Black-Cockatoos

Assessment of foraging values

Application of the Offset Assessment Guide (offsets guide) developed by the federal environment department for assessing Black-Cockatoo foraging habitat requires the calculation of a score out of 10. The following system has been developed by Bamford Consulting Ecologists (BCE) with assistance from Quessentia Consulting to provide an objective scoring system that is practical and can be used by trained field zoologists with experience in the environments frequented by the species.

The foraging value score provides a numerical value that reflects the significance of vegetation as foraging habitat for Black-Cockatoos, and this numerical value is designed to provide the information needed by the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) to assess impact significance and offset requirements. The foraging value of the vegetation depends upon the type, density and condition of trees and shrubs in an area and can be influenced by the context such as the availability of foraging habitat nearby. The BCE scoring system for value of foraging habitat has three components as detailed above. These three components are drawn from the DAWE offsets guide but the scoring approach was developed by BCE and includes a fourth (moderation) component.

Calculating the total score (out of 10) requires the following steps:

A Site condition. Determining a score out of six for the vegetation composition, condition and structure; plus

B Site context. Determining a score out of three for the context of the site; plus

C Species stocking rate. Determining a score out of one for species density.

D Determining the total score out of 10, which may require moderation for context and species density with respect to the site condition (vegetation) score. Moderation also includes consideration of pine plantations as a special case for foraging value.

Calculation of scores and the moderation process are described in detail below.