1st Post-transplantation Monitoring and Audit Report (24th November 2022)

Northeast New Territories Landfill Extension (NENTX) | Contract No. EP/SP/77/15

 0092/22/ED/0281 02 | 31 January 2023

Formal Submission

Veolia Environmental Services Hong Kong Limited

 

 

ET certification letter

IEC verification letter

 

 

 


 

Document Control

Document Information

Project Title

Northeast New Territories Landfill Extension (NENTX)

Document Title

1st Post-transplantation Monitoring and Audit Report (24th November 2022)

Fugro Project No.

0092-22

Fugro Document No.

 0092/22/ED/0281

Issue Number

02

Issue Status

Formal Submission           

Fugro Legal Entity

Fugro Technical Services Limited

Issuing Office Address

13/F, Fugro House – KCC2, 1 Kwai On Rd, Kwai Chung, NT, Hong Kong

Client Information

Client

Veolia Environmental Services Hong Kong Limited

Client Address

40/F., One Taikoo Place, Taikoo Place, 979 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

Client Contact

Mr. William Wan

Client Document No.

NENTX-FUG-RP-E-ZZ-001-I01

Document History

Issue

Date

Status

Comments on Content

Prepared By

Checked By

Approved By

01

31 Jan 2023

Draft

Awaiting client’s comments

Various  

FN

FN

02

31 Jan 2023

Formal Submission

For ET’s certification and IEC’s verification

Various 

FN

FN

Project Team

Initials

Name

Role

CY

Colin Yung

Project Manager

FN

Fenelyn Nabuab

Ecologist/ ISA Certified Arborist HK1821A/TRAQ

RL

Ray Li

Environmental Consultant/ ISA Certified Arborist HK1838A/TRAQ

JT

Jhomar Tillo

Ecologist

AY

Andy Yuen

Assistant Environmental Consultant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

Document Control

1.        INTRODUCTION   1

1.1      Background of the Project 1

1.2      Purpose of this Document 2

1.3      Structure of this Document 2

2.       MONITORING RESULTS  3

2.1      Condition of the Transplanted Individuals  3

2.2      Key Maintenance Activities Conducted in The Reporting Month  3

2.3      Recommendation on Post-Transplantation Maintenance  3

3.       POST-TRANSPLANTATION MONITORING SCHEDULE  4

4.       SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION   4

Appendices

Appendix A    Conditions of Transplanted Plant Species of Conservation Importance

Appendix B    Photographic Records of Transplanted Plant Species      

B.1       Incense Tree Aquilaria sinensis      

B.2       Lamb of Tartary Cibotium barometz          

B.3       Bottlebrush Orchid Goodyera procera       


 

1.                                           INTRODUCTION

1.1                                          Background of the Project

1.1.1                                The North East New Territories Landfill Extension (the NENTX Project) is a designated project.  The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report was approved (AEIAR-111/2007) with  conditions on 20 September 2007 and the Environmental Permit (EP) EP-292/2007 (the “EP)  was issued on 26 November 2007. Moreover, a Further Environmental Permit FEP-01/292/2007  (the “FEP”) was also issued under the EIA Ordinance on 28 April 2022.

1.1.2                                The transplantation works were conducted in fulfilment of Conditions 2.7 and 2.9 of the EP and Conditions 2.5 and 2.7 of the FEP and in accordance with the approved Transplantation Proposal for Plant Species of Conservation Importance (Rev.1) (NENTX-FUG-RP-E-EM-002-I02) (the “approved Proposal”). The Transplantation Report (NENTX-AURE-RP-ZZ-E-007-I-I01) was prepared by a qualified ecologist certified by the Environmental Team (ET) Leader and Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) in accordance with Condition 2.7 of the EP and Condition 2.5 of the FEP.

1.1.3                                The Transplantation Report details the methodology of the transplantation activities. The actual transplantation works for the plant species of conservation importance was described along with the post-transplantation maintenance. The post-transplantation monitoring and audit and the implementation programme was also detailed. The vegetation survey which investigated the plant species of conservation importance before the transplantation work was detailed in the approved Transplantation Proposal.

1.1.4                                Before the transplantation activities, a detailed vegetation survey was conducted by direct observation to record the plant species of conservation importance present in NENTX. A total of four floral species of conservation importance were identified within the Project Site, namely Incense Tree Aquilaria sinensis, Endospermum Endospermum chinense, Lamb of Tartary Cibotium barometz and Bottlebrush Orchid Goodyera procera. Individuals that were directly impacted by the proposed construction of NENTX Landfill had been selected for transplantation. More details to be found in the approved Transplantation Proposal.

1.1.5                                Based on the findings of the detailed vegetation survey and verification survey, three plant species of conservation importance were considered suitable for transplantation, i.e., two nos. of Incense Tree saplings, one cluster of Lamb of Tartary, and 19 clusters of Bottlebrush Orchid. The transplantation works was carried out by a landscape contractor and supervised by a qualified ecologist. The qualified ecologist has at least five years of relevant experience in transplantation and/or vegetation survey and assessment and is also an ISA Certified Arborist.

1.1.6                                The three plant species of conservation importance were transplanted to suitable receptor sites.  To further safeguard these species, the selected receptor sites were within or adjacent to the facilities managed by the Contractor. Moreover, the similarity in site conditions between the collection site and receptor site and the accessibility of the receptor for future maintenance and monitoring were also considered in the selection. More details to be found in the Transplantation Report.

1.1.7                                All the transplanted individuals will be maintained by the Contractor for 12 months (establishment period) after planting to the receptor sites in accordance with Section 4 of the approved Proposal. Moreover, their survival and growth will be monitored by a qualified ecologist or botanist of Fugro in accordance with Section 5 of the approved Proposal.

1.2                                        Purpose of this Document

1.2.1                                This 1st Post-transplantation Monitoring Report (the “Report”) was prepared to present the survival and growth of plant species of conservation importance after transplantation works. Moreover,  key maintenance activities conducted this reporting month and recommendations on post-transplantation maintenance are presented in this Report.

1.2.2                                The post-transplantation monitoring and audit of the transplanted plant species of conservation importance was caried out in accordance with Section 5 of the approved Transplantation Proposal.

1.3                                        Structure of this Document

Succeeding this introductory section, the remainder of this Report is presented as follows:

n   Section 2 details the monitoring results, including the key maintenance activities  conducted this reporting month;

n   Section 3 presents the succeeding post-transplantation monitoring schedule; and

n   Section 4 summarizes the findings of the post-transplantation monitoring and way forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.                                        MONITORING RESULTS

Following the transplantation works on 10 November 2022, the 1st post-transplantation monitoring and audit was carried out on 24 November 2022 to check the condition of the transplanted plant individuals.

2.1                                        Condition of the Transplanted Individuals

2.1.1                                  The transplanted individuals, i.e., two nos. of saplings of the Incense Tree Aquilaria sinensis, one cluster of Lamb of Tartary Cibotium barometz, and about 19 clusters of Bottlebrush Orchid Goodyera procera were generally in fair to good condition.  The Lamb of Tartary, however, exhibited discoloration and wilting of leaves.  Albeit strict compliance of the transplantation works and post-transplantation maintenance to the approved Transplantation Proposal, transplanted individuals would require time to adapt and establish in the new environment/substrate of the receptor site. Hence, signs of leaf discoloration and/or wilting, dehydration, and even die-off are expected. Thus, succeeding post-transplantation maintenance and monitoring and audit are crucial to assess the progress of recovery and establishment of transplanted individuals in the receptor site.

2.1.2                                The numbers,  measurements, and health conditions of the transplanted plant species of conservation  importance during the current monitoring period are shown in Appendix A.

2.1.3                                The photographic records of the transplanted plant species of conservation  importance during the current monitoring period are shown in Appendix B.

2.2                                      Key Maintenance Activities Conducted in The Reporting Month

2.2.1                                The key maintenance activities carried out for the current reporting month are the following:

n   Daily watering of the Incense Tree saplings and Lamb of Tartary at least for the first week of post-transplantation works and reduced to 2-3 times per week during the succeeding week. The watering dates were 11-17 Nov for the first week after transplantation and  21 Nov and 23 Nov for the succeeding week.

n   Once a week watering of Bottlebrush Orchid. The watering dates were 11 Nov, 17 Nov, and 24 Nov.

n   Manual removal of weeds when observed during watering activities; and

n   Checking of insect attacks and/or fungal infestation during watering activities.

n   Prevention of human disturbance by fencing off area around the two Incense Tree saplings Aquilaria sinensis.

2.3                                      Recommendation on Post-Transplantation Maintenance

Immediately after the monitoring and audit activity, the following post-transplantation maintenance was discussed with the Contractor for their prompt implementation:

n   The watering frequency for the two saplings of Incense Tree should be increased to 3-4 times a week.

n   The watering frequency of the cluster of Lamb of Tartary should be reduced to once a week.

n   The watering frequency for all 19 clusters of Bottlebrush Orchid should remain the same. During watering activities, the surrounding weeds and decaying leaves should be removed.

 

3.                                        POST-TRANSPLANTATION MONITORING SCHEDULE

3.1.1                                As per Section 10.3 and Table 10.1 of the EM&A Manual, the survival and growth of the transplanted species will be monitored by a qualified ecologist or botanist at least twice a month during the first three months after transplantation and once a month in the following nine months.

3.1.2                                As only one monitoring activity will be conducted in November, the forthcoming monitoring and audit activities will be conducted twice a month for December, January and February. Then, the monitoring activities will be conducted monthly until October 2023.

3.1.3                                The need for any further monitoring will be reviewed and determined according to the monitoring results of the 12-month monitoring.

 

4.                                       SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The health of the transplanted individuals of Incense Tree  and Bottlebrush Orchid ranged from fair to good condition. Minor health issues such as diebacks were observed on the two Incense Tree saplings but overall, these two saplings were still under fair health conditions. Moreover, some clusters of Bottlebrush Orchid manifested mild health issues such as slightly chlorotic and wilted leaves, but their health conditions were still fair overall. The transplanted cluster of Lamb of Tartary, however, seemed to exhibit poor health condition as some of its leaves were showing discoloration and have already wilted. It is recommended that more attention should be focused on the post-transplantation maintenance of the Lamb of Tartary.

 

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