Biodiversity and natural environment

We will aim to identify opportunities for restoring and protecting natural systems and to conserve biological diversity in the environments in which we operate to minimise operational impacts on flora, fauna and habitats.

We conducted an environment review on Hills M2 in Sydney which recommended further investigation into biodiversity along the motorway. As a result, we commissioned an independent biodiversity review which was undertaken in June 2007.

The review included identifying whether any flora and fauna in the region was listed as endangered and vulnerable under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 or vulnerable under the Commonwealth Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Generally the lands around Hills M2 have low levels of biodiversity. There are some bushland remnants within the Hills M2 lands that adjoin larger areas of bushland (for example the Darling Mills State Forest) and these have a high diversity of plant species typical of intact habitats on Hawkesbury sandstone.

The investigators sighted some individual species adjacent to Hills M2 that are listed as endangered or vulnerable, for example the shrub Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens and Red-crowned Toadlets.

Other endangered and threatened flora species have been recorded by other NSW government organisations along the Hills M2 corridor or within 500 metres of its centreline. For more information visit the Atlas of NSW Wildlife or NSW threatened species websites.

Our next step is to understand how these species are affected by the roadway, monitor them and if necessary, document steps to minimise our impacts.

Last year as part of a major road upgrade project, a flora and fauna survey and assessment was completed as part of a major road upgrade project on the Southern Link section of CityLink.

As a result of the survey and assessment, a management plan will now be prepared for patches of native vegetation or trees that need to be cleared and disturbed areas will be revegetated with locally indigenous species.