STOCKLAND SUSTAINABILITY DMA SERIES
Biodiversity
FY16
Why this is important to Stockland
Development is a key activity for Stockland, yet development brings challenges and opportunities for our business, particularly
in new urban growth corridors. We develop new land for housing, including infrastructure and social amenities, to create
sustainable, thriving communities. Developments on greenfield sites can impact local bushland habitat, ecological communities
and protected or significant species.
As part of our strategy to deliver shared value, we aim to minimise and mitigate these impacts to protect the biodiversity of our
surrounding environments. We appreciate that preserving biodiversity enhances the liveability and vitality of our communities
over the long term. Our Liveability Index surveys (with our residential communities) tell us that customers value green space
and so balancing developable land with retention and activation of biodiversity is critical to the success of our masterplanned
communities. We also understand the inherent value of biodiversity conservation to ensure the values of Australia’s unique
flora and fauna are preserved. By effectively minimising and mitigating the impacts on biodiversity, we are also able to reduce
development approval delays at a local, state and national level.
The impacts of our business on biodiversity are, for the most part, unique to our greenfield residential developments and in
particular our masterplanned communities. These impacts occur both during construction and as a result of urbanisation.
Threats to biodiversity from construction include:

clearing;
Threats to biodiversity from urbanisation include:

poaching species;

sediment runoff;

nutrient runoff;


encroachment of invasive species;
contamination of soil from runoff;



changed hydrological regimes; and
litter pollution;
removal or destruction of habitat such as logs, trees
(obstructing views) and streams;

vegetation root disturbance.


introduction of predators and invasive species;
isolation of habitat;


reduced genetic diversity; and
altering hydrological and fire regimes.
An overview of our management approach is provided on page 5.
Our key achievements

Conservation and protection in perpetuity of around 1,750 hectares of land for the purposes of managing biodiversity,
upon completion of our current projects. This includes land both on our sites and land offsite dedicated as an offset for
biodiversity loss.

Completed the development of Stockland’s biodiversity calculator, which assesses the change in biodiversity value of our
projects based on an initial pre-development value at a site. We have now applied the calculator to six new projects with
all projects achieving a positive biodiversity outcome.
In this document you will find:
FY16 Priorities and Performance Overview
2
FY16 Performance & Case Studies
2
Future priorities
2
Management Approach
5
Stockland Sustainability DMA Series • Optimise and Innovate • Biodiversity
1
Biodiversity
FY16 priorities and performance overview
FY16 PRIORITIES
STATUS
FY16 PERFORMANCE
For new masterplanned residential communities being planned from
FY15, make an aggregated net positive contribution to the biodiversity
value by FY17 as determined by the Biodiversity Calculator.
In Progress
100% of new projects (6) achieved a positive
Biodiversity score for FY16.
Future priorities
For new masterplanned residential communities being planned from FY15, make an aggregated net positive contribution to the
biodiversity value by FY17 as determined by the Biodiversity Calculator.
FY16 performance and case studies
We piloted a biodiversity calculator in FY15 to assess the change in biodiversity value of our projects based on an initial predevelopment value at a site. We applied the calculator to six new projects in FY16, including The Grove, Pallara, Calleya,
Cloverton, Altrove (formerly Schofields) and Willowdale, with all six projects achieving a positive biodiversity outcome.
The biodiversity calculator was also used to help us demonstrate the conservation outcomes for projects where we sought
Green Star ratings from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). Refer to the Management Approach section for
further information on the biodiversity calculator.
In FY16, we had 25 projects in the construction phase with identified biodiversity onsite to be protected. We will have placed
approximately1,750 hectares of land into protection for the purposes of biodiversity management once these projects are complete.
Many of the areas identified for protection include species that are considered threatened or vulnerable. At Allura in Victoria, for
example, we are protecting local grassland habitat for the Golden Sun Moth, and at Calleya in Western Australia we are protecting
the Spider Orchids. We are also protecting various areas of koala habitat across our South East Queensland projects.
Frog tunnels under the
Davis Creek intersection
CASE STUDY
Growling Grass Frogs at The Grove
The Grove is a 2500-lot Stockland
masterplanned community in Melbourne’s
western suburbs, which will eventually be
home to around 6000 people. The Grove
covers an area of 234 hectares and
includes parts of Davis Creek, home to
one of Melbourne’s most threatened
species, the Growling Grass Frog. The
Growling Grass Frog has suffered a
tumultuous past, long used by zoos,
universities and schools for dissections
and for feeding snakes. However, it is now
protected by the Victorian Government's
Biodiversity Conservation Strategy.
One of the critical impacts on the Growling
Grass Frog at The Grove is its ability to
traverse its natural habitat along Davis
Creek, and this is particularly important
where the creek crosses or runs under a
roadway. To maintain this traverse,
Stockland is constructing a crossing under
the corner of Sayers Road and Davis
Road that will enable the frog’s continuous
movement along Davis Creek. This
crossing consists of two sets of 100m
tunnels that will carry water from one side
of the intersection to the other.
Stockland Sustainability DMA Series • Optimise and Innovate • Biodiversity
The tunnels include light wells to avoid
the long dark passages that would
discourage entry or make frog
movement dangerous.
Overall, The Grove will protect and
enhance close to 50 hectares of natural
habitat, including habitat along Davis
Creek and Werribee River for local
native species such as the Growling
Grass Frog.
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Biodiversity
We use a range of mechanisms to protect land containing biodiversity including:

The preparation of Biodiversity Management Plans;

Covenants on titles at Highland Reserve and The Observatory in Queensland, where areas of significant ecological value
are located on allotments; and

Conservation zoning and transfer of land to public authorities.
At Cloverton in Victoria, for example, land will be transferred to either Melbourne Water or Hume City Council to be managed
in perpetuity. At Brooks Reach in NSW, we will be protecting ecology onsite through a mix of land transfer and covenants and
protecting land offsite through the NSW Biobanking scheme, as an offset for onsite works.
Biodiversity value is identified through site investigations undertaken by experienced ecologists throughout the process of
masterplanning a project. Proposed conservation actions are then reviewed by the local or state regulatory authority for approval.
We are currently masterplanning two new projects in South East Queensland (Paradise Waters and Waterway Downs) that will
further contribute to conservation of significant biodiversity and habitat identified through the masterplanning process.
We delivered around 100 hectares of rehabilitation works during the year. Rehabilitation activities help support the longevity and
resilience of significant biodiversity identified on our sites. Rehabilitation is generally undertaken by specialist contractors, such as
Greening Australia, and we also work closely with community groups. At Aura on the Sunshine Coast, we are working with South
East Queensland Catchments, which is managing our community reference network of up to 20 local stakeholder groups.
Our projects with significant biodiversity are outlined in the table below. The change in biodiversity value refers to projects that
have achieved a positive contribution to overall biodiversity, as assessed under our biodiversity calculator in FY16.
PROJECTS WITH AREAS OF SIGNIFICANT BIODIVERSITY VALUE
TOTAL BIODIVERSITY
AREA APPROXIMATE
(HA)
CHANGE IN
BIODIVERSITY
VALUE
STATUS
REGION
DEVELOPMENT
LOCATION
TOTAL LAND
(HA)
Released to
market
Victoria
Allura
Truganina
140
21.9
Eucalypt
Epping
81
25.7
Highlands
Craigieburn
970
43.9
Mernda Villages
Mernda
203
15.4
Cloverton
Kalkallo
1,141
130
+18.05
The Grove
Tarneit
98
30
+4.11
Amberton
Eglinton
198
241
Calleya
Banjup
145
11.5
Sienna Wood
Brookdale
330
49.7
Vale
Aveley
541
20
Altrove
Schofields
52
9
Brooks Reach
South Coast
65
42.8
Murrays Beach
Lake Macquarie
160
28.5
Willowdale
Leppington
350
131
Elara
Marsden Park
Augustine Heights
Augustine Heights
Aura
Caloundra South
Western Australia
New South Wales
Queensland
Stockland Sustainability DMA Series • Optimise and Innovate • Biodiversity
+3.2
+2.7
+1.32
2.4
68
47
2360
300
3
Biodiversity
STATUS
REGION
Development Queensland
pipeline
TOTAL LAND
(HA)
TOTAL BIODIVERSITY
AREA APPROXIMATE
(HA)
215
64
44
5.2
1031
300
DEVELOPMENT
LOCATION
Brightwater
Sunshine Coast
Hundred Hills
Murwillumbah
North Shore
Townsville
Ormeau Ridge
Ormeau
17
42
Pallara
Pallara
122
88
Stone Ridge
Narangba
47
8.5
The Observatory
Kingsmore
300
75
Vale
Logan
43
17
Paradise Waters
Deebing Heights
338
80
98
51
Waterway Downs
CHANGE IN
BIODIVERSITY
VALUE
+27.59
CASE STUDY
Aboriginal fire management
Stockland’s emerging A$5 billion city of
Aura on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is
demonstrating the benefits of wide-ranging
community engagement from the very early
stages of the project.
Previously under pine plantation and grazing,
the land of Stockland’s Aura residential
development was becoming dominated by
pine tree regrowth, melaleuca and casuarina
regeneration, with a high fuel load of
introduced weeds and grasses. A controlled
ecological burn was therefore undertaken in
June 2016 that followed the ancient cultural
practices of Australian Aborigines.
Stockland provided support for the burn
program through its Aura Community
Stewardship Program (ACSP). The ACSP
was developed by Stockland, community
organisations and the Sunshine Coast
Council to identify and optimise community
land care opportunities within the Aura
development.
This collaboration made it possible for cultural
fire experts to teach cultural fire management
techniques to local Kabi Kabi and Bunya
Bunya Country Aboriginal Corporation
members, including how to undertake low
energy burns with well-considered spot
ignition points to promote biodiversity. The
burn was undertaken by the Traditional
Custodians and supported by Rural Fire
Brigades and Queensland Fire and
Emergency Services (QFES).
Susie Chapman, South East Queensland
Catchments Manager, said, “We are
particularly grateful to the volunteers from
the five Rural Fire Brigades who supported
the Traditional Custodians to carry out this
ecological burn, and especially Beerwah
Fire Warden Lou Spann, who co-ordinated
their involvement with a profound
understanding of the traditional approach.”
A video of the Aura traditional bush fire
management trials can be viewed here.
Kabi Kabi First Nation and Bunya Bunya
Country Aboriginal Corporation member
Kerry Jones was excited to be part of the
first burn on the coast since traditional times.
“It was a great experience really connecting
with country and doing things how they’re
supposed to be done,” Kerry said. “We
are grateful to Stockland for providing this
opportunity and I’m looking forward to
working with the Rural Fire Brigades more
and carrying the practice on for future
generations.”
Stockland Sustainability DMA Series • Optimise and Innovate • Biodiversity
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Biodiversity
Management approach
Management approach overview
We strive to maintain a delicate balance between protecting biodiversity and developing communities based on good urban
design principles. Most of the time, good urban design aligns with biodiversity protection; however, sometimes principles of
efficient and effective land use (such as increased density around transport and employment nodes) can conflict with principles
of biodiversity conservation. Our goal is to better understand biodiversity protection, management and enhancement
opportunities in our communities.
Biodiversity is heavily regulated across all states in which we operate and can require approval across three levels of
government. We work closely with local councils, state governments or the federal government to identify and conserve
significant species or habitats on or adjacent to our sites.
Factors that influence biodiversity impacts and management include:

Nature of the biodiversity affected – including the type of habitat, community or species, the size and quality of the
habitat and the viability of bushland, waterway and open space corridors adjacent to our site.

Planning and design – urban design considerations such as access routes, the location of town centres and public
transport options (both proposed and existing), and the required lot size and quantity to ensure viability and liveability of
the development. These decisions can impact the location of infrastructure and housing and therefore biodiversity
conservation on a project site.

Ongoing management – ownership opportunities and responsibilities beyond the development phase of the project. It is
important that if decisions are made to protect long-term biodiversity in urban areas, appropriate ownership models are
agreed, such as public ownership by a local council, planning instrument protection such as environmental protection
zones, and management considerations such as weed removal, appropriate fire regimes and feral animal control.
When a decision is made to develop in an area of significant biodiversity, we implement a range of programs to manage any
adverse impacts including rehabilitation programs, on and offsite conservation, the provision of research funding and the
reversal of impacts associated with pre-existing uses such as grazing.
Consistent with our Group-wide management approach, minimum performance standards have been included in the
residential sustainability policy. The policy outlines the biodiversity requirements when developing our communities and helps
our communities and assets move beyond minimum standards, complementing local regulation.
Biodiversity Management Plans
Threatened species with habitats affected by our operations are considered as part of the environmental approval process on
each development. In many cases, we are able to conserve local biodiversity and place a large portion (if not all) of the
significant species found on our sites into protected areas. Protected areas are then handed to local councils and the
community to access and manage in perpetuity.
Projects with significant biodiversity are required to prepare a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP), which identifies areas of
biodiversity to be conserved or offsets to be provided. It also provides details relating to the rehabilitation or revegetation and
protection of biodiversity and the provision of funding to ensure protected areas can be appropriately managed over the long term.
We partner with environmental or community groups to deliver activities committed to in the BMPs, such as tree planting,
weeding and education programs.
Biodiversity calculator
In FY15, we developed a biodiversity calculator to assess the change in biodiversity value of our projects based on an initial
pre-development value at a site. The calculator was developed to help us measure whether our projects will achieve our target
of delivering a positive contribution to biodiversity.
The calculator takes into account elements such as category of threat under which species or communities are listed in state
and Commonwealth legislation, size and condition of the habitat, likely impact, degree of conservation and agreed offsets. The
calculator is applied at a project level and results are aggregated across the portfolio. The calculator is based on the
biodiversity calculator used by the GBCA to assess changes in ecological value for Green Star projects.
Stockland Sustainability DMA Series • Optimise and Innovate • Biodiversity
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Biodiversity
Roles and responsibilities
Our biodiversity approach, targets and performance tracking are overseen by our Board Sustainability Committee. An
employee Sustainability Steering Committee also provides guidance on biodiversity issues.
Accountability for biodiversity delivery sits with various members of the Executive Committee, including the CEOs of the
Commercial Property, Residential and Retirement Living business units. Stockland’s Chief Operating Officer assumes ultimate
responsibility at a Group level for biodiversity and reports directly to the Managing Director and CEO.
The National Sustainability Manager has responsibility for ensuring the effective implementation and evaluation of Stockland’s
biodiversity approach and is supported by a team of sustainability specialists. This team guides the Residential, Retirement Living
and Commercial Property asset teams in effective delivery of the sustainability policy for each business unit. Our Development
Managers and Project Managers are responsible for ensuring that biodiversity is effectively managed at a project level.
Review and evaluation process
Processes for management of biodiversity are under the control of the federal and state governments. Our key role is to
ensure compliance and identify opportunities to better understand biodiversity value on our projects.
Our project approvals will stipulate requirements in relation to biodiversity, and a Biodiversity Management Plan will be
prepared to support a development application or as a condition of development consent.
We engage our construction contractors on the basis that they deliver on our approval conditions, including any conditions
relating to biodiversity. Development Managers and Project Managers conduct a project management review process to
ensure contractors are capable of delivering our biodiversity conditions. Our contractors are then managed through regular site
meetings and reporting to ensure biodiversity conditions are met. We monitor all projects through a six monthly data collection
process to understand progress and project responses to biodiversity management. Our projects report on biodiversity at
various stages of the development process. At the completion of the master plan, we report on expected impacts and
protection plans. Projects also report during construction on the delivery of management actions.
To access the complete list of documents in Stockland’s Sustainability DMA Series, click here.
Stockland Sustainability DMA Series • Optimise and Innovate • Biodiversity
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