Koala and Greater Glider Habitat Connectivity Modelling — Mine Expansion Assessment
Client - Middlemount Coal, via Biodiversity Australia
Sector - Resources / Environmental Assessment
Year - 2023
Role - Principal Consultant and Primary Report Author
Services - Habitat suitability modelling, resistance surface development, least-cost corridor analysis, Linkage Mapper network modelling, Circuitscape analysis, corridor impact assessment, restoration zone identification
Project Overview
Andrew led a habitat suitability and landscape connectivity assessment for koala and greater glider to inform a mine expansion and associated creek diversion, providing the ecological modelling framework needed to understand development impacts on habitat quality and movement pathways — and to identify restoration options to maintain connectivity.
What We Did
Developed species-specific habitat suitability sub-models integrating vegetation type and condition, Regional Ecosystem mapping, water proximity, species occurrence records, and habitat structural variables
Combined sub-models using a weighted overlay approach calibrated to the habitat requirements and movement ecology of each species
Converted habitat suitability surfaces to ecological resistance layers representing the relative difficulty of animal movement through each area
Applied least-cost corridor modelling to identify movement pathways between core habitat patches, generating corridor probability surfaces rather than single-path routes
Used Linkage Mapper to extend the analysis to a regional network framework, identifying core habitat areas, movement corridors, constrained linkages, and relative corridor importance across the landscape
Applied Circuitscape to model movement as flow across the resistance surface, identifying pinch points and alternative pathways not captured by least-cost analysis alone
Assessed development footprint impacts on identified habitat patches, corridors, and connectivity function
Identified priority restoration zones and corridor options to mitigate impacts and maintain landscape connectivity
Outcome
A habitat suitability and connectivity assessment informing the environmental approvals process — identifying specific locations where targeted restoration or modified development footprints could maintain landscape connectivity for both species. The project demonstrated the complementary value of combining least-cost analysis, Linkage Mapper, and Circuitscape within a single integrated framework.