Wambo Coal AEMR 2011-2012 - Peabody Energy

2 Flora
2.1 Methods
In 2011, a total of 34 permanent flora quadrats (20m x 20m) were surveyed (see Figure
2-1), comprising 32 quadrats sampled in 2010 plus two new relocated quadrats in 2011
due to a creek diversion. The vegetation surveys were conducted between late October to
early December 2011.
The relocated quadrats were previously called V6-A1c and V6-A3, and were located
north-east of and within RWEP Area C respectively. At the request of Lachlan Crawford of
Wambo Coal Pty Ltd ,the quadrats were relocated to a new part Area C (V6-A1c) and
within the Analogue Area east of Area C (V6-A3). These two quadrats occur within
Narrow-leaf Ironbark / Grey Box / Bulloak / Honeymyrtle Forest. The replacement of these
sites has meant that data can only be analysed for the 2011 survey for these sites.
During the 2010 flora surveys, five flora plots (V1-A1, V1-A2, V1-B1, V1-B2 & V1-B3)
were moved from within the channel of Wollombi Brook to the banks of the Brook as per
the recommendation in the 2009 report. All of these quadrats occur within River Oak /
Rough-barked Apple Forest. This has meant that data can only be analysed for the 2010
and 2011 surveys for these sites. In addition, a new quadrat was added to RWEP Area D
in 2010 bringing the total number of permanent flora quadrats in Area D to two. The new
quadrat in Area D was added at the request of Wambo Coal Pty Ltd.
Changes to quadrat numbers and locations were undertaken with due consideration given
to obtaining improved sampling, both within individual RWEP areas, as well as within each
mapped vegetation community occurring within the survey areas. As such, analysis of the
data has been applied to monitoring both within quadrats and within vegetation community
types.
The following parameters were collected in accordance with Table 8 of the Wambo Coal
Flora and Fauna Management Plan:
• Flora species diversity;
» Total number of flora species;
» Number and percent of native flora species; and
» Number and percent of introduced flora species.
• Flora species abundance (modified Braun-Blanquet 1-6 (Braun-Blanquet 1982)).
Specimens of plant species which could not be identified within the field were collected
and identified according to nomenclature in Harden (1992, 1993, 2000 & 2002).
Figure 2-1 shows the location of the 2011 flora plots.
2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report, Final Report, May 2012 Page 4