat Assessment Results Willows Road Farm The majority of the farm property is not suitable for bats, but there is a large group of pine trees that provide potential habitat for bats. The Mataura River and forest margin also provide a flight corridor that bats may utilise, although, given the continuous protected forest habitat within CFP, it is unlikely that if present, bats would use habitats within the farm property. These potential habitats are all outside of the Project Area. Coromandel Forest Park The habitat within CFP is suitable for bats, containing abundant suitable roost trees (native or exotic trees measuring greater than 15 cm DBH that have roosting habitat features, including hollows, cavities, knot holes, splits, cracks and peeling/flaking bark) and protected flyways (e.g., stream corridors). 5.5.3 Ecological Value of Bat Species The expected ecological values for bats are summarised in Table 9. The bat values at Willows Road farm and in CFP have been categorised as having Very Low ecological value. Table 9: Ecological values of bat species within the Project Area. * Indicates that detailed surveys at vent sites are required to confirm this assessment. Attribute Willows Road farm Coromandel Forest Park Representativeness Very Low Potential bat habitat within the farm property is limited in extent and assessed as unlikely to be occupied by bats. These potential habitats are all outside of the Project Area. Very Low* Habitat for bats is abundant within CFP, but there have been no confirmed records of bats in 20 years, despite 228 nights of survey Wharekirauponga in 2017-2021 (Appendix 2). Rarity / distinctiveness Very Low Not applicable. Very Low * Not applicable - there have been no confirmed records of bats, despite surveys in adjacent forest in Wharekirauponga. Diversity and pattern Very Low Not applicable. Very Low * Not applicable. Ecological context Very Low Not applicable. Very Low * Not applicable. Overall ecological value Very Low Very Low*
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