A parliamentary question regarding the felling of a conservation significant King Jarrah tree during the Roe 8 highway project, specifically questioning the lack of fauna scientist consultation. The answer clarifies the reasons for not consulting a fauna scientist.

AnsweredQoN 6Legislative Council
Asked
16 February 2016
Portfolio
Transport

QuestionView source ↗

ROE HIGHWAY STAGE 8 —
ROAD RESERVE — KING JARRAH
6. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the king jarrah on the Roe 8 road reserve in
Coolbellup that was felled by a contractor last month and the vertebrate fauna
survey report by Phoenix Environmental Sciences prepared for South Metro
Connect in February 2011.
(1) Is the
felled jarrah one of the conservation significant trees listed in appendix 5 of
the named report?
(2) If yes to (1), what is the waypoint number in the report
for that tree?
(3) If no to (1), why not, given its
size and the fact that it had hollows?
(4) If yes to
(1), given the tree's conservation significance as defined in the
report by its potential to provide habitat for Carnaby's and forest
red-tailed black cockatoos, why was a fauna scientist not consulted prior to
the felling of the tree?
(5) In what
circumstances does Main Roads Western Australia usually consult a fauna
scientist before destroying trees deemed to be conservation significant?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) It is WP156.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Appendix 5 of the report states that
bees are present in the tree and that due to this it is marginal as a habitat
for black cockatoos. Also, the Roe 8 project area is outside of the known
breeding area for such cockatoos and, accordingly, a fauna scientist was not
consulted.
(5) Main Roads Western Australia obtains
relevant environmental approvals prior to clearing native vegetation. When
required as a condition of the environmental approval, Main Roads would consult
a fauna scientist prior to clearing the vegetation.

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