We are sad to lose graduate environmental scientist Matt Partridge who worked at Dinglebird for several months while awaiting the start of his training on the coveted BHP Billiton graduate programme.

Thanks Matt – you’re smart, have a great attitude and we know you’ll go far; we’re pleased to have been given this opportunity to work with you and to be part of your initiation into the world of client service, environmental science, occupational health, enterprise management and business governance. 

Matt never ceased to be surprised at the breadth of services offered by the experienced technical teams at Dinglebird to clients including local government, other engineering/environmental consulting firms, property developers, minerals explorers, facilities managers, stage government agencies, businesses (big and small), and many that don’t fit into conventional categories at all. 

Having worked on a Jarrah forest botanical survey and dieback mapping project, he leaves us substantially fitter than when he arrived!

Welcome to Saori Matsui.  Initially from Japan, Saori is a graduate of Edith Cowan University Joondalup having majored in Forensic and Biomolecular Science, and she is currently focusing on contaminated sites and acid sulphate soils.

Saori tells us that most Japanese people never eat whale meat (so what’s the real reason why the Japanese are killing whales?)   

Dinglebird is delighted to welcome Denis Hurle to our technical team as Technical Manager.  Denis has over 30 years experience in environmental assessment and management, in particular relating to groundwater hydrology, pollution transport in hydrological system, and in environmental impact assessment and management.  Denis also has 10 years of groundwater and hydrological research at CSIRO at the Western Australian and Canberra Laboratories and 10 years in WA and QLD as an environmental consultant working on numerous mining and industrial related projects throughout Australia.

Denis’s wealth of experience in major consulting firms, the mining industry, government, and research, in Australia and overseas, not only means further development of Dinglebird’s client service generally, but he also adds an enviable resource of depth, experience, industry contacts and knowledge to our business and technical teams. 

Result: business growth for Dinglebird, technical growth for all our staff and the additional benefit of Denis’s laconic sense of humour!  

Denis Hurle’s reputation is such that Dinglebird now has new clients asking specifically for Denis’s knowledge on acid sulphate soils, acid mine drainage and complex contaminated sites.

December 2011, // Fremantle

As of December 2011 Dinglebird are corporate members of the Environmental Consultants Association (WA), the professional body representing environmental consultants in Western Australia. The Association both represents the interests of its members and promotes development of the environmental industry. Membership of the Association is restricted to environmental consultants residing in Western Australia who possess the appropriate qualifications and a minimum of three years experience. As Members Dinglebird are committed to the ECA Code of Conduct.

October 2011, // Fremantle
Tasmanian Bluegum and Pine Plantations for sale or lease on high rainfall farms at scenic Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia.
Expressions of interest are invited to either lease the plantations until harvest, or purchase the treefarms together with standing trees.

The approx 1500 hectares of plantation forestry, established 2000-2002, is principally Eucalyptus globulus but includes approx 127 hectares of Pinus radiata which are awaiting first thinning and starting to close canopy.

Interested parties should contact the plantation manager John Bird at Dinglebird Environmental j.bird@dingbird.com.au or phone 08 9433 6822.

SURFACE WATER QUALITY

Surface water includes ponds, lakes, rivers, streams and estuaries, and requires a range of environmental skills covering chemical, flora, fauna and physical (eg turbidity, salinity, temperature) attributes.

Surface water quality monitoring may be required when undertaking foreshore and in-water (eg jetties) works, and during Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS) disturbance or dewatering activities.

Baseline studies may be required measuring eg field pH, conductivity, acidity, turbidity, followed by regular monitoring and assessment of changes from baseline levels.

Dinglebird Environmental provides an expert Surface Water Quality Monitoring service to help clients of all sizes to achieve their regulatory approvals.

Please call Dinglebird Environmental today on 08 9433 6822 to assist in your Surface Water Quality Monitoring.

UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS

Inadequately decommissioned underground storage tanks (UST) can be a potential source of contamination, representing an environmental liability for owners, buyers and sellers of land.

Dinglebird Environmental provides a UST removal validation service that assists in compliance with the relevant regulatory contaminated sites guidelines.

The Contaminated Sites Section of the Department of Environmental Protection provides guidelines for the Development of Sampling and Analysis Programs which include the former draft Guidelines for the Assessment of Sites Incorporating Underground Storage Tanks (DEP, 2000) and former draft Contaminated Site Assessment Guidelines for the Development of Sampling and Analysis Programs (DEP, 2000). The guidance was prepared by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide consultants, local government authorities, industry and other interested parties in the assessment of contaminated sites in Western Australia (WA).

This guideline provides an indication of the methods and work required when developing a sampling and analysis program (SAP) for the investigation and validation of sites including those incorporating underground storage tanks (USTs). The guideline entitled Reporting on Site Assessments (DEP, 2001) provides details, including a checklist of information required by the DEP when reporting on site investigations and remediation validations.

Guidance is provided in Development of Sampling and Analysis Programs (Guideline for the Assessment of Sites Incorporating Underground Storage Tanks and Contaminated Site Assessment Guidelines for the Development of Sampling and Analysis Programs as amended) December 2001 on Page 24 on methodology for removal of USTs. In addition segregation and sampling of Potentially Impacted disturbed soils is required, and validation undertaken to classify whether soils can be reused or disposed.

Underground Storage Tank (UST) removal and validation is a complex area and requires a planned, methodical, compliant and experienced approach.

Dinglebird Environmental provides an expert compliance service to help clients of all sizes to achieve their regulatory approvals.

Please call Dinglebird Environmental today on 08 9433 6822 to assist in your UST removal validation.

PRE-PURCHASE DUE DILIGENCE

The value of many properties is significantly reduced by unseen environmentally associated liabilities such as hazardous building materials (Asbestos), soil or groundwater contamination, historic fuel storage tanks or waste disposal, or Acid Sulfate Soils (Acid Sulphate Soils). These liabilities can disrupt project timelines or render developments financially unviable. A comprehensive pre-purchase due diligence program can identify these issues and prevent negative project outcomes.

Dinglebird Environmental conducts comprehensive due diligence assessments in accordance with Department of Environment and Conservation, Swan River Trust, Department of Health, and Western Australia Planning Commission guidelines. Dinglebird Environmental considers the client’s proposed development or site end use while developing due diligence protocols. We can also provide financial quantification of environmentally associated liabilities to support deal negotiation.

POLLUTION, EFFLUENT AND EMISSIONS

Under approvals processes for EPA Operating Licences and as conditions of development administered by Local Authorities, pollution, effluent and emissions management, monitoring and reporting may be required to meet licence conditions.

Local Authorities generally rely on advice in relation to water, gases/vapours, dust etc, from other stakeholder bodies such as Swan River Trust, and the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). Guidelines are in place eg DEC Landfill Waste Classification and Waste Definitions 1996 (as amended Dec 2009), ANZECC, and DEC, Assessment levels for soils, sediment and water Feb 2010, and many others which provide an agreed pathway for dealing with most environmental issues.

Dinglebird Environmental provides an expert compliance service to help clients of all sizes to achieve their regulatory approvals.

Please call Dinglebird Environmental today on 08 9433 6822 to assist in your pollution, effluent and emissions management, monitoring and reporting.

ECOTOURISM CERTIFICATION

Our Ecotourism Certification service will assist your ecotourism licence application processes, to allow tour operators to visit ecologically sensitive locations in Western Australia.

Dinglebird Environmental offers a range of certification services for the tourism industry, including assessing environmental performance, creation of Environmental Management Plans, liaison with the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) to clarify compliance issues, completion of on-line application proforma, and recommendation of practical measures to improve environmental performance and compliance.

Our service enables clients to focus on their core business while contributing details of their existing environmental management processes. Please give us a call to find out how we can assist your licensing and ecotourism accreditation.

WETLAND MANAGEMENT

Wetland Condition Assessment is undertaken to determine if a wetland’s condition meets the category assigned to it under DEC’s Geomorphic Wetlands Dataset. It involves assessing aspects such as biodiversity, habitats and vegetation condition.

Wetlands are categorised under DEC’s Geomorphic Wetlands Dataset as:

Multiple Use Wetland
Resource Enhancing Wetland and
Conservation Category Wetland.
RAMSAR wetlands are defined under the multilateral RAMSAR treaty.

Boundary Assessment involves testing and ground-truthing the DEC’s wetland mapping, and is an important part of an approvals and compliance process prior to land development, purchase, soil disturbance etc.

Wetland Management involves identifying threatening processes that are presently or have the potential to impact on the values of the wetland such as weeds, contamination, feral animals or habitat fragmentation. Once the threats and their impacts have been identified, management strategies can be developed to mitigate the threats and rehabilitate the affected wetland values.

Please call Dinglebird Environmental on 08 9433 6822 to assist in your Wetland Condition, Boundary Assessment and Management.