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Summary of document

Ecological impact assessments have identified that the North East Link Project has the potential to impact Eucalyptus x studleyensis (Studley Park Gum) which is now listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 – Threatened List (FFG Threatened List) (DELWP, 2021). In total, the Public Environment Report (PER) determined that 49 Studley Park gum individuals have the potential to be impacted directly and indirectly by the project. Subsequent to the preparation of the PER, an additional three Studley Park gum have also been identified as being directly impacted by works at Simpson Barracks. This brings the total to 52 Studley Park Gum determined to be directly and indirectly impacted. It is proposed that all impacts be offset in accordance with the Guidelines for the removal, destruction and lopping of native vegetation (DELWP, 2017).

At the time of assessment and approval, Studley Park Gum was only listed on the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP)’s Advisory List of Rare or Threatened Plants in Victoria 2014 (DEPI, 2014). While there were no legislative requirements for additional offsets for the removal of a species on DELWP’s advisory list at the time, DELWP requested additional actions to mitigate impacts to the Studley Park Gum.

Studley Park Gum has now been listed as Critically Endangered on the FFG Act Threatened List, however there are still no legislative requirements for additional offsets for the removal of this species.

Impacts to Studley Park gum will be mitigated through 2 activities:

1. Implementation of the Environmental Performance Requirement FF6 which requires the development and implementation of a Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem Monitoring and Mitigation Plan; and
2. Implementation of this Studley Park Gum Management Framework in accordance with Environmental Performance Requirement FF10 and EPBC Approval 2018/8142 to translocate 104 Studley Park gum trees within an appropriate recipient site.

The goal of this translocation is to initiate and deliver the establishment of a new population of Studley Park gum to ensure their ongoing conservation. To achieve this goal, it is proposed to establish 104 Studley Park gum trees in appropriate recipient sites (i.e. twice the number determined to be directly or indirectly impacted).

The following actions are proposed to be or have been undertaken to achieve the goal:

• Develop and implement a Seed Collection and Propagation Plan which provides detailed methods for the collection, storage and propagation of Studley Park gum seeds.
• Identify appropriate recipient site(s) to use for the establishment of a Studley Park gum population.
• Develop and implement a Management Plan for the recipient site(s) which includes detailed site-specific management actions.

This Studley Park Gum Management Framework document provides a broad outline of the actions North East Link Project propose to undertake to compensate for the impacts to Studley Park gum. Finer scale details on proposed actions will be provided in succeeding documents following approval of this management framework by DELWP.