Friends of Grasslands
supporting native grassy ecosystems
PO Box 987
Civic Square ACT 2608
Phone: 02 62.. ....
Approvals and
Wildlife Division
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
email:
epbc.referrals@environment.gov.au
Dear Sir/Madam
AFP Majura Driver Training Facility, Majura, ACT
Reference number: 2013/6807
Friends of Grasslands (FOG) is a community group dedicated to the conservation of natural temperate grassy ecosystems in south-eastern Australia. FOG advocates, educates and advises on matters to do with the conservation of grassy ecosystems, and carries out surveys and other on-ground work. FOG is based in Canberra and its members include professional scientists, landowners, land managers and interested members of the public.
FOG notes that the preliminary assessment report on the proposed new driver training facility site records the site to be predominately exotic pasture, with a small percentage of native vegetation. However, the report notes that the site does contain some possible habitat for Delma impar (the striped legless lizard) in the southern part of the development zone, and that the presence of striped legless lizards cannot be discounted without additional targeted surveys. It also notes that an individual lizard, probably from the Delma genus, was sighted during a vegetation survey. In FOG’s view the absence of the striped legless lizard in the development area needs to be confirmed (i.e. the suggested targeted surveys should be undertaken) before any development approvals are given, to be sure that the proposal does not impact on this threatened species. If, in fact, the striped legless lizard does occur on the site, boundaries of the development site needs to be changed to exclude the lizard habitat from any development zone.
Yours sincerely
Sarah Sharp
President
9 April 2013