BAAM Services

Ecological Planning & Wildlife Management

Ecological Planning For Local Governments

The challenge of planning for wildlife persistence within and movement through urban and rural landscapes can be assisted by a range of ecological investigations, providing data to inform planning processes that may include responses to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and the predicted impacts of climate change on habitats and species. Such investigations include:

Ecological contribution to Master Planning projects, identifying environmental values and the most effective measures for maintaining wildlife habitat and connectivity within the context of the development and external habitats.
Identification of species or ecosystems at risk from environmental factors and/or human activity.
Identification, survey and monitoring of priority species habitats and populations.
Modelling of priority species habitats –spatial data analysis by GIS to provide broadscale mapping of species habitats using existing records, essential habitats, species life histories and targeted field assessment.
Identification of wildlife movement constraints and opportunities at local and regional levels, including the application of resistance-surface based connectivity modelling to identify priority habitat connections.
Options for increasing safe movement opportunities for fauna through barriers such as road and rail corridors at key locations.
Options for wildlife corridor creation or enhancement where habitats are fragmented and where connections important for ecological resilience have been lost or degraded by urbanisation, agriculture and other human activities.
Weed and pest animal investigations and management recommendations.
Identification of opportunities for habitat enhancement or restoration in key locations to improve long term ecological resilience of species or ecosystems at risk.

We have previously provided these services to local governments, undertaking over 140 individual ecological planning and wildlife management service contracts for nine councils in South-east Queensland over the past 20 years, including contribution to staff training, community information and citizen science programs for bushcare and other local interest groups. See some of our past projects.

Ecological Planning For Developers

Consideration of ecological values in development planning has multiple benefits. Foremost for most developers is that it responds to legislative requirements to avoid and minimise impacts on ecological values. In some cases, there are also requirements to enhance existing values as a result of the development. This is where the knowledge and experience of your ecological team will ensure the best outcome for your investment. A development that is compliant with environmental requirements as well as being innovative, responsive and effective in its approach will maximise positive ecological outcomes, improve the long-term satisfaction of the site occupants/users and enhance the developer’s social licence to operate. See some of our past projects.

Wildlife Management

Our wildlife management projects have included such varied tasks as:

Preparing a comprehensive Koalas and Roads study for Redland City Council – identifying problem locations and recommending short, medium and long-term priorities for road and habitat treatment.
Investigating the impacts of domestic cats and dogs on urban wildlife and opportunities for management actions.
Monitoring the impacts of human activity on migratory shorebirds and recommendations for management.
Providing advice and management plan documents for Flying-fox roost management actions.
Relocation of raptor nests from critical infrastructure.
Monitoring roadkill to form baseline data and ongoing monitoring to measure the success of mitigation actions.
Conservation lands flora and fauna census to inform management actions.
Preparing species-specific Conservation Action Statements for local government implementation.
Undertaking trials to measure the efficacy of a range of frog proof-fencing designs, with the successful design installed for the Tugan Bypass project.
Camera trapping for feral predator identification and management.
Identifying conservation significant flora species in roadside remnants over an entire LGA and providing management recommendations to retain and enhance habitat.
Multiple projects that have included recommendations for road design elements to facilitate safe fauna passage.
Assessing risks and opportunities for Kangaroo management at Sunshine Coast University Campus and the Wacol Correctional Facility.
Assessing the impacts on bird life of netting installed on the Gateway Motorway to prevent motor vehicle accidents from stray golf balls.

Outside of our contracted work, BAAM conceived and has been instrumental in the on-going work of the Glossy Black Conservancy. Since 2005 the organisation has been dedicated to better understanding of the management requirements of the vulnerable Glossy Black-Cockatoo. With the contributions of 12 member organisations (including eight local governments from the Tweed to the Fraser Coast), the Queensland Government, Griffith University, and many friends, the result is a coordinated and consensus effort to implement the strategic vision based on three pillars: (1) education and engagement to build public awareness and support; (2) information sharing; and (3) science based but practical management advice. Find out more about the Conservancy here