Hamilton Senior High students help with Graceful Sun Moth habitat surveys
Five Hamilton Senior High School students and science teacher Felicity Farrelly teamed up with botanists on Tuesday 18 May to survey Lomandra hermaphrodita in the Roe Highway road reserve adjacent to the school. Lomandra hermaphrodita provides an important reproductive site and potential food source for the endangered Graceful Sun Moth. The outing provided a great opportunity for the students to learn about some of the field survey techniques used by experienced environmental professionals, and it also provided an excellent opportunity for the consultants to interact with the students and learn about their interests.
Ms Farrelly said, “Our students returned from the field trip having gained a range of skills in surveying flora and fauna habitats using GPS technology to establish grids.The students were struck by the fun they had on the trip so close to our school grounds and the nature of the work scientists undertake each day. The field trip increased their understanding of the amazing plants and animals that are in the bushland surrounding our school and the value of these living things to our community. Our students are very keen to learn more from the botanical scientists.”
The preliminary results of the survey have found Lomandra hermaphrodita in the road reserve in the north west quadrant of the Stock Road / Forrest Road intersection.
Students from Hamilton Senior High School pictured surveying Lomandra hermaphrodita with botanists from South Metro Connect.
Opportunities to Enhance the Environment
This month South Metro Connect was given an opportunity to briefly present the content of its Environmental Scoping Document to the Board of the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA). This was followed by a brief visit to the project site by the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA).
Since the announcement of the project in August 2009, statements have been made in respect to identifying opportunities to enhance the environment within the project vicinity boundaries, particularly in the areas near North and Bibra lakes. Prior to European settlement the area was an important link in an Aboriginal trade route between the Swan and the Murray Rivers, providing an important source of food. The area is of archaeological and ethnographic significance. Following European settlement, the area had a long history of varying land use including farming, landfill and more recently recreation and urban development, which has resulted in some environmental degradation of the area.
The Roe Highway Extension project provides an opportunity to address some of these issues and potentially add value to the area. Potential opportunities include:
- Wetland restoration and/or enhancement
- Rehabilitation of degraded areas as part of revegetation and landscaping activities
- Development of educational facilities and interpretive trails to support local schools, tertiary institutions and the general public
- Mitigation of existing contamination sources, such as from existing roads and pre-existing landfill sites
- Restoration of ecological linkages severed by Hope Road
- Working with community groups, Department of Environment and Conservation and Local Government Authorities to identify local flora and fauna, and to identify and implement strategies that will preserve and protect these species
Environmental offsets may form conditions of project approval. These offsets may potentially include:
- Acquisition of remnant bush areas to be added to the conservation estate for permanent protection from future development
- Contribution to management plans in local parks
- Acquisition of degraded land and rehabilitation with native species to re-establish appropriate habitat.
Design Workshop Three: North Lake Road to Bibra Drive
South Metro Connect would like to apologise for printing the incorrect title and section details in the community news insert for Design Workshop Three. The insert invites community members to participate in Design Workshop Two: Stock Road to North Lake Road, when it should have invited community members to Design Workshop Three: North Lake Road to Bibra Drive.
Here is a correct version of the invitation:
Tuesday, 01 June 2010
South Metro Connect invites you to attend a design workshop to discuss options, identify needs and opportunities and discuss concerns to help identify the most favourable design for the North Lake Road to Bibra Drive section of the proposed Roe Highway Extension.
Date: Tuesday 1 June 2010
Location: Retro Chef Function Centre, 20 Gwilliam Dr
(off Progress Dr), Bibra Lake
Times: Morning session: 9:00am – 1:00pm or
Evening session: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
A discussion drawing will be presented at the workshop to prompt conversation and technical specialists will be on hand to answer questions and discuss different options.
South Metro Connect recognises that there are members of the community who oppose the State Government’s decision to extend Roe Highway. The role of South Metro Connect however is to work collaboratively with the community to identify the best design within the project boundaries that will respect the local environment and meet the growing traffic demands and associated social issues of the rapidly expanding southern corridor. This will be the focus of the design workshop. Those members of the community who oppose the extension are able to raise their concerns with their local MP.
Workshop sessions will begin with an introduction and information segment that will provide participants with background information to make their participation in the workshop easier. Following this segment, you will be able to choose between a structured or unstructured workshop format. The unstructured format, also called Open Space, will enable participants to choose the topics they wish to discuss. The structured forum will be a combination of set topics and group generated topics to be discussed at facilitated tables.
To participate in the workshop please call us on 1800 132 572. If you are unable to commit to the entire workshop, the Open Space format can accommodate people with time constraints. Attendance at the information segment at the start of either the morning or evening workshop is important.
Please register early to secure a seat at the structured forum. Registrations close on Friday 28 May 2010 at 12 noon.
If you would like to contribute to the workshop but are unable to attend in person, please visit our online forum www.southmetroforum.com.au
For more information please visit www.southmetroconnect.com.au or call us on 1800 132 572.
Do you have any questions?
South Metro Connect’s shopfront is open to the public 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Consultants are also available outside business hours. Please call us on 1800 132 572 to arrange a meeting. Our shopfront is located at 18 Blackly Row, Cockburn Central (Yangebup).
Alternatively you can email us at enquiries@southmetroconnect.com.au. For more information please visit our website www.southmetroconnect.com.au.