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The following case studies are projects that were team efforts. Abel Ecology worked in these projects with a range of other professionals, such as surveyors, planners, environmental lawyers, engineers, hydrologists and project managers. Such projects require excellent working relationships in a team to produce an outcome on time and within a budget. Abel Ecology does not work in a vacuum, but as a team member.
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| Lot Divisions | Creek Crossing | Dam and Jetty | Rainforest Walk | Residential Lots |
A degraded grazing property in western Sydney was redeveloped as a golf course in 1993. It was subject to a range of management problems such as weeds, dryland salinity, erosion and turf grass insect pests. The remnant vegetation was Cumberland Plain Woodland, an Endangered Ecological Community.
The course superintendent asked for a habitat restoration plan in 1996, and this was implemented from 1997 to 2002. The challenge was to restore the Cumberland Plain Woodland and encourage native fauna to return to the site and act as pest control agents, in order to improve the playing qualities and management of the course.
The vegetation has responded to weeding and planting. The course has been self sufficient for water for the life of the development. There has been a doubling of species of birds, reptiles and frogs, and insectivorous bats have increased from none to eight species. One Endangered and one Vulnerable plant species have emerged on the site. Maintenance costs and staff costs for mowing and watering have been reduced on the course.
Golf Course Superintendent David Scaife has received the AGCSA Claude Crockford Environmental Award.
Consultant ecologist Danny Wotherspoon was invited to present a paper on the success of the project to the XIXth International Congress of Zoology in Beijing, China in August 2004.
A two hectare site at Mulgrave, western Sydney, supported a stand of an Endangered Ecological Community, Shale Gravel Transition Forest, the endangered Cumberland Plain Land Snail, and the threatened plants Downy Wattle Acacia pubescens and Spider Flower Grevillea juniperina. It was zoned industrial and surrounded by a developed industrial area.
In order to achieve development consent the concurrence of NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service was required. The NPWS (DECCW) policy is to get an offset conservation site to replace the area to be developed.
The offset was achieved, and the consent granted, enabling the entire site to be developed.
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| Streetscape |
An abandoned orchard at Dural in northern Sydney supports an Endangered Ecological Community Turpentine Ironbark Margin Forest. A protracted appeal in the NSW Land and Environment Court resulted in a range of consent conditions attached to the consent to develop the site for a bulky goods retail outlet. These consent conditions required the cooperation of neighbouring land managers.
Inadequate flora and fauna reports submitted to the Court, and the presence of the Turpentine Ironbark Margin Forest provided a complex scenario for development of a bushfire management plan.
The consent was for major building construction adjacent to the forest, which was to be managed for bushfire protection. However, the forest was to be also regenerated as an Endangered Ecological Community.
Negotiations with a range of state and local government agencies were undertaken. The site was cleared of old buildings, contaminated waste and weed affected vegetation. Demolished vegetation was separated and the weed free material mulched and logged for landscape use. A cooperative solution with adjoining land managers enabled all site constraints to be managed so as to enable development to proceed, and the project was completed on time and within budget.
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| Forest Located behind building |
An abandoned orchard on a ridge top is surrounded by steep slopes supporting an endangered ecological community Shale Sandstone Transition Forest (SSTF) and a number of threatened species of plants and animals.
A real estate agent had advised the owner that as it was 100 acres, and it was zoned for 10 acre Lots, it could be developed as a ten Lot subdivision. Constraints of bushfire, cliffs, swamp, and endangered vegetation (both plant species and SSTF) significantly reduced the developable area. The challenge was to maximise the yield within the site constraints.
An initial constraints plan was developed, providing opportunity for four Lots. A management plan which integrated bushfire and native vegetation management reduced the area of development constraint. Further investigation, creative subdivision design and innovative sewerage treatment enabled a six Lot subdivision. The development cost per Lot was minimised by use of a community sewerage treatment plant. The Community Association residents enjoy a lower per household waste management cost, and recycled water for non potable use.
Road was aligned to protect three endangered plant species.
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| Top of the Ridge |
Routine maintenance by Transgrid identified the need for the removal of trees from under a power line. The land is known to support two threatened frog species, the Red-crowned Toadlet and the Giant Burrowing Frog, and a plant which is listed as Endangered under Part 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, Persoonia mollis subsp. maxima.
This land has been in the spotlight of community concern for over a decade due to the threatened species known to be on site. It was evident that all stakeholders needed to be involved in the process. Work had to be carried out in a sensitive manner, so that no threatened species were adversely affected by the works.
An REF (Review of Environmental Factors) was produced with the input and advice of Abel Ecology staff. Special provisions provided a practical and sensitive outcome; Transgrid, local government and the community were all pleased with the result.
An existing grazing property was subdivided into ten acre (4 hectare Lots) Torrens Title for rural residential use.
Maximum yield was required, together with maximum grazing availability, and minimum impact on downstream habitat.
All properties retain access to the water resources, views of the mountains and viable carrying capacity for pet horses.
Maximum use was made of existing water resources for recreation, equestrian use, visual amenity, and environmental management
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| Good Grazing |
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ACN 079 079 762 ABN 72 516 253 75 |
Abel Ecology Pty Ltd 2011. Trading as Abel Earthcare, Abel EarthScape
and Abel Archaeology