nghenvironmental assisted Country Energy with the environmental planning, assessment and management of the Blue Cow to Guthega electricity upgrade situated along an existing sewer easement.
A comprehensive Review of Environmental Factors (REF), Eight Part Test for Threatened Species and Environment Management Plan (EMP) were prepared for the project that was installed and commissioned in June, 2004. The installation of the cable route traversed sensitive ecological communities, particularly the endangered Mountain Pygmy Possum (Burramys parvus).
With the cooperation of Country Energy and Dr. Linda Broome of the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (Parks and Wildlife Division), nghenvironmental were instrumental in ensuring that two mountain pygmy possum crossings were installed to aid their movement across the easement and around the Blue Cow area. They were designed to exclude access of introduced predators and to seek refuge from predating foxes and feral cats. The crossings allow for the mountain pygmy possums to have unrestricted movement between boulder field habitats along identified movement corridors within the Blue Cow ski area in Kosciuszko National Park
Each end of the crossings is camoflauged with natural rock. A mesh grill has been incorporated to allow for the safe entry and exit of mountain pygmy possums and other small native ground fauna such as the Broad-toothed Rat (Mastucomys fuscus).
