Wambo Coal AEMR 2011-2012 - Peabody Energy

• A relatively high number of weed species;
• Some areas of gully and stream erosion;
• The presence of rabbits at some sites; and
• The presence of some riparian microhabitat features.
North Wambo Creek Transect 4 was in poor condition scoring only four. Transect 4 lacked
both canopy and understorey layers and was essentially a grassland containing many
weed species. However, while scoring only four, Transect 4 had high ground cover and
lacked any areas of erosion and most disturbance factors (rabbits were present).
Sections
The sections along North Wambo Creek were almost evenly divided between moderate
and good condition (n=8 and n=6 respectively). North Wambo Creek transect moderate
condition scores were typically characterised by:
• A mature canopy of moderate species diversity and density;
• Some weed species in the understorey;
• A complete ground cover of grasses, although containing some weed species;
• The presence of rabbits at some sites;
• Some areas of gully and stream erosion; and
• The presence of some riparian microhabitat features.
In comparison to the moderate condition sites the good and excellent sections along North
Wambo Creek typically showed:
• An reduced presence of weed species in the canopy, understorey and ground cover
layers; and
• A higher presence of riparian microhabitat features.
4.2.3 Stoney Creek
Stoney Creek comprised excellent transect and section scores where sites were within
remnant forest vegetation, and good and moderate scores for sites adjacent to or lacking
remnant forest vegetation.
Transects
Stoney Creek transect scores ranged from excellent in the upper reaches of the creek line
to moderate along the middle section of the creek line with the lower more disturbed parts
of the creek line being in good condition. The presence of a significant canopy layer, a
general lack of weed species and the absence of feral animals were the key differences
between the excellent scoring transects and those considered to be good and moderate
along Stoney Creek. While the condition score varied, all transects along Stoney Creek
lacked areas of erosion.
2011 Annual Ecological Monitoring Report, Final Report, May 2012 Page 34