Environmental & Waste Management Project

Project Overview

The QLD Department of Education and Training required the preparation of an Ecological Management Plan (EMP) for the Coomera Springs State School. This EMP specifically aims to develop management guidelines that address the site’s ecological restoration and recycling requirements.

Our Role

Ecobalance was engaged to prepare an Ecological Management Plan (EMP). The ecological restoration objectives for this EMP were to:

Achieve effective long-term control of weeds;
Protect and enhance existing native vegetation and fauna habitat;
Develop management actions prescribing how to undertake bushland restoration;
Achieve outcomes based on the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP) recommendations for offsets;
Incorporate recommendations for aesthetically pleasing themes using native plants for landscaping.

The recycling (construction phase) objectives of this EMP were to:

To reuse or recycle a minimum of 60% (by weight) of each waste material of the that would otherwise by disposed of at landfill;
To ensure legislative compliance;
To ensure waste is managed in accordance with ecologically sustainable development principles;
To minimise the impact of waste on the environment and on human health;
To ensure practical and cost-effective opportunities for recycling and reuse of construction materials.

Outcomes

Three different restoration treatments located on the northern school boundary to the west of the development area were proposed as part of this restoration strategy to enhance the adjoining natural area remnant. In addition, a compensatory Koala tree planting area was proposed (in accordance with the Koala Conservation Self-Assessment and Management Plan, DERM, 2012) for the area between the development footprint and Zone 1. The recycling Plan objectives (construction phase) for the Coomera Springs State School included:

Meets a minimum target of 60% (by weight) of each waste material of the total construction waste material that would otherwise be disposed of at landfill;
Ensures legislative compliance;
Ensures waste is managed in accordance with ecologically sustainable development principles;
Minimise the impact of waste on the environment and on human health; and

Ensures practical and cost-effective opportunities for recycling and reuse of construction materials.

Location

Coomera, QLD, Australia.

Client

Onedec Pty Ltd.

Expertise

Environmental Impact Assessment, Field Studies, Report Writing, Terrestrial Ecology