Statement. of the Environment

Transcription

1 Statement of the Envionment 2015

2 Mount Hotham Alpine Resot Management Boad / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

3 CONTENTS Intoduction 03 Diving foces 04 Visito Statistics 05 Legislative Factos 06 Poduction, Waste and Consumption 07 Enegy Geneation and Consumption 09 Waste Geneation, Disposal and Reclaimation 09 Wate Usage, Reclaimation and Dischage 09 Atmosphee 10 Climatic Vaiability 09 Tempeatue 09 Rainfall 09 Snow Depth and Duation of Cove 09 Geenhouse Gas Emissions 09 Land 09 Geological Featues 09 Soil 09 Fie Management 09 Biodivesity 09 Floa 09 Fauna 09 Wate 10 Rives and Catchments 09 Appendix 1. Ecological Vegetation map of the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot 53 Appendix 2. Theatened Floa list 54 Refeences 56 STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 2

4 INTRODUCTION The esot envionment compises of shap and slightly ounded peaks connected by idgelines incised by steep watecouses. 3 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

5 The Mount Hotham Alpine Resot is a pimaily cown land eseve located in noth-east Victoia coveing an aea of appoximately 3,450 hectaes. It is the highest of the five Victoian alpine esots with a summit elevation of 1861 metes asl. The esot envionment compises shap and slightly ounded peaks connected by idgelines incised by steep watecouses, and compises the headwates of fou majo ive catchments, the Kiewa, Mitta Mitta, Dago (Mitchell) and Ovens. The (MHARMB) established unde the Alpine Resots (Management) Act 1997 manages the Cown land acting as a Committee of Management unde the Cown Land (Reseves) Act This Statement of the Envionment epot has been developed to assist MHARMB in the development of an Envionmental Management System (EMS). It povides a collation of baseline and backgound infomation fom eadily available existing data. This epot along with a detailed isk assessment and mitigation actions identified within an Envionmental Management Plan will fom the basis of the EMS. Futue epots can be used to evaluate of the effectiveness of the EMS. This epot has been developed with consideation of the Fedeal govenment s famewok fo State of the Envionment epoting. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 4

6 DRIVING FORCES VISITOR STATISTICS: Visitation statistics ae based on weekly gate enty data as well as seasonal pass holde data. The weekly visito numbes collected thoughout the declaed winte season include an estimate of season pass visitation (ARCC, 2015). This estimate is adjusted at the end of the winte season using the etuns of seasonal pass holde suvey foms to ceate a final end of season visito esult. The ARCC povides the winte statistics of all esots on the website Some of the envionmental impacts fom esot opeations can be coelated to the numbe of visitos to the esot, including potable wate consumption, waste geneation and waste wate dischage volumes. Thoughout this epot available data is compaed to visito days (VDs) to geneate a pe equivalent peson statistic whee appopiate. Figue 1 shows a compaison of weekly visito day statistics fom 2010 to Figue 1 Compaison of weekly visito days statistics ecoded within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot between / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

7 DRIVING FORCES Visitation to the esot is influenced by snow depth. The July school holidays esult in high visitation numbes to the esot duing that peiod. Duing the 2014 winte season Mount Hotham ecoded 332,381 VDs, slightly below the 10 yea aveage of 345,168 but well above the 2013 winte total of 264,527. The 2013 winte season VDs figue was the lowest ecoded fo the pevious 10 yeas. In contast, the 2012 winte season VDs figue of 411,495 was the highest. Visitos Visito Days , , , , , , , , , , yea aveage 136, ,168 Table 1 Total winte season visito and visito days statistics ecoded within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot between STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 6

8 DRIVING FORCES Legislative Factos The following is a shot eview of some of the Fedeal and State legislation that guides and has implications on planning, envionmental, cultual heitage and fie management within the esot. Planning and Envionment Act 1987 The Planning and Envionment Act 1987 establishes a famewok fo planning use, development and potection of land in Victoia. The Act povides fo the ceation of the Victoian Planning Povisions which contain Zones, Ovelays, State Planning Policy Famewok and Local Planning Policies. The Mount Hotham Alpine Resot is within the Alpine Resot Planning Scheme and is also encompassed by an Eosion Management Ovelay (EMO), Bushfie Management Ovelay (BMO) and some aeas by an Envionmental Significance Ovelsy (ESO) and Heitage Management Ovelay (HO). The BMO is the planning contol to implement State policy aim to stengthen community esilience to bushfies. In Mach 2014, Amendment C22 was adopted and appoved intoducing a schedule to the BMO that modifies most standads in Clause subject to the implementation of emegency management aangements to pioitise the potection of life at each of the Alpine Resots. In Decembe 2013 Amendment VC105 was incopoated into all Planning Schemes to implement efoms elating to the pemitted cleaing of native vegetation. The amendments eflect a no net loss appoach athe than the pevious net gain appoach and outline a new isk based assessment pathway with simplified equiements fo low isk applications. A new incopoated document Pemitted cleaing of native vegetation - Biodivesity Assessment Guidelines eplaced the pevious Victoia s Native Vegetation - A Famewok fo Action. Envionmental Potection Act 1970 and Climate Change and Envionmental Potection (Amendment) Act 2012 and egulations The Act functions to pevent pollution and envionmental damage by setting quality objectives. The Envionment Potection Agency (EPA) administes the Act and any egulations including State Envionment Potection Policies and Waste Management Policies. Duties and functions unde the Act include woks appovals and licenses. Unde Victoia s Envionment Potection Act 1970, litteing is illegal, the Act authoises the EPA, local govenment, police and othe litte enfocement agencies to take action against offendes. Key changes to the 2012 legislation include common litte fines being doubled and the abolishment of sevice fees imposed by the EPA when it seved an abatement notice, pollution abatement notice o clean up notice on a business. 7 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

9 The Envionment Potection Act 1970 equies pemises which have the potential fo significant envionmental impact ae subject to woks appovals (fo constuction o modification of facilities o pocesses) and/o licences (fo opeating conditions, dischage limits, monitoing and epoting equiements). The Envionment Potection (Scheduled Pemises and Exemptions) Regulations 2007 pescibe the pemises that ae subject to woks appoval and/o licensing by EPA, and povide fo exemptions in cetain cicumstances. The Envionment Potection (Fees) Regulations 2012 The Envionment Potection (Fees) Regulations 2012 came into foce fom 28 Octobe The Regulations pescibe fees fo the majoity of EPA-administeed licenses and appovals unde the Envionment Potection Act 1970 (the Act), including woks appovals fees, license fees, waste tanspot pemit fees and envionmental audit fees. Envionment Potection (Envionment and Resouce Efficiency Plans) Regulations 2007 Unde the Envionment Potection (Envionment and Resouce Efficiency Plans) Regulations 2007, all commecial and industial sites in Victoia that use moe than 100 TJ of enegy and/o 120 ML of wate in a financial yea need to pepae a plan that identifies actions to educe enegy and wate use and waste geneation. Catchment and Land Potection Act 1994 The Catchment and Land Potection Act 1994 contains povisions elating to land management and noxious weeds, stating that land manages must take all easonable steps to avoid causing o contibuting to land degadation which causes o may cause damage to land of anothe land owne; and conseve soil. The Act also addesses envionmental management on a catchment scale to enhance long-tem land poductivity and consevation of the envionment. It contains povisions elating to catchment planning and land management. The Act sets out the esponsibilities of land manages (public and pivate), including the MHARMB, stating that they must take all easonable steps to potect wate esouces, eadicate egionally pohibited weeds, pevent the gowth and spead of egionally contolled weeds and pevent the spead of and whee possible, eadicate, established pest animals. Consevation Foests and Lands Act 1987 The Consevation Foests and Lands Act 1987 povides that public authoities (e.g. Alpine Resot Management Boad s) must submit a plan of woks pio to the commencement of woks involving soil o vegetation distubance above 1220m asl; the constuction of dams, weis, o othe stuctues, in o acoss wateways and the caying out of developments within a habitat which has been detemined to be a citical habitat unde the Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 8

10 DRIVING FORCES Legislative Factos Cont. State Envionmental Potection Policy Wates of Victoia 2003 The SEPP Wates of Victoia 2003 povides a legal famewok fo state and local govenment agencies, businesses and communities to wok togethe to potect and ehabilitate Victoia s suface wate envionments. It establishes beneficial uses of wateways that equie potection within the Highlands segment of Victoia. Those that ae elevant to the esot include; maintenance of natual aquatic ecosystems and aquatic wildlife, passage of indigenous fish, maintenance of indigenous ipaian vegetation, wate based eceation, Indigenous and non-indigenous cultual and spiitual values, commecial and eceational use of edible fish, custacea and mollusks, agicultual and potable wate supply and othe industial and commecial use. Impacts to suface wate quality must not exceed wate quality objectives specified to potect beneficial uses. Relevant clauses must be adheed to. Of paticula elevance to the Resot ae clauses: 43 - suface wate management and woks vegetation potection and ehabilitation constuction activities. Heitage Rives Act 1992 The Heitage Rives Act 1992 povides fo the potection of public land in paticula pats of ives o ive catchment aeas which have significant eceation, natue consevation, scenic o cultual heitage attibutes. The Act pohibits some land and wate-elated activities in heitage ive aeas, including the constuction of atificial baies and stuctues which may impact on the passage of wate fauna o significantly impai the aea s eceation, natue consevation, scenic o cultual heitage attibutes. The Mitta Mitta and Ovens Rives, whose headwates ae located in the Resot, ae listed as Heitage Rives. Wate Act 1989 The Wate Act 1989 outlines the law elating to wate in Victoia; it povides fo the integated management of all elements of the teestial phase of the wate cycle and the potection of catchment conditions. Safe Dinking Wate Act 2003 The Safe Dinking Wate Act 2003 equies wate supplies to pepae and implement plans to manage isks in elation to dinking wate and to ensue that the dinking wate supplied meets quality standads specified in the Safe Dinking Wate Regulations MHARMB is a wate supplie as defined unde the Act. 9 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

11 DRIVING FORCES Envionmental Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act 1999 The Envionment Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act 1999 cove mattes of national envionmental significance and povides potection fo listed species and communities, including listed floa species. The Victoian Assessment Bilateal ageement commenced on Decembe 26, The bilateal ageement between the Commonwealth of Austalia and Victoia elating to envionmental assessment (the bilateal ageement) allows the Commonwealth Ministe fo the Envionment to ely on specified envionmental impact assessment pocesses of Victoia in assessing actions unde the EPBC Act. Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act 1988 The Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act 1988 povides fo the management of theatened and potentially theatened floa and fauna species and communities and povides oppotunity fo listing of theatening pocesses. The FFG Act also povides fo the listing of floa taxa and the floa of listed communities on a list of Potected Floa. A pemit is equied (fom DELWP) fo any collection of indigenous floa, o woks o activities on public land that may kill, injue o distub potected floa species. Wildlife Act 1975 The Wildlife Act 1975 is the pimay legislation in Victoia fo the potection and management of vetebate wildlife (except fish). The Act aims to potect and conseve wildlife, to pevent thei extinction and to egulate activities such as tading in legally held species and hunting. Wildlife habitat is potected by the Wildlife (Regulations) County Fie Authoity Act 1958 The County Fie Authoity Act 1958 establishes the County Fie Authoity (CFA) whose ole is to povide fo the moe effective contol, pevention and suppession of fies in egional Victoia (i.e. outside the Metopolitan Fie Distict). The duty of the CFA is to pevent and suppess fies fo the potection of life and popety. This is to be undetaken in conjunction with othe elevant public agencies (e.g. DSE). Emegency Management Act 1986 The Emegency Management Act 1986 gives the Office of the Emegency Sevices Commissione (OESC) a boad ole in emegency pevention planning including fie sevices. This Act also addesses ecovey planning and management and includes specific esponsibilities and obligations on the MHARMB to plan fo emegencies that may occu within thei juisdiction. Foest Act 1958 and Foest (Fie Potection) Regulations 2004 The Foests Act 1958 and Foest Regulations 2004 povides fo fie pevention to be undetaken in state foest, national paks and potected public land. It also esticts the lighting of fies on these lands without authoity. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 10

12 DRIVING FORCES Legislative Factos Cont. Aboiginal Heitage Act 2006 and Aboiginal Heitage Regulations 2007 The Aboiginal Heitage Act 2006 govens the potection and management of Victoian s Aboiginal heitage. Key featues of the Aboiginal Heitage Act 2006 include the establishment of Cultual Heitage Management Plans and Cultual Heitage Pemit pocesses to manage activities that may ham Aboiginal cultual heitage; establishment of a Victoian Aboiginal Heitage Council to povide a state-wide voice fo Aboiginal people and to advise the Ministe fo Aboiginal Affais on issues elating to the management of cultual heitage; intoduction and management of a system of Registeed Aboiginal Paties that allow fo Aboiginal goups with connection to county to be involved in decision making pocesses aound cultual heitage; a system of cultual heitage ageements to suppot the development of patneships aound the potection and management of Aboiginal cultual heitage and stengthened povisions elating to enfocement of the Act including Aboiginal Heitage Potection Declaations and stop odes. Thee ae also cleae powes fo Inspectos and inceased fees and penalties fo beaches of the Act. The pimay goal of the Aboiginal Heitage Act 2006 is to potect Aboiginal cultual heitage, making it an offence unde the Act to undetake any fom of activity that causes ham, o has the potential to cause ham to Aboiginal Cultual Heitage unless an appopiate Cultual Heitage Pemit o Cultual Heitage Management Plan has been appoved. The Aboiginal Heitage Regulations 2007 give effect to and should be ead in conjunction with the Aboiginal Heitage Act The Regulations set out the cicumstances in which a Cultual Heitage Management Plan (CHMP) is equied to be pepaed and the standads fo the pepaation of a CHMP. The Regulations stipulate two key tigges fo the development of a CHMP. Specifically, a CHMP is equied in the event that (a) all o pat of the activity aea fo the activity is an aea of cultual heitage sensitivity; and (b) all o pat of the activity is a high impact activity (see.6). 11 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

13 DRIVING FORCES Heitage Act 1995 and Heitage Registe and Inventoy The Victoian Heitage Act 1995 details the statutoy equiements fo potecting histoic buildings and gadens, histoic places and objects, histoical achaeological sites, and histoic shipwecks. The Act is administeed by Heitage Victoia, Depatment of Sustainability and Envionment. The Victoian Heitage Registe was established unde Section 18 of the Heitage Act Heitage places on the Heitage Registe ae assessed as having Statelevel cultual heitage significance. A pemit may be equied fo paticula woks o activities associated with a egisteed place o object. Consultation about the Heitage Inventoy and histoical achaeological sites should be conducted with an achaeology office at Heitage Victoia. Spagos Hut within the esot is listed on the Victoian Heitage Registe. Contact details ae: Heitage Victoia Depatment of Planning and Community Development Level 4 55 Collins Steet MELBOURNE VIC 3000 Ph: (03) Fax: (03) STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 12

14 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION ENERGY GENERATION AND CONSUMPTION The data pesented within this section ae based on MHARMB consumption only; not a collation of esot wide data. Data is taken fom electicity accounts with AGL o Enegy Austalia. Cuently the MHARMB does not geneate electicity. Thee ae investigations undeway into the feasibility of wind poweed geneation. A hydo geneation scheme has also been poposed fo the Swindles Valley pipeline poject. Electicity At Januay 2015, MHARMB had 22 electicity accounts. Duing the Novembe 2013 to Octobe 2014 peiod the Boad consumed 901,430 kw hous of electicity at a cost of $224,122; a eduction fom the 941,429 kw hous consumed in although the figue is likely to be adjusted as two significant accounts ae cuently in dispute (Table 1). The fou lagest consumes accounts ae the seweage teatment plant, potable wate pumpstation, the Administation building and the GAR Tunnel heating that account fo 71% of consumption and 65% of annual costs. Recent initiatives to educe electicity consumption and costs include automated systems in the tunnel and potable wate pumphouse. Installed in ealy 2012, the GAR tunnel was connected to the SCADA monitoing system enabling emote access to activation of heating. This initiative esulted in an almost 50% decease in electicity consumption duing the following yea. Pumps at the potable pumphouse ae pogamed to un filling the Higgi stoage tanks duing off peak times and only as equied fo peak usage times to educe costs. 13 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

15 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION Nov 2010 to Oct 2011 Nov 2011 to Oct 2012 Nov 2012 to Oct 2013 Nov 2013 to Oct 2014 usage (kwh) cost ($) usage (kwh) cost ($) usage (kwh) cost ($) usage (kwh) cost ($) Seweage teatment plant Potable wate pumphouse Admin building GAR Tunnel Wokshop Slatey Shed LPG Gas Plant Potable wate UV 2 facility Razoback Loch Dam pump hut Old Police Station (admin building) Kobla Lodge Unit 14 Moitz (puchased Nov 2011) Unit 15 Moitz (puchased Nov 2011) Potable wate UV 1 facility Buckland Gap ticket box Buckland House Dannys Shed Mothe J s ticket box Tantani seweage pumpwell Peninsula seweage pumpwell Ziky s seweage pumpwell Tinoga seweage pumpwell Alpine Club of VIC seweage pumpwell Dago Lodge (sold June 2012) Albeg (sold May 2011) Annual Totals STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 14

16 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION ENERGY GENERATION & CONSUPTION: Liquid Petoleum Gas (LPG) is stoed in tanks located nea the RMB wokshop. Sales of LPG acoss the village via a eticulation system ae one of two business opeations conducted by the MHARMB. A supply ageement is cuently held with Oigin Enegy. As a gas supplie; MHARMB has obligations and epoting equiements unde the Gas Safety Act. As at Januay 2015, the MHARMB opeate 272 meted gas points within the esot; nine of these ae MHARMB opeational points. LPG consumption fom MHARMB opeational metes totaled 3228 gigajoules (GJ) in (Table 2). This was a decease on the figue of 3344 GJ. Figue 2 demonstates the consumption fom the seven lagest consume points. The highest consume point is the Gas Vapouiso Boile followed by the RMB wokshop consuming 1209 GJ and 1095 GJ espectively. The emaining two points (Moitz Units 14 & 15) consumed less than 0.2GJ combined. Table 2 Compaison of total annual LP Gas consumption at MHARMB opeated facilities. Repoting yea (Nov-Oct) LP Gas consumption (GJ) Figue 2 A compaison of annual LP Gas consumption by majo contibuting MHARMB opeated facilities ove thee yeas fom 2011 to / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

17 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION ENERGY GENERATION & CONSUPTION: The MHARMB opeates Slatey Shed and a wokshop facility fo stoage and maintenance of vehicle and plant equied fo village opeations and tanspot. Both the wokshop and Slateys Shed contain undegound tanks and pumps fo diesel efuelling, undegound unleaded tanks and pumps ae also maintained at Slateys Shed. MHARMB also has copoate accounts fo efueling vehicles outside the esot. Diesel and unleaded petol (ULP) usage is collated fom the speadsheets and copoate accounts maintained by Finance fo all vehicles and plant. The consumption of diesel fuel has been consistently ising fo the past fou yeas; in the 2013/14 epoting peiod MHARMB activities consumed 165,268 lites. Consumption of unleaded fuel deceased in 2011 to 2013 compaed to 2010 befoe ising again in 2014 (Figue 3). Figue 3 Compaison of diesel and unleaded fuel consumption by MHARMB activities between 2010 and STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 16

18 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION WASTE GENERATION, DISPOSAL & RECLAMATION The landfill site is located 30km east of the Hotham Resot on the Geat Alpine Road suounded by native vegetation (state foest). It is appoximately 2 hectaes in size and was commissioned in the ealy 1980 s. Cuently the landfill eceives putesible (oganic ich mateials) and inet waste (low oganic mateials, not eadily degadable) geneated fom geneal esot opeations including some commecial opeations. Hazadous mateials ae not eceived at the landfill. An aea of the landfill site is used fo eceiving bio-solids fom the opeations at the seweage teatment plant. The site is closed to the public. Majo impacts associated with landfill opeations ae geenhouse gas emissions and leachates; contaminated liquids, enteing goundwate o suface wate as waste decomposes. As MHARMB is deemed a municipal council unde the Alpine Resots (Management) Act and sevices a population of less than 5,000 the Cobunga landfill is an unscheduled pemise by the EPA and exempt fo the landfill levy. In Apil 2014, EPA Victoia published the Landfills Excempt fom Licencing (LEFL) guidelines which has implications fo the ongoing management of the Cobunga site. Recommendations in this guideline should be implemented by landfill opeatos to ensue that they ae compliant with the Victoian Waste Management Plan and elevant State Envionment Potection Policies (SEPPs). Implications of these guidelines fo ongoing management of Cobunga pimaily elate to goundwate and suface wate sensitivity; futue cells will equie constuction using an engineeed line and leachate management. 17 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

19 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION An envionmental isk assessment of Cobunga landfill was conducted by ERM Austalia in May Potential goundwate contamination and gas emissions fom the site wee assessed as high isk pioities due to the lack of available infomation to assess aspects of goundwate contamination and gas emissions. In 2012, a 50 mete boe was installed to allow fo goundwate obsevations. In Apil 2012 GHD wee commissioned to complete initial goundwate and gas emission monitoing. Elevated levels of nitates and heavy metals above ANZECC guidelines fo goundwate wate consistent with Segment A quality guidelines wee obseved. A second ound of monitoing in Novembe 2014 found consistent esults. The concentation of metals was mino and epoted at tace levels only with the possibility levels may be natually occuing. Backgound monitoing would be equied fo futhe comment. Concentation of nitates epoted monitoing boe wee significant and exceeded the ANZECC guidelines by fou odes of magnitude (EM&C, 2014). The standing wate level (SWL) within the two goundwate monitoing boes has been obseved monthly since installation of the boes. The SWL obsevations annually vay between 14.5 and 15.5m. Gas emissions wee assessed as low isk fo the site; elevated levels of methane gas wee ecoded moving though the soil howeve lowe levels of gas concentation wee ecoded diectly above the suface. Safety consideation of gas emissions must be consideed in any futue opeations at the site. The emoval of oganics fom the waste deposited at Cobunga will assist in loweing methane geneation at the site. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 18

20 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION WASTE COLLECTION Municipal solid waste is collected fom ubbish hutches aound the esot by MHARMB staff weekly duing the summe months and daily duing winte. Rubbish should be bagged black fo municipal waste and clea bags fo ecycling. Rubbish is collected by hand. Poblems associated with collection include occupational health and safety due to manual handling, disposal of inappopiate waste (had waste items, paint etc) and geneal litte aound hutches due to untied bags and access of avens to hutches. Bids access and tea bags if doos ae left unclosed o though the base of the hutch in some cases. WASTE GENERATION An 2006 audit of waste geneated at Mt Hotham and sent to landfill found 55% was food waste, 20% co-mingled ecyclables and 8% cadboad and pape poducts; a total of appoximately 83% of waste that could possibly be diveted fom the waste steam (NevWaste, 2006). In 2010, the MHARMB began an oganics tial to emove this significant waste steam fom landfill and in 2011 a new ecycling pogam saw collectables soted into thee categoies; oganics, cadboad and co-mingled into the newly constucted Dannys Shed. Cuently MHARMB does not collate data based on waste disposal fom MHARMB activities hence the data povided below is based on esot wide geneation. Waste data has histoically been collected via annual suvey method and calculated as lost ai space within the opeational cell in m3 (this was fo landfill levy calculations pio to 2011). Issues with this methodology wee based aound cove placed on waste at each deposit (appox. 300mm thick) not being accounted fo and significantly inflating waste volume calculation. Since 2010 the solid waste team has ecoded a tuck log based on a maximum weight allowance fo the compacto tuck. The compacto was weighed and a full load measued as 9.7 tonnes of waste at 100% capacity and 7.3 tonnes at 75% capacity. Staff ecod each time a full compacto is sent to Cobunga landfill in a speadsheet. Table 3 shows the compaison of tonnage of waste sent to landfill ove the pevious fou yeas based on the tuck log figues. Yea Annual waste to Winte waste to Visito Days Waste to landfill (tonnes) landfill (tonnes) landfill/visito days (kg) , , , , Table 3 Waste geneation within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot to Cobunga landfill based on tuck log data. 19 /STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

21 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION Table 4 Compaison of total ecyclable mateials collected by MHARMB opeated facilities. Yea Cadboad Co-mingled Oganics Total ecyclables ,700 66,420 16, , ,600 49,000 26,300 99, ,920 68,234 29, ,774 Since 2011, ecycling is collected and tanspoted fom the esot by an extenal contacto. Co-mingled, cadboad and oganics levels ae obseved by weighbidge individually and povided to MHARMB. In 2014, a total of 232,600 kg of waste was sent to landfill at Cobunga (based on tuck figues); 101,154 kg of cadboad and commingled and 29,620 kg of oganics wee sent fo ecycling o 36 pecent of the total waste steam geneated; an incease fom the 2013 figue of 31 pecent. (Figue 4). NOV OCT 11 NOV OCT , 3% 16.5, 4% 106.9, 27% 89.12, 21% 271.6, 70% , 75% NOV OCT 13 NOV OCT , 23% 26.3, 8% 80.25, 23% 29.62, 9% , 69% , 68% landfill cadboad and comingled oganics Figue 4 Compaison annual pecentage of waste geneation and eclaimation within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot fom 2010 to STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 20

22 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION WATER USAGE, RECLAIMATION & DISCHARGE: The MHARMB cuently holds a licence fom Goulbun Muay Wate to divet up to 175ML wate annually fom Swindles Ceek fo the supply of potable wate fo commecial and esidential puposes within the esot. Mount Hotham Skiing Company holds a wate divesion license fo up to 500ML annually fom Swindles Ceek fom Goulbun Muay Wate fo snowmaking supply. POTABLE WATER SUPPLY The MHARMB is esponsible fo potable wate supply and seweage unde the Alpine Resots (Management) Act. Wate is souced fom uppe Swindles Ceek, a catchment of appoximately 180 hectaes. Wate is collected at the Swindles Wei and aw wate is gavity fed to the pump station on Swindles Tail, fom hee it is pumped up a 150mm steel cement lined ising main to stoage tanks located at the summit of Mount Higginbotham. Fom the stoage tanks, the aw wate flows to the ulta violet (UV) faculties 1 and 2 whee it is disinfected immediately pio to its distibution to customes though the village wate eticulation system. Potable wate consumption data is taken fom SCADA monitoing of flows at points within the two UV facilities. Thee ae no sepaate meted wate supply consume points; wate supply is a component of the annual sevice chages ae payable by Head Lessee stakeholdes within the esot based on calculations of thei fully enclosed aea of a ated building. POTABLE WATER CONSUMPTION In May 2011, MHARMB commissioned the SCADA system which allows fo ealtime and histoical access to data monitoing including the potable wate system. The SCADA system is linked to nodes at Swindles Wei, the pump house, Mount Higginbotham wate stoage tanks and the UV 1 and UV 2 facilities (including the emegency backup geneato and chloine dosing systems). The system enables eal time supevision and contol as well as histoical data collection, fom each of these locations. Annual consumption compaisons since 2011 ae pesented in Figue 5. Duing summe in 2011 and 2013 wate was dawn fom Swindles Ceek to fill the Loch Dam fo fiefighting puposes. These amounts (appoximately 11,000KL fo 2013) ae inclusive within annual consumption figues. Lites pe visito day is calculated using winte consumption (June to Septembe) figues. Due to technical issues ove seveal months in the SCADA system no data is available fo potable wate consumption ove /STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

23 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION Figue 5 Compaison of annual and winte consumption of potable wate within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot against lites pe visito day between 2011 and No data is available fo 2012/13. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 22

24 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION WATER USAGE RECLAMATION & DISCHARGE MHARMB ae equied to epot annually to the Depatment of Human Sevices unde the Safe Wate Dinking Act. In Octobe 2014 MHARMB submitted its annual epot fo July 2013 to June Mount Hotham is fotunate have high quality aw wate usually teated with only ultaviolet adiation pio to distibution. Chloine dosing is used in times of low wate quality o as an altenative back up teatment to the UV facility. Table 5 summaises the testing esults as epoted to DHS fo last thee epoting peiods. Yea No of samples % of samples Max NTU 95% UCL of mean containing E.coli with no E.coli Table 5 Compaison of wate quality testing esults fo E. coli and tubidity fom 2011 to 2014 fom the potable wate eticulation system within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot. 23 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

25 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION WATER USAGE RECLAMATION & DISCHARGE The Mount Hotham Seweage Teatment Plant (STP) opeates within two key aeas; fistly aw inflows ae teated within a seconday teatment pocess though a biological nutient emoval pocess and ulta violet disinfection. Fom hee seconday effluent o Class B (as chaacteized by EPA Victoia) ecycled wate is eithe dischaged to No Name Ceek (Dago Rive) o pefeably is futhe teated by the tetiay teatment phase constucted as pat of the Wate Recycling Poject in This involved the constuction of a wate ecycling plant to poduce Class A ecycled wate by membane ultafiltation, disinfection fom high dose UV and chloination. Class A teated wate is then pumped along a 3.5km pipeline to Loch Dam whee it is used fo supply of wate fo snowmaking. The tetiay teatment plant opeates within an EPA appoved HACCP and Envionmental Management Plan (EMP). Thee has been ongoing woks to the tetiay teatment phase within the STP since 2008 to impove the plant opeation with the oveall aim to impoved ecovey ates of Class A ecycled wate. Thee have been seveal ecent hudles in elation to opeations. In 2012, a Depatment of Health audit identified seveal mino issues elating to the opeation of the tetiay teatment plant and lead to a eduction in the opeating time. The tetiay teatment plant came back online in July An annual total of 71.7ML of waste wate was dischaged fom the seweage teatment plant between July 2013 and June 2014 as epoted to the EPA; 12.5ML of Class A ecycled wate was pumped to Loch Dam o 18 pe cent. The emainde was dischaged to No Name Ceek. Daily fluctuations in dischage ae shown in Figue 6. Table 5 Compaison of wate quality testing esults fo E. coli and tubidity fom 2011 to 2014 fom the potable wate eticulation system within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 24

26 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION WATER USAGE RECLAMATION & DISCHARGE MHARMB ae equied unde the EPA license to implement a monitoing pogam that demonstates the quality of the wate dischaged fom the STP is within license equiements. Paametes monitoed include biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, E. coli, esidual chloine, phophous and nitogen. Sampling is taken fom the dischage point (DP1) fo seconday effluent at No name ceek on a monthly basis (12 samples annually. Sampling fo dischage point (DP2) fo Class A wate is conducted in the holding tank befoe the ecycled wate is pumped to Loch Dam on a weekly basis duing opeation of the tetiay teatment plant. Fo the epoting peiod 12 samples wee collected. Duing the July 2013 to June 2014 epoting peiod, MHARMB ecoded two paametes that exceeded licence limits fom dischage point 1 at No Name Ceek (Table 6). The maximum limit fo Biological Oxygen Demand (5 days) and suspended solids was exceeded due to a one time opeational eo duing a outine maintenance pocedue to desludge the tanks in Apil The standad opeating pocedues fo this elatively new maintenance (fist established in 2012) have been eviewed. Paamete EPA licence limit esults Biological Oxygen Demand (Max) Biological Oxygen Demand (Median) 10 4 Suspended Solids (Max) Suspended Solids (Median) 15 5 E.coli (Max) E.coli (Median) Table 6 Results fom laboatoy testing of waste wate dischaged to No Name Ceek (DP1) duing the July 2013 to June 2014 epoting peiod. 25 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

27 PRODUCTION, WASTE AND CONSUMPTION Two paametes fo Class A dischage wate wee also exceeded duing the epoting peiod (Table 7). It should be noted when limits fo Total Nitogen, Total Phosphous and total dissolved solids wee set, these wee taget concentations and excusions should be seen as contavention of ecycled wate as long as the main pathogenic paametes have been met. Paamete EPA licence limit esults Biological Oxygen Demand 5 days (Max) 5 18 Suspended Solids (Max) 1 0 E.coli (Max) 10 0 Total dissolved solids (Max) Total N annual (Median) 5 1 Tatal P annual (Median) Total esidual chloine (Max) 1 1 Table 7 Results fom laboatoy testing of waste wate dischaged to Loch Dam (DP2) duing the July 2013 to June 2014 epoting peiod. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 26

28 ATMOSHERE CLIMATIC VARIABILTY: Much of the climatic vaiability in Austalia is detemined by the atmospheic phenomenon known as the Southen Oscillation; a measue of ai pessue and ainfall pattens within the Austalian/Indonesia egion and the easten Pacific. The elated El Nino and La Nina events affect ainfall along the easten seaboad of Austalia including the alpine egions and Mount Hotham. Othe ciculatoy pattens and ocean tempeatues within the southen and Indian Oceans ae known to affect climate. The climate within the Mount Hotham esot is detemined by its altitude, topogaphy and oientation. A weathe station is located at the summit of Mount Hotham and compehensive cuent and histoical weathe data can be found at the Bueau of Meteoology, The cuent station numbe began opeation in 1990, additional data fom station numbe povides data fom 1977 to Seveal stations have opeated within the esot with vaious climate data available back until Vaious studies have discussed the impacts and theats of climate change on the Austalian alpine egions and include pedicted inceases in tempeatue, deceases in pecipitation and snow depth and inceases of high intensity ainfall events. Recent data fo the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot in elation to these themes is exploed below. 27 /STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

29 ATMOSHERE TEMPERATURE: Taditional Austalian tempeatue fluctuations ae compaed to the thity yea aveage fom Howeve fo the Hotham locality max tempeatue data is unavailable fo much of the 1960 s and 1970 s. Micoclimate can vay significantly locally; the station moved to the summit of Mt Hotham in 1992 fom the saddle, hence data collected fom pevious station has not been compaed hee. Figue 7 compaes the monthly mean maximum tempeatues of 10 yea aveages between and against the monthly mean maximum tempeatue fo 2012, 2013 and The ten yea mean maximum daily tempeatues fo against ae highe duing the summe and sping, elatively on pa duing the autumn months and colde duing the winte months. Vaiable tends ae evident in autumn and winte mean maximum daily tempeatues fo the pevious thee yeas against ten yea aveages. Sping and summe monthly mean maximum daily tempeatue in 2013 and 2014 wee well above the pevious both 10 yea aveages, howeve 2012 was below. Figue 7 Compaison of monthly mean maximum tempeatues ecoded at the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot fo 2012, 2013 and 2014 against the 10 yea aveage fo and Souced Bueau of Meteoology, Climate data online Febuay STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 28

30 ATMOSHERE RAINFALL: Thundestoms with high intensity ainfall ae pevalent in summe, although snowfalls duing summe months ae common. Figue 8 shows a compaison of annual ainfall eceived within the esot since 1995 as ecoded at the Mount Hotham station. A total of 2,360mm of ainfall was ecoded by the Bueau of Meteoology in 2010 and 1,927mm in 2011; a eflection of the stongest La Nina event ecoded. These ae the highest two total annual ainfall amounts since has the lowest ecoded ainfall fo this peiod with 576mm. No dataset is available fo 2000 o Ove the past 20 yeas, the wettest month is Novembe with an aveage of 148mm of ain ecoded, the diest months ae Januay and Apil with 96 and 97mm espectively (Figue 9). Figue 8 Total annual ainfall (mm) ecoded within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot since Souce: Bueau of Meteoology, Climate Data online. No annual data is available fo 2000 o / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

31 ATMOSHERE High intensity ainfall events can impact heavily on the esot paticulaly in egads to soil eosion and opeations of the seweage teatment plant. Seveal high intensity events wee ecoded in 2010, 131.4mm was ecoded fo Septembe 5, the highest event since 1990 and esulted in flooding in Swindles Valley. The highest daily ainfall total ecoded within the esot was 159.2mm on June 7, Figue 11 shows daily ainfall totals fom 2005 to 2014 within the esot. Figue 9 Twenty yea ( ) aveage monthly ainfall (mm) ecoded within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot. Souce: Bueau of Meteoology, Climate Data online. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 30

32 ATMOSHERE SNOW DEPTH AND DURATION OF COVER: The snowline fo Mount Hotham is appoximately 1400 metes and snowfalls that ceate and maintain a pesistent snow cove usually begin about mid-june and continue intemittently until ealy Septembe. Data of snow cove fo the esot is not available outside the declaed snow season and as a esult the numbe of days of pesistent snow cove is unavailable to date. Snow depth is measued daily duing the declaed winte snow season. Ski Patol monito snow depth within the esot daily duing the winte months. Daily snow depth fo the esot is detemined by aveaging snow depth fom thee locations within the esot. Snow depth data is available back to In 2014 snow depth each a peak of 152cm on July 17 and 18. Figue 10 compaes the 20 yea aveage (1990 to 2009) to snowfall depths in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and Figue 10 Compaison of snow depths fom 2010 to 2014 against 20 yea aveage ( ) within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot. 31 /STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

33 ATMOSHERE Figue 11a Compaison of daily ainfall events fom 2009 to 2014 within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot. Souce: Bueau of Meteoology Climate Data online. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 32

34 ATMOSHERE Figue 11b Compaison of daily ainfall events fom 2009 to 2014 within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot. Souce: Bueau of Meteoology Climate Data online. 33 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

35 ATMOSHERE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS: In 2010, the then Depatment of Sustainability and Envionment via the Alpine Resots Co-odinating Council povided the Alpine Resot Management Boads with a CO2 emissions calculato as a template fo geenhouse gas emission epoting. The data pesented below was deived fom this template. It includes data collated fom MHARMB opeations that consume electicity, fuel and LPGas as outlined in pevious sections of this epot. It does not include calculations elated to opeations at the waste wate teatment plant and landfill. Figue 12 shows a compaison of the geenhouse gas emissions geneated ove the pevious fou Octobe to Novembe epoting peiods. Figue 13 shows a the pecentage of the annual emissions geneated fo the epoting peiod fom each of the fou categoies, electicity, unleaded, diesel and LPGas consumption. The eduction in annual emissions visible fom 2010/11 to 2011/12 was pimaily because of a significant dop in electicity consumption; since 2011/12 emissions have been slowly inceasing, a total of tonnes of geenhouse gas emissions wee calculated fo the epoting peiod. 61 pe cent of emissions wee due to electicity consumption, 25 pe cent diesel consumption. In 2014, MHARMB engaged CabonLab at the Univesity of Queensland to complete a measue of geenhouse gas emissions in line with the National Geenhouse and Enegy Repoting (NGER) Act. This methodology also accounted fo waste disposal at Cobunga landfill and methane emissions fom the waste wate teatment plant fo the epoting peiod. Peviously the MHARMB had epoted tonnes of geenhouse gas emissions fo the peiod using the DSE povided template calculato fo the scope of electicity, fuel and gas consumption. Unde the moe obust NGER calculation methodology the evised figue fo was 2,150 tonnes. Diesel 25% LPG ULP 11% 3% 2013/14 Electicity 61% Figue 12 Figue 13 Compaison of daily ainfall events fom 2009 to 2014 within the Mount Hotham STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 34

36 LAND GEOLOGICAL FEATURES: The following is an except fom Rosengen et al. (1993). Mount Hotham Natual Resouces Suvey. The Mount Hotham aea is sepaated fom the Bogong High Plains by the noth-south tending West Kiewa Thust Fault Zone. East of the fault zone the geology is complex but on the Mount Hotham side thee is less geological vaiation and no high gade metamophic ocks. The bedock of the Resot aea is low-gade metasediments slatey mudstones, phyllites and othoquatzite of Middle to Uppe Odovician age efeed to as the Hotham Slates by Beavis (1962). The slates ae appaently unfossilifeous. Beds ae geneally thin o have close cleavage. Dips and cleavage angles ae steep with a dominant noth westely oientation. Thee is extensive bedock exposue of steeps slopes of Austalia Dift and above the Diamantina Rive with lesse outcops in the valley of Swindles Ceek. Closely spaced bedding, laminations, weak foliation and stong cleavage of many beds make these ocks susceptible to shatteing. Induated sandstones and thicke slate beds cop out as pominent ibs, mino idges, benches and escapments. Ovelying the Odovician ocks ae emnants of once extensive basalt lava flows of the Olde Volcanics. These fom the flat topped summits of Mount Loch, Mount Higginbotham and Little Higginbotham, two smalle cappings on Golden Point and the boad cest of the Dago-Cobunga divide extending south east to Dinne Plain and Paw Paw Plain. The ocks ae dominantly olivine basalts and geochemically ae gouped with the Bogong Olde Volcanics Povince (Day, 1983). They ae dated as Oligocene. Thee ae at least fou flows in the Mount Hotham-Mount Loch aea, the lowe most being deeply weatheed as exposed in cuttings on the Geat Alpine Road. 35 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

37 LAND The Bogong High Plains, including Mount Hotham, unlike alpine aeas of New South Wales and Tasmania, did not undego a peiod of glaciation. Instead they expeienced and continue to expeience peiglacial activity of vaying degees. Active peiglacial featues include the movement of soil and vegetation by the gowth of needle ice; ock scatching, movement and cacking; limited soting of coase and fine debis on bae gound and solifluction below long lasting snow patches whee soil and stone moves down slope en masse. Active peiglacial featues such as ock cacking, scatching and movement have been ecoded within the Resot (Rosengen et al., 1993: Biosis Reseach, 2011). Fossil peiglacial featues include solifluction lobes o deposits, which ae sheets of stony debis anging fom bouldes to fine mateial. These deposits oiginated as slowly ceeping layes of ocks, but ae now lagely immobilsed unde soil and vegetation. These featues have also been ecoded thoughout Mount Hotham paticulaly within and/o adjacent to snow patches (Biosis Reseach, 2011). Nivation hollows ae anothe type of peiglacial featue, descibed by Galloway et al. (in Biosis Reseach, 2011) as a spoon shaped hollow with steep back walls a few metes high and fonted by an apon of tanspoted debis which is usually soft and boggy in summe. Rosengen et al.(1993) ecoded the pesence of seveal small nivation hollows on the southen slopes of the Loch-Hotham idge. These nivation hollows wee descibed as bowl-shaped valley heads located at the head of seveal tibutaies leading in to Swindle s Ceek. The boad basin below Deick Col also has the fom of a peiglacial nivation hollow. Sites of geoscience significance within the Resot have been identified and include: Exposed sub-basaltic sediments ovelying Odovician basement ocks and a long basalt block steam at Mount Little Higginbotham; A boad nivation hollow below Deick Col at the head of Swindle s Ceek; and Solifluction lobes and teaces associated with alpine snowpatches thoughout the Resot. An additional site of significance is located in the Hotham Heights aea on the southen side of the Geat Alpine Road ( S, E, 1733 m asl). Ealy Cenozoic basalt, caps an Oligocene to Eocene suface that has peseved an infilled steam system containing fossilifeous sediments. These sediments contain abundant leaf impessions and mummified leaves, which ae valuable fo paleobotanical studies, as they peseve evidence that 50 million yeas ago the aea suppoted subtopical ainfoest, and was at a substantially lowe elevation than it is at today (Biosis Reseach, 2011). STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 36

38 LAND SOIL: The soils of the Mount Hotham egion ae mainly deived fom in situ mateial and ae pedominantly alpine humus soils with smalle aeas of skeletal soil and isolated aeas of alpine fen o bog peats (Rosengen et al., 1993, Biosis Reseach, 2011). Alpine humus soils ae highly oganic and stongly acidic thoughout the pofile, they ae chaacteised by dak humic uppe hoizons, gadational textue, good stuctue and an abundance of stones. Alpine humus soils can be up to one mete deep. These deepe soils ae geneally located on the lowe pats and at the base of modeately steep slopes ~20%, they also occu on highe slopes with a nothely o westely aspect (ARUP 1996). Skeletal soils ae vey shallow, vaying in depth fom seveal centimetes up to 30 centimetes. They ae low in oganic matte and contain a highe popotion of stones and gavel (Biosis Reseach, 2011). Soil eosion can detimentally impact on: wate quality (inceased loads of sediment and nutients), the chances of vegetation establishment and/o egeneation (though nutient loss, seed loss, and seedling destuction) and the condition of citical habitat of theatened species, paticulaly the Alpine Tee Fog and Mountain Pygmy-possum. Ceation of bae eath inceases the likelihood of weed invasion and establishment, and minimises the chances of establishment of native vegetation due to fost heave. Compaction of soil inceases the likelihood fo unoff, and educes establishment ates of native vegetation (e.g. eduction in ability fo oots to penetate soil). 37 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

39 LAND FIRE MANAGEMENT: Thee is evidence that within Austalian alpine envionments extensive fies occu occasionally duing peiods of extended egional dought and when sevee local fie weathe coincides with multiple ignitions in suounding montane foest and floa and fauna ae esilient to infequent lage intense fies such as those that occued in 1939 and 2003 (Williams et al., 2008). Howeve thee emains a high isk to some species, paticulaly eptiles, fogs and invetebates with localised populations. Although fie is an uncommon event in alpine and sub-alpine envionments it is pat of a natual cycle of distubance, which also includes insect attack, wind, fost and exteme climatic events. As such, alpine and sub-alpine plants have the capacity to cope with fie due to vegetative epoduction, the pesence of peennating buds close to the gound and seedling gemination. The MHARMB is esponsible fo deliveing a ange of sevices with a significant ole in emegency management. Bushfie management isk is complex within the esot due to its isolation, steep topogaphy, climate, envionmental significance, management aangements and the vegetation in the suounding National Pak. Following the State govenment s Integated Fie Management Planning Famewok the MHARMB woks to achieve effective fie management though an integated planning appoach. MHARMB has completed listings fo the Victoian Risk Registe and was involved in development of the daft Hume Regional Stategic Fie Management Plan The esot is included within the Mount Hotham Dinne Plain Township Potection Plan and the Community Bushfie Emegency Management Plan was appoved in May In Novembe 2011, the Victoian Govenment intoduced pemanent planning contols as pat of implementing the ecommendations of the Victoian Bushfie Royal Commission. Amendment VC83 intoduced clause into the Victoia Planning Povisions and all planning schemes on 18 Novembe, Clause allows the emoval, destuction o lopping of vegetation to educe the fuel load aound existing buildings used fo accommodation without equiing a planning pemit. These pemit exemptions only apply to buildings existing o appoved befoe 10 Septembe Appoval fo vegetation emoval in the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot which is Cown land must be obtained fom the public land manage which is the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot Management Boad ( Boad ). The MHARMB has a standadised fom fo leaseholdes wishing to clea native vegetation and staff ae available to povide site specific advice. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 38

40 BIODIVERSITY Alpine and sub-alpine aeas of Austalia ae geogaphically esticted, occuing ove seveal thousand squae kilometes in a continent of 7.7 million squae kilometes, yet they contain an amazing divese aay of floa and fauna, including many endemic species, esulting in vey high biodivesity values. Alpine ecosystems also contain a significant numbe of theatened species potected by the Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act 1988 and Commonwealth Envionment Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act The Mount Hotham Alpine Resot contains a numbe of listed endangeed species. Soil eosion can detimentally impact on: wate quality (inceased loads of sediment and nutients), the chances of vegetation establishment and/o egeneation (though nutient loss, seed loss, and seedling destuction) and the condition of citical habitat of theatened species, paticulaly the Alpine Tee Fog and Mountain Pygmy-possum. Ceation of bae eath inceases the likelihood of weed invasion and establishment, and minimises the chances of establishment of native vegetation due to fost heave. Compaction of soil inceases the likelihood fo unoff, and educes establishment ates of native vegetation (e.g. eduction in ability fo oots to penetate soil). 39 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

41 BIODIVERSITY INDIGENOUS FLORA: In Victoia, Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) ae the pimay level of classification and vegetation mapping unit used. They descibe native vegetation communities though examining a combination of floistic, life fom and ecological chaacteistics. Each EVC includes a collection of floistic communities that occu acoss a biogeogaphic ange, and although diffeing in species, have simila habitat and ecological pocesses. EVC mapping of the esot pesented in Appendix 1 as at Octobe 2014 identifies at least twelve Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs), including Heathlands (EVC Goup 16), Sub Alpine Gasslands, Shublands and Woodlands (EVC Goup 11), Montane Gasslands, Shublands and Woodlands (EVC Goup 10) and Wet and Damp Foests (EVC Goup 7). Up-to-date desciptions of EVCs ae contained in the Depatment of Envionment, Land, Wate and Planning (DELWP) benchmaks fo all Victoian bioegions ( Table 8 lists the EVCs mapped within the esot cuent as at Octobe 2014 as well as the consevation status, geogaphic occuence within the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot. Ecological Vegetation Bioegional Geogaphic Class Name Consevation Status Occuence Alpine Conifeous Shubland Vulneable Rae Alpine Damp Gassland Rae Rae Alpine Gassland Rae Rae Alpine Gassy Heathland Rae Rae Alpine Rocky Outcop Heathland/Alpine Rae N/A Dwaf Heathland Mosaic Montane Damp Foest Least Concen Common Montane Dy Woodland Least Concen Common Snowpatch Gassland Vulneable Rae Sub-Alpine Shubland Rae Rae Sub-Alpine Teeless Vegetaion Rae N/A Sub-Alpine Wet Heathland/Alpine Endangeed N/A Valley Peatland Mosaic Sub-Alpine Woodland Least Concen Common STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 40

42 BIODIVERSITY The Theatened species mapping fom ecods contained within the Victoian Biodivesity Atlas (VBA) as at Octobe 2014 listed a total of 106 floa species of state significance within the Resot (Appendix 2). The Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens community occus within the esot and is listed unde the Envionment Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act as endangeed. Fou floistic communities occuing within the esot ae listed unde the Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act; the Alpine Bog community, Alpine Snowpatch community, Caltha intoloba Hebland community and Fen (Bog pool) community. Plant community vegetation mapping by the Soil Consevation Authoity duing the 1980s is also available fo much of the Mount Hotham esot aea. This infomation was digitised and is available in.dwg fomat within MHARMB spatial database. VICTORIAN ALPS NURSERY: In 2005 the MHARMB took owneship of the Victoian Alps Nusey to ensue an ongoing supply of eadily available alpine and subalpine indigenous species fo ehabilitation and estoation puposes not only within the esot aea but fo the wide community. The nusey is now able to supply ove 200 alpine and sub alpine species as tube stock gown to ode and its list of customes includes othe Resot Management Boads, New South Wales National Paks and Wildlife Sevice, Paks Victoia as well as Landcae and othe independent land management goups in the Ovens Valley and Noth East Victoia. 41 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

43 BIODIVERSITY EXOTIC FLORA: Histoically, many exotic (weed) plants have been intoduced to the Resot though livestock gazing and fo soil stabilisation puposes. Combined with moe ecent distubance duing constuction and development, as well as summe and winte eceation and touism activities, thee has been a steadily inceasing numbe of exotic floa in the Resot. The majoity of these species do not extend fa into native vegetation howeve some species pose a seious theat. Willow Salix spp., English Boom Cytisus scopaius Ox-Eye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgae, Yaow Achillea millefolium, and Soft Rush Juncus effusus have been identified as seious theats to the biological divesity of the Resot. Gey Willow is a weed of National Significance and has the potential to infest downsteam wateways. English Boom has a seedbank life span of up to 80 yeas; contol of this species has long tem management implications. Oxeye daisy is a gaden escapee fom Dinne Plain. It has colonised significant aeas between Dinne Plain and the Mount Hotham Resot. Hawkweeds have not yet been ecoded within the Mount Hotham Resot but ealy detection and peventative teatments will educe the isk. The status (including extent and viability) of exotic floa within the Resot has not been accuately assessed. Since 2012, MHARMB has used a GPS to collated a geogaphic database of teated sites of invasive species, pimaily Salix cinea, and Cytisus scopaius. It is expected such a database will infom a long tem weed contol pogam with a esot wide focus in the coming yeas. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 42

44 BIODIVERSITY INDIGENOUS FAUNA: The distibution of indigenous fauna species thoughout Mount Hotham Alpine Resot is lagely elated to the distibution of native vegetation. Vegetation povides foaging oppotunities, shelte and beeding sites. Vegetation type is also a useful indicato of othe vaiables such as topogaphy, soil type and tempeatue egime which may also influence species distibution. Mammals found in alpine aeas ae often common in lowe elevations, howeve two mammal species, the Mountain Pygmy Possum and Boad-Tooth Rat ae esticted to highe elevation and ae known to exist within the esot. Mountain Bushtail possums and Common Ringtail possum occu in snowgum woodland with a well-developed canopy; the Easten Pygmy Possum has been ecoded within the esot and was ecently identified within a cat gut sample analysis. Gey Kangaoos and Swamp Wallabys ae pesent in the snowgum habitats duing summe. The Common Wombat can also be found. Dusky and Agile Antechinus as well as Bush Rats can be found to highe elevations and the Spotted Tail Quoll was ecoded once in Mammals inhabiting aeas with pesistent snow cove can be classed into two goups; those that hibenate ove winte months and those that emain active (Rosengen et al., 1993; Geen & Osboune, 2012). Bids ae a conspicuous component of the fauna within the esot. Seveal ae common within the highe aeas at least on a seasonal basis and include the Flame Robin, Austalasian Pipit and Little Raven. Othes include the Cimson Rosella, Kookabua, Supeb Lyebid, Southen Boobook and Cuawong (Rosengen et al., 1993; Geen & Osboune, 2012). Because they ae ectothemic (i.e., eliant on extenal souces of heat to egulate thei bodies and fo key metabolic pocesses, cold climates impose themal estictions on eptiles. Only thee families of eptiles occu in the Austalian alps; dagons (Agamidae); skinks (Scincidae) and snakes (Elapidae). Reptiles found in cold climates ae heliothems that gain wamth by basking in the sun (Geen & Osboune, 2012). The Mountain Dagon has been ecoded within the esot within ocky aeas whee vegetation is spase, and the Southen Wate Skink is found at steam sites (Rosengen et al. 1993). White-lipped snakes ae small to 45cm in 43 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

45 BIODIVERSITY length that can be found in a vaiety of habitats to high elevations (Geen & Osboune, 2012). Recently thee have also been a numbe of obsevations by staff of Tige snakes within the esot. The invetebate fauna of the Resot is less well known, with the most compehensive study of invetebates conducted by Rosengen et al. (1993), in a suvey of the Ochad ski field aea. Twenty-five odes of invetebates wee ecoded, of the specimens identified below ode level (Coleoptea, Othoptea, Hymenoptea and Lepidoptea), 28 families epesenting 49 genea and 85 taxa wee found. Coleoptea was the most divese ode, with at least 13 families and 41 taxa. Othoptea wee the next divese in tems of taxa, with 17 taxa found, epesented by fou families. Fifteen taxa of Hymenoptea wee found and 12 taxa of Lepidoptea. The most well known invetebate species within the Resot is the Bogong Moth. The Bogong Moth migates to the Victoian Alps and Snowy Mountains in sping fom the inland plains of easten Austalia, to aestivate in ock cevices and peiglacial block steams. It foms an impotant potein souce fo many fauna (Geen & Osboune, 2012). STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 44

46 BIODIVERSITY BURRAMYS PARVUS, MOUNTAIN PYGMY-POSSUM: Listed as Endangeed unde both the national Envionmental Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act and Victoian Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act, the Mountain Pygmy-possum is pobably the most well known theatened fauna species within the Resot. It is lagely esticted to peiglacial boulde and ock scees that have fomed block steams, ock outcops o ock accumulations. These aeas suppot a vaiety of vegetation communities depending on the type of ock, aspect and depth of scee. The most common vegetation community is Alpine Conifeous Shubland (fomely Podocapus heathland) dominated by Mountain Plum Pine. Thee ae seveal foms of this vegetation community, anging fom exclusive Mountain Plum Pine ove deep scee, to moe divese vegetation communities whee soil and leaf litte has accumulated (Mansegh & Boome, 1994). In Victoia, the Mountain Pygmypossum is esticted to fou isolated populations: between Mount Loch and Mount Higginbotham, Mount Bogong, the Bogong High Plains and Mount Bulle (Mansegh et al. 1991). Thee ae a ange of potential factos that may contibute to the decline of the Mountain Pygmy-possum aound the Resot, with the lagest theat being the loss, degadation and fagmentation of habitat. The constuction of the village aea including oads, tacks and tails and skifield has histoically disupted movement of animals between pimay habitats. The compaction of snow and associated noise geneated by ovesnow vehicles (e.g. snowmobiles and snow goomes) may distub the species duing hibenation and affect the insulating popeties of snow, inceased pedation isk by intoduced pedatos, alteation and sedimentation of dainage lines and associated vegetation communities and climate change ae also theats to the longevity of this species (Mansegh, Kelly & Scott, 1987). An Envionmental Significance Ovelay (ESO schedule 1) coveing Mountain Pygmypossum habitat has been incopoated into the Alpine Resots Planning Scheme fo the Mount Hotham Resot. This is designed to: peseve and enhance habitat, pevent destuction and fagmentation of existing habitat, povide movement coidos and ensue development does not have an advese impact upon Mountain Pygmy-possum habitat. A evised action statement unde the Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act has been dafted by DELWP and is likely to be endosed duing 2015 (J Alexande, DELWP, pesonal comm). 45 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

47 BIODIVERSITY Wildlife biologist Dean Heinze conducts annual suveys of the Mountain Pygmy Possum population within key aeas of the Resot on behalf of the MHARMB. This is pat of a Victoia-wide suvey since the 2003 bushfies effected significant aeas of habitat. Monitoing of the population at Mt Higginbotham since 2010 has esulted in some of the lowest population numbes fo the site in oveall 30 yeas of suvey effot. Figue 1 Population estimates (± 1 s.e.) fo adult female Mountain Pygmy-possums fom site 100 (West National Pak) and sites 52 and 54 (East Alpine Resot) at Mt Higginbotham, Souce Heinze, D. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 46

48 BIODIVERSITY CYCLODOMORPHUS PRAEALTUS, ALPINE SHE- OAK SKINK: Listed as Endangeed unde the national Envionmental Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act, Theatened on the Victoian Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act, and Citically Endangeed on the Victoian Advisoy List (DSE 2013), Alpine She-oak Skinks Cyclodomophus paealtus have been ecoded in Sub-alpine Woodland, hebfields, low heathlands and gasslands above 1500m at Wellington Plains, Omeo Plain, Lankey Plain, Mount Hotham, the Bogong High Plains and Kosciuszko National Pak (Geen and Osbone 1994). They pefe gassy and low heath habitats between 1400 and 2100m without a high degee of Snow Gum canopy cove such as the aeas of the Mount Hotham and Mount Higginbotham summits and Loch Ridge. Within the Resot they have been found in tussock gasslands and alpine heaths dominated by tussocks of Hony Snow Gass Poa fawcettiae, basking on gass tussocks. It has also been ecoded in distubed aeas (e.g. oadsides) that ae dominated by exotic gasses usually adjoining elatively intact Poa tussock gasslands (Biosis Reseach, 2011). The Alpine She-oak Skink poduces two to nine live young in late Febuay, ealy Mach (Geen & Osboune, 2012). A potential impact to populations of Alpine She-oak Skink within the Resot includes the loss, degadation o damage of habitat necessay to the suvival of the species. Habitat cleaing can occu fom development o installation o maintenance of infastuctue o eceational activities such as walking o mountain biking tails and slashing of ski uns (Sato et al. 2014). Populations within the Resot ae likely to be aleady vulneable due to histoic loss of habitat as the Resot was established and gew, and fagmented due to pevious development at the Resot. Fo example, it is possible that Alpine She-oak Skinks pesisting on Mt Higginbotham ae now sepaated fom those on Mt Hotham, and those on Mt Hotham may be isolated fom those occuing on the Loch Ridge and aound Mt Loch. These fagmented populations ae paticulaly susceptible to theats anging fom fie and pedation, to climate change and inbeeding. Development in ecent yeas on the slopes of Mt Higginbotham just south of the main Resot capak emoved a lage expanse of habitat occupied by Alpine She-oak Skinks. Fom 2005 to 2012 detailed annual suveys wee funded by the fedeal govenment s National Heitage Tust. MHARMB ae cuently woking with Nick Clemann of the Athu Rylah Institute to have a pogam einstated fo the Mount Hotham Resot. 47 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

49 BIODIVERSITY PSEUDEMOIA CRYODROMA, ALPINE BOG SKINK: Listed as theatened on the state Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act, and as Endangeed by DSE (2013), the Alpine Bog Skink Pseudemoia cyodoma is a small, little known scincid lizad known only fom aeas above 1000 metes in the Victoian Alps. They have been peviously been ecoded in sub-alpine gassland and heathland, Snow Gum Eucalyptus paucifloa woodland and boggy ceeks, pincipally in wette micohabitats. It is believed to poduce live young in Febuay, with an aveage litte size of thee. The Alpine Bog Skink has been ecoded within the Resot (Rosengen et al., 1993; and Biosis Reseach, 2011). STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 48

50 BIODIVERSITY LITORIA VERREAUXII ALPINA, ALPINE TREE FROG: Listed as Vulneable unde the national Envionmental Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act, Theatened unde the Victoian Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act, and Citically Endangeed in Victoia by DSE (2013) the Alpine Tee Fog Litoia veeauxii alpina has been ecoded a numbe of wate bodies acoss the esot. Impacts likely due to the pathogen Batachochytium dendobatidis means the subspecies now pesists at isolated sites in alpine and sub-alpine zones of southeasten NSW and Victoia usually above 1100metes above sea level (Depatment of the Envionment, 2014). Recent studies have shown populations infected with Batachochytium dendobatidis (as those ecoded at Mount Hotham) can pesist when cetain habitat chaacteistics ae met (Scheele et al., 2015). In Decembe 2014, a tageted suvey to detemine the distibution and abundance of Alpine Tee Fogs in aeas of potential habitat was conducted. Of a total of 23 nominated sites suveyed, 13 wee found to contain adult fogs and five contained Alpine Tee Fog tadpoles. These esults indicated that Alpine Tee Fogs continue to utilise a numbe of natual and atificial watebodies within the Resot aea and continue to beed within a smalle subset (Biosis Reseach, 2015). The ability of the species to exploit atificial watebodies means it is possible to ceate habitat with adheence to a few design pinciples. Scheele et al. (2015) found exposue to wam wate could povide a mechanism fo avoiding infection in tadpoles and juveniles pio to dispesal to teestial habitats. Aeas whee ecuitment is high can allow populations to pesist despite low adult suvival and may explain why emnant populations pesist in pemanent ponds athe than ephemeal ponds that wee histoically occupied. 49 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

51 BIODIVERSITY BROAD TOOTHED RAT: In May 2012, the Boad-toothed Rat Mastacomys fuscus was listed on the Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act. This species has been ecoded fom a wide ange of vegetation communities of alpine and sub-alpine envionments including those found in Sub-alpine Woodland. Howeve, it is usually ecoded along dainage lines whee shubs ae absent o spase and thee is a dense cove of sedges, gasses, othe hebs and mosses. The Boad-toothed Rat is adapted to stable envionments and has a consevative life-histoy stategy chaacteised by small littes, slow gowth, low fecundity, low motality and high adult and juvenile suvival. Beeding occus in sping and summe and females usually poduce two littes of one to thee young duing each beeding season. The Boad-toothed Rat is a specialist hebivoe that feeds on the stem and leaf tissue of a naow ange of plants, pincipally, fom the Poaceae (gasses) and Cypeaceae (sedges) families. It also eats small amounts of seeds and fungi. Thee ae potential impacts on Boad-toothed Rat habitat fom sedimentation aising though offsite/downsteam unoff of any poposed development (Biosis Reseach, 2011). STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 50

52 BIODIVERSITY INTRODUCED SPECIES: Seventeen intoduced vetebate fauna species have been ecoded within the Resot including ten mammals (Red Fox, Feal Cat, Euopean Rabbit, Bown Hae, Black Rat, House Mouse, Feal Hose, Samba Dee and Feal Cow), five bids (Skylak, Common Blackbid, Common Staling, Euopean Goldfinch and House Spaow) and two fish (Bown Tout and Rainbow Tout). The species posing the most significant theat to biodivesity within the Resot ae the abbit, hae, fox and cat. The abbit and hae ae intoduced hebivoes that theaten indigenous vegetation, and the fox and cat ae intoduced canivoous pedatos that theaten native wildlife and ae known to pedate on Mountain Pygmy-possum, Boad-toothed Rat and potentially the Alpine She-oak Skink and Alpine Bog Skink. Pedation by foxes and cats on native wildlife is listed as a theatening pocess unde the Floa and Fauna Guaantee Act The intoduced house mouse could advesely affect Mountain Pygmy-possum populations by competing fo food. (Biosis Reseach, 2011). The MHARMB paticipates in an annual pedato contol pogam in conjunction with Paks Victoia and the Falls Ceek Resot Management Boad. This pogam tagets foxes using compound 1080 (sodium fluooacetate) impegnated into Foxoff baits following Fox Adaptive Expeimental Management (AEM) standads. Duing 2012 MHARMB invested in 10 emote sensing cameas to monito feal animal populations within the esot. Infomation collated fom the cameas is used to co-odinate oppotunistic shooting of foxes, cats and abbits using an extenal contacto o tapping wok conducted in house. MHARMB holds a populous place pemit fom Victoia Police fo woks conducted within the village. Domestic dogs ae pemitted within the Resot povided they ae egisteed with the MHARMB. They ae not pemitted within the suounding Alpine National Pak. 51 / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015

53 WATER RIVERS AND CATCHMENTS: The Resot is located at the headwates of the Kiewa, Mitta Mitta (Uppe Muay), Dago (Mitchell) and Ovens Rive catchments. Two of these ive systems, the Ovens and the Dago, have Heitage Rive status within Victoia and ae ecognised as being special due to thei egional contibution to the Muay Rive and the Gippsland Lakes, espectively. The Resot s unique location at the headwates of fou majo ive systems places it in a delicate envionment, and theefoe it must caefully manage and conside wate quality, contol of stom wate unoff and effective catchment management, to ensue downsteam wate quality. The Resot is located within the boundaies of the East Gippsland and Noth East Catchment Management Authoities and theefoe shaes the management of majo wateways with these authoities as well as the Depatment of Envionment, Land, Wate and Planning, Paks Victoia and Goulbun Muay Wate. The State Envionment Potection Policy (SEPP) Wates of Victoia potects the envionmental values, beneficial uses and associated social and economic values of the wate envionment fo cuent and futue geneations. The Mount Hotham Alpine Resot is located within the Highlands segment and as such ecosystem potection is equied to achieve a 99% lagely unmodified aquatic ecosystems. STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015 / 52

54 Ecological Vegetation Map of the Mount Hotham Alpine Resot APPENDIX / STATEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN 2015