How are Targeted Significant Flora Surveys Carried Out?
Targeted flora surveys conducted in the field will be informed by a desktop assessment, completed before mobilising to the field. The desktop assessment will identify significant flora that may occur and enable a target list to be prepared. Field guides, providing photographs and other information about the species, such as physical descriptions and notes on habitat preferences are also prepared to be taken into the field, to assist field botanists in identifying target species in the field.
Once in the field, there are a number of methods and levels of detail that can be used to undertake targeted flora surveys. The method selected will depend on a number of things, including:
The nature of the project (e.g. developments with proposed clearing may require thorough and exhaustive surveys, whereas flora monitoring may be less intensive)
The stage of the project (if early in the planning process, significant effort towards targeted surveys may not be required, since design and therefore footprints may change).
The likelihood of significant flora occurring (where significant species are known to occur and a population census is required, thorough and exhaustive effort may be required)
The visibility of vegetation and target species (searching for large shrubs on the open spinifex plains of the Pilbara would require less intensive searching than searching for a small sedge in dense wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain)
Targeted Flora Survey Capabilities
FVC are specialists in targeted significant flora surveys and flora monitoring, having completed dozens of such projects over many years. The team particularly specialise in and are known for targeted threatened orchid surveys across the south-west.
Targeted flora surveys are carried out by an experienced in-house team of FVC specialists, supplemented by sub-consultants where large teams are required to cover vast project areas.
Pinjarra
