Flora- Fauna and Wildlife Inventory
Protecting our native plants and wildlife (threatened or un-threatened) is key to maintaining and improving our biodiversity. This biodiversity sustains both our local forest and our entire planet. More and more laws are being put in place to ensure these rules are not broken. Laws now ensure that urban development and our native species are to be conserved. These guidelines are governed by law.
As a Flora- and Fauna Specialist (Levels 1,2 and 3), and as a Fauna Controller, it is my job to go out into the field prior to the work and make an inventory of any present or prospective plants and wildlife. Thereafter, I form a plan of action to carry out the work avoiding or compensating any damage to wildlife. After this, it is my task to translate these actions to the workforce out in the field.
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Level 1.
The Nature Protection Act has three qualification levels.
Level 1 is designed for workers in a team who regularly are in contact with protected plants and wildlife during their work. As a Level 1 you can recognize animal habitats and protected plants and follow a code of conduct during encounters.
level 2
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Level 2 is for the Foreman of a team who work in nature. The Foreman receives instructions, restrictions or compensating measures concerning protected wildlife and plant life in his or her work site. The Level 2 must translate work instructions to a team. He or she is in charge at the work site and makes sure that the codes of conduct concerning wildlife are followed.
If a Level 2 worker experiences a change in circumstance at the work site where protected flora-fauna are in danger, they know what steps to take to prevent this happening.
Level 3
The Level 3 worker is the first person present at the work site, prior to work being carried out. The Level 3 recognizes animal habitats, knows which birds have a year-round protection or are seasonal. He can recognize protected plants and understands ecological relationships between protected flora and fauna.
Once this information is gathered, a Level 3 worker will prepare a plan of action for the work site. Incorporated in this report are the locations of the habitats and protected species, and how the team must work to either avoid or restrict damage in these nature areas. If damage cannot be avoided, compensatory measures must be taken prior to work.
A Level 3 will often consult with an ecologist in order to prepare a watertight plan of action.
Compensation mesures
In areas of heavy urban development, it may not be possible to contain the effects on the surrounding wildlife. in this case, compensating measures will be put in place months prior to construction. Such measures can be, bat or bird boxes, or the creation of artificial hollows. I specialize in the creation and installation of these arboreal habitats. Due to ever-expanding urban development near our natural areas the creation of arboreal habitat has never been so important.