Environmental Consultancy

Welcome to Maia

At Maia, we specialise in the research and gathering of botanical data in order to advise and assist businesses to minimise their environmental impact and comply with all local and federal legislation. With a wealth of knowledge of the flora of Western Australia, extensive experience in botanical surveys and a wide range of scientific methodology, Maia can assist your business to reduce and minimise its direct and indirect impact on the flora of WA. Maia specialises in botanical surveys in the Murchison, Pilbara, Geraldton Sand-plains, Gascoyne, Goldfields, Jarrah Forest, Great Southern, Swan Coastal Plain and Great Victoria Desert regions of Western Australia. 

Specialised Services for The Mining Industry
Most land disturbing activities are regulated by permitting systems managed by the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife and the WA Department of Mines and Petroleum.  Botanical information is usually requested as part of permit applications by these departments. Most mineral exploration programmes, outside of specially protected conservation areas, are considered to be low impact activities.  Permits for these programmes may require:
  • a list of flora of conservation significance found in the area
  • estimations of the extent of impact to flora of conservation significance
  • indications of indirect impacts (e.g. from weeds in the area)
  • indications of how impacts will be minimised (through avoidance of flora of conservation significance and weed hygiene practices).
Depending on the extent of land disturbance and the information required, Maia can conduct an accurate investigation from thorough desktop surveys to multi-seasonal field surveys.

Formal Environmental Impact Assessments
Activities that may result either in extensive impacts or impacts to specially protected conservation areas may require formal environmental impact assessments.  To satisfy these requirements, Maia can:
  • conduct multi-seasonal field surveys
  • develop a list of flora found in the area
  • calculate impacts to vegetation and flora (e.g. from proposed infrastructure)
  • produce vegetation maps to best quantify impacts
  • provide indications of indirect impacts (e.g. from weeds in the area or groundwater draw-down)
  • advise how impacts can be minimised.
Using single or dual phase surveys, targeted flora surveys and desktop surveys, Maia can assist you to gather all the necessary information on the flora of your project area, minimise the impact and produce the impact assessment documentation.

Contact us


Mail: PO Box 1213, Subiaco, 6904
 
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Our Services are Tailored to Your Requirements

Depending on your specific project and the information required, Maia can conduct the following surveys:
Targeted Flora Surveys
  • liaison with stakeholders to determine the best survey methodology
  • gathering of species-specific data, incorporating different (and recognised) search techniques depending on the location, habitat and life form of the specific taxa
  • production of quality, targeted rare flora reports outlining the vegetation of the area, flora locations, a species list and recommendations on how best to reduce direct and indirect impacts to these flora.
Level 1 & Level 2 Botanical Surveys
  • liaison with stakeholders to determine the best survey methodology
  • establishment of bounded quadrats in specific habitats to gather data for vegetation mapping and reporting
  • vegetation mapping and statistical analysis of data gathered from surveys
  • production of quality reports including an assessment of the conservation significance and potential environmental impacts to the flora and vegetation of the project area
  • population monitoring pre, post and during mining operations to assess indirect impacts from mining such as dust, water drawdown and saline water discharge.

Desktop Surveys
  • gathering information from relevant databases and any botanical surveys previously carried out in or near the project area.
Dr Christina Cox (Director / Project Manager): 0488 233 759       Mr Scott Hitchcock (Director / Botanist): 0411 771 444