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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 218 asked in the Legislative Council on 6 May 2010 by Hon Lynn Maclaren

Parliament: 38 Session: 1


JANDAKOT AIRPORT EXPANSION — PRESENCE OF GRAND SPIDER ORCHID


218. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the Minister for Environment:

(1) How many grand spider orchids were identified in the Jandakot bushland that has been approved to be cleared for the Jandakot Airport expansion, and by whom?

(2) How many have been removed to date?

(3) Is the minister aware that there is anecdotal evidence of a significantly higher number of orchids in the area than has been officially reported?

(4) In reference to the translocation studies of grand spider orchids taken from the Roe Highway stage 7 project area, how many orchids were removed?

(5) On each year since their translocation —

      (a) how many orchids survived;

      (b) how many flowered; and

      (c) how many reproduced—that is, set seed?

(6) For how much longer will this monitoring be undertaken?

Hon DONNA FARAGHER replied:

I thank the member for some notice of this question.

(1) Jandakot Airport Holdings stated in its Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 referral that there are 40 individual grand spider orchids in the area that has been approved to be cleared for the Jandakot Airport expansion.

      These orchids were identified by environmental consultants employed by Jandakot Airport Holdings. The initial identification of grand spider orchids in the proposed development area was by staff from the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority who were asked by Jandakot Airport Holdings to survey the site in 2005.
(2) Twenty grand spider orchids have been removed by BGPA to date as part of a translocation project.

(3) I understand that public submissions to the EPBC act referral and draft master plan suggest that there are more than 40 grand spider orchids within the area proposed for development.

(4) I am advised that 22 grand spider orchids were translocated by BGPA in 2004.

(5) (a)–(b) In 2005, 17 orchids emerged of which nine flowered. In 2006, 11 orchids emerged of which eight flowered. In 2007, 10 orchids emerged of which six flowered. In 2008, 10 orchids emerged of which five flowered. In 2009, eight orchids emerged of which five flowered.

(5) (c) I am advised that none of the translocated plants set seed during this period. Seed set in this species is typically extremely low.

(6) Although the specific monitoring program concluded in 2009, I am advised that the BGPA will continue to monitor these translocated individual plants on an annual basis as part of its broader ongoing threatened flora research.