Conducting baseline surveys for Environmental Impact Assessment in WA

I've just returned from conducting a baseline survey in the Murchison region of Western Australia. We had a fantastic trip, and thought it would make a good topic for a new blog, so here it is.

When i first begun work as an environmental consultant, for me it was all about having fun in the field and frothing on the critters we would catch, without too much consideration as to why I was out there in the first place. However, as my career has progressed it has become increasingly important to understand why we do the surveys we do. I'm certainly no expert on environmental law, but below is a short summary of the process and role of environmental consultants. Feel free to skip to the pretty pictures if this is too boring.....

Within Western Australia, any mining, infrastructure or development proposal must undergo what is called an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The EIA process aims to provide environmental advice on the acceptability and potential environmental impacts as a result of the project. The government agency responsible for providing guidance and assessing EIA of a project is the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Starting at the start, when someone wants to do a development project, it must be referred to the EPA. The EPA then makes a decision as to the level of assessment (scrutiny) the project will be subject to. There are two levels of assessment; Assessment of Proponent Information (API - lower level of assessment) and Public Environmental Review (PER - higher level of assessment). The level of assessment is determined through a host of factors, such as size and scale of project, location, community issues, potential income of project etc.

Once the level of assessment has been determined, the proponent goes about collecting the relevant information required to submit a PER or API document. An important component of the required information is understanding what flora and fauna occur, and what the potential impacts to these are - thats where we as environmental consultants come in! Proponents generally don't have the resources or capabilities to complete these studies themselves, so employ us to complete it for them. Typically, a full suite of biological studies will be required, flora, vertebrate fauna, short range endemic invertebrate fauna, troglofauna and stygofauna (subterranean dwelling fauna). Initially a baseline study is completed, effectively the aim of this study is to sample all flora and fauna that occur within the study area. It is a snapshot of everything that is living in that area at that time. Depending on the results of the baseline survey, follow up surveys for potentially threatened species may be required.

Once the proponent has completed all these surveys, the information goes in to the API or PER document and is submitted to the EPA. The project is assessed, and advice is given to the Environment Minister who then makes a decision as to whether the project gets environmental approval. Here lies one of the quirks of the whole system, despite the EIA process being rigid and in depth, ultimately the EPA only provides advice, with the final decision purely in the hands in the minister, who also takes in to considerations such as income and community benefits of the project. So has the power to go against the recommendation of the EPA.

So thats a brief summary, now on to the fun stuff! Sampling design is critical when completing a baseline survey. We want to make sure we sample all the different habitat types within a project area, as many vertebrate fauna species can be restricted to quite specific habitat types. To sample fauna, we implement a range of methodologies, including systematic trapping sites and complimenting trapping sites with a range of active searching methods.

Standard trapping sites usually consist of pitfall traps with a fence dissecting the trap to divert fauna in, funnel traps at the end or along fences, and baited elliot (small box traps with a trigger plate) traps and cage traps. There are various trap set up arrangements, where i work we have a single pitfall trap dissected by a 10 m fence and a funnel trap at each end. I find this single trap arrangement gives flexibility and allows you to target micro-habitats, but always wonder if there is a more effective way. We alternate between 20 L buckets (50 cm deep) and 25 cm wide pipes (60 cm deep). Buckets tend to catch more then pipes due to their wider diameter, however small mammals can jump out of them. Due to the longer depth of less width of a pipe, they tend to catch more mammals.

Each trap site has 10 of the pitfall trap line set ups, and for a standard survey we usually install eight trap sites. Guidelines specify trap sites must be open for a minimum of seven nights, ultimately this means that in order to keep time frames (and budgets) as short as possible, traps get installed as quick as possible. That equals two to three days of really solid hard yakka on the crowbar and shovel. Digging in pitfall traps and digging trenches for the drift fence can be extremely hard work. Many of our project areas are for iron ore mines, so you don't need to be a geologist to realise the ground is going to be rocky. Often, we literally dig traps in to rocks. Then comes the heat, it might be 40 degrees (or more), and thats in the shade, I've always wondered what the temperature would be while standing in full sun on a iron-stone ridge throwing the crowbar at a rock with equal iron content. Hopefully I have portrayed that this can be really hard work, and you need to be seriously motivated about catching small reptiles and other critters, otherwise it is just crazy. If you aren't passionate, you wont last. I actually really enjoy the physical challenge of "dig-ins", it is an extremely satisfying feeling of accomplishment and team work once the final trap site has been finished. Time for a well earned beer!

Seano hard at work setting up a trap line. This site within a salt lake was pleasantly easy, compared to the rocky substrates we often install traps in to.

And the finished result - pitfall trap, 10 m drift fence and a funnel trap each end.

Once all the trap sites are set up, its time for the next phase of the field survey. Our typical day will consist of an early start (5-5:30 am) to get to trap sites at first light. Two main reasons for this, to begin the bird surveys during the dawn chorus which is generally the most effective time of day to record the birds present, and to clear the traps of nocturnal animals, before the sun gets up too high and hot. All the effort of trap installation pays off when it comes to trap check in the morning. There's always a sense of anticipation to see what has been caught the day before and during the night. The reason for going to all the effort of digging in pitfall traps is that they are extremely effective at catching small mammal and reptile species. Many of these species are cryptic and rarely encountered outside of trapping, so it is definitely worthwhile.

A legless lizard - Pygopus nigriceps, captured in a funnel trap

This juvenile Yellow-spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes) was crammed inside this elliot trap

Pretty little skink, Ctenotus pantherinus, commonly trapped

A small burrowing goanna species found within sandy habitats throughout arid Australia, Varanus eremius

Occasionally we encounter predator interactions such as this. In this example, a Sandy Inland Mouse (Pseudomys hermannsbergensis) has been trapped in a funnel trap, and a Stripe-faced Dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura) has seized the opportunity. Its a Dunnart eat Mouse world out there in the bush. 

While conducting trap check, one person completes bird surveys at the site. Unfortunately i dont have a zoom lens capable of proper bird photography so I'm light on for birdy pics. The bird activity during the survey was excellent, I even got a lifer, Inland Dotterel! The Inland Dotterel is an incredibly unique shorebird species, superbly adapted to life in the arid interior of Australia. They spend their days on open plans where they camouflage perfectly. Needless to say, i was frothing to finally catch up with this iconic species.

Spot the Inland Dotterel, it shouldn't be hard, there are 12 birds in this pic!

A closer view of the Inland Dotterel's in the previous picture. A superbly camouflaged bird and perfectly adapted to the inland plains of Australia.

I don't carry my camera with me when doing bird surveys, so don't get a lot of bird photos. I took this pic of a Western Bowerbird on my iphone with no zoom, so you can see he was only a meter or so away. I pished him in by squeeking and making funny noises, and being the inquisitive birds they are, came right up to say hello.

To compliment the trapping we do, after we have checked traps we spend the rest of the day doing various activities aimed at detecting additional species. This includes actively searching for animals under leaf litter, bark, wood etc., completing habitat assessments, additional bird surveys, targeted threatened species surveys, setting up motion cameras and putting out recording devices for bats. These record the echolocation calls of bats as they pass by, with each species having a call of a unique frequency. Another large part of what we do are nocturnal surveys. Many of Australia's fauna are nocturnal, especially out in the arid regions, so not only is spotlighting great fun, its an effective way of recording new species. There are two ways to do it, road spot by cruising in a vehicle at about 40 km/hr and looking for critters on the road, and searching on foot with a head torch. Both methods have their merits. We generally encounter geckos, snakes, mammals and night birds, but anything is possible!

A motion sensing camera, set up to capture photos of animals that enter the field of view.

A bat recorder set up, this model is a Song Meter 2.

A Barking Gecko (Underwoodisaurus milii), a very northerly record for this species.

One of my all time favourite gecks, Nephrurus vertebralis, just stunning!

We are currently living through the age of reptile re-classification. With the advancement in genetics and DNA mapping, many small reptile species throughout Australia are getting "split" in to new species. On this trip we encountered one of these brand new splits. Previously these two geckos were considered the same species - Diplodactylus conspiculatus. Following a genetic and morphology revision, they are now regarded as distinct species, Diplodactylus conspiculatus (top and left tail) and Diplodactylus laevis (bottom and right tail), with one of the morphological characteristics a pointy or rounded tail tip, and variations in scale patterns and shapes.

Another of my favourite geckos, spiny-tailed geckos of the Strophurus genus. This is Strophurus strophurus displaying stunning camouflage. The Strophurus group of  geckos are unique in having the ability to squirt a viscous fluid from their tail when threatened, so be warned!

A really terrible photo of a really cool arid frog species (Notaden nichollsi). These guys burrow deep in to the sand and aestivate during dry conditions for months at a time. When the rains come they pop out of their burrows to quickly breed before the country dries up again. 

This lovely little Fat-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) run across the road while road spotting and sheltered in a shrub allowing me to get a couple of great pics. Dunnarts are part of the Dasyurid family, carnivorous marsupials, so despite superficially looking like a mouse, they are more like a kangaroo (a pet hate of mine that people refer to all small mammals as mice or rats). They are savage and efficient hunters and consume anything they can, including other mammals.

Its not all fluffy mammals and cute geckos. This Urodacus sp. scorpion is equally froth-worthy!

Expert herper and Wookie impersonator Jordan doing some spotlighting for turtles.

As with all baseline surveys, we identify potential threatened species that could occur in the project area prior to leaving, and then target these species in the field. For this assessment, we had a large focus on the Brush-tailed Mulgara (Dasycercus blythi). In 2006 two species of Mulgara were described, which previously represented a single species. When they were split, the Crest-tailed Mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda) was assigned federal protection while the Brush-tailed Mulgara is only listed as a state priority species with no formal legal protection. However, the federal environment agency regards the two species as morphologicaly indistinguishable, and as a result both species come under the blanket cover of the federally protected species. This has been a huge pain for mining companies throughout WA, as projects with Mulgara present have conditions slapped on to them, even though in reality it is the Brush-tailed Mulgara present. Anyway, lots of people are working towards resolving the matter, but as they are a hot topic at the moment, we spent lots of time targeting them, with good results. Moving away from all the administration stuff, they are just super cool little critters, very nice to handle and not aggressive at all.

A Brush-tailed Mulgara that was captured in one of our traps.

Motion cameras are an effective method to sample for Mulgara. We generally bait the area with sardines which has proven effective in attracting these cool little critters in for a look.

A live action shot of an individual we encountered while road spotting one night.

If you know what you are looking for, you can detect animals without seeing them. This photo shows the diagnostic tracks of the Mulgara. they have a quadrapedal gait, like most dasyurids, where their two back feet stay together and the two front feet go one in front of the other. We know they are Mulgara as there are no other dasyurid species of this size in the area we were surveying. 

The environment out in arid Australia is one of extremes. Extreme beauty, and the other scale, extreme hardships and pain. Once you spend a bit of time out there, and you see the good side, it's hard not to fall in love with it. Landscapes go on forever, as do the sunsets and the contrasts in colours need to be seen to be believed. Following good rain the biomass just booms. Grass and seeds springs up everywhere, which the insects follow and so do the fauna. But they don't call it a boom and bust system for nothing, and more often then not it is bust. The flies will drive you mad, literally. Perfectly sane people will walk around the bush until a fly buzzes in your eye for the 3,421st time that day, at which point you lose the plot and curse every expletive under the sun for five minutes. That should get you through until the next day. I don't wear a fly net, because you can't see as well out of them, so prefer to suck it up (literally, i think we average a fly or two intake per day. It is so funny when it happens to someone else in mid conversation)

After the flies it is the heat, dust, sweat, cuts, bruises and bumps, tiredness and missing the family. It's funny how a three week old dead kangaroo under the shower block can detract from the serenity. But if you can get through the tough stuff, it makes you appreciate the environment out there so much more. Not everyone survives, only the passionate ones, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Ahhhhh the flies, this is merely a tiny subset of the flock that constantly follow you. An unwanted daily source of additional protein intake.

Being out in the bush working it is inevitable a few injuries will occur from time to time. Being involved in the mining industry we are very safety conscious, but mishaps are still bound to occur. Here i had an unfortunate incident involving the seat belt in the car, like a magic trick, one second my finger nail was there, the next it was gone!

Blue skies and warm sunny days are the norm. Contrasting with the red dirt of the outback, the landscapes of this harsh land can be amazing, especially following good rain as was the case during this survey. Here I am in my standard "get on that bird" pose. 

Early mornings might be tough when you are rolling out of the swag, but once the birds are calling and the sun pokes its head above the horizon, where else would you want to be? (As always there is an equal reaction, as with the first rays of light, also come the first swarms of flies)

And the end of the day. These sunsets are dime a dozen in the outback. 

Another day another dollar, or something like that. Actually out here, money is one of the furthest things on the mind, which is pleasantly refreshing. It's a great feeling to kick back at the end of a hard day, for a few beers with good mates. 

So thats a baseline fauna survey in a nutshell. Don't let the pretty animal pics on facebook think we are just out there gallivanting around the country to photograph geckos and the like. It is a complicated, hard thought and calculated process, with lots of stress and demands (both mental and physical) at times. And its critically important we do it well. My own morals and high standards demand we work hard to make sure we leave no leaf un-turned in the pursuit and protection of threatened species. But as no doubt it has become overwhelmingly clear, the results are worth it, and I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to have a job I thoroughly enjoy and am passionate for.

I thought about how to finish this blog, and settled on the below image to sum it all up. The inland salt lakes of Western Australia have long been considered a potential strong hold for arguably the worlds most enigmatic and rarest bird species, the Night Parrot. Those that know me will attest that over the years I've developed something of an obsession for this nocturnal, arid dwelling parrot. So we weren't going to miss the opportunity to try and track down this highly cryptic species. We spent many star filled, clear nights out waiting, listening and hoping that we would hear that two-note call I have read about a thousand times in the literature. Alas it wasn't to be on this occasion, but i live in hope of tracking this species down in WA somewhere, hopefully sooner rather then later.

Listening for Night Parrots under a southern sky. Although we didn't hear any calls of interest, the experience itself makes it worthwhile. Having an excuse to sit out under the stars for a couple of hours is what being a dedicated zoologist is all about.