Fauna and Flora Assessment Proposed Knopjeslaagte 115 High Density Development City of Tshwane, Gauteng Province

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Fauna and Flora Assessment Proposed Knopjeslaagte 115 High Density Development City of Tshwane, Gauteng Province Fauna and Flora Assessment Proposed Knopjeslaagte 115 High Density Development City of Tshwane, Gauteng Province December 2018 For Nali Sustainability Solutions Pirate Ncube DRAFT [email protected] By Enviro-Insight CC Samuel Laurence (Pr. Sci. Nat.) [email protected] Corné Niemandt (Pr. Sci. Nat.) [email protected] 1 , TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction and Project Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 5 2 Baseline Description ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Study Area .................................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Study Limitations ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 3 Methods ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Desktop Survey .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1.1 Flora Assessment ................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1.2 Fauna Assessment ................................................................................................................................................. 7 3.1.3 GIS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Field Survey ................................................................................................................................................................ 8 3.3 Species of Conservation Concern .............................................................................................................................. 8 3.4 Impact Assessment .................................................................................................................................................... 9 DRAFT 3.4.1 Potential Flora Impacts ........................................................................................................................................... 9 3.4.2 Potential Fauna Impacts ....................................................................................................................................... 10 3.4.3 Impact Analysis .................................................................................................................................................... 10 4 Results .............................................................................................................................................................................. 11 4.1 Regional Vegetation ................................................................................................................................................. 11 4.2 Gauteng Conservation Plan ...................................................................................................................................... 13 4.3 Gauteng Environmental Management Framework ................................................................................................... 14 4.4 Overview and Current Impacts ................................................................................................................................. 16 4.5 Habitats and Flora .................................................................................................................................................... 18 4.5.1 Degraded Grassland ............................................................................................................................................ 19 4.5.2 Egoli Grassland .................................................................................................................................................... 20 4.5.3 Transformed ......................................................................................................................................................... 22 2 , 4.6 Floral Species of Conservation Concern .................................................................................................................. 24 4.7 Faunal species of Conservation concern .................................................................................................................. 25 4.8 Habitat Sensitivity ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 5 Impact Assessment ........................................................................................................................................................... 28 5.1 Impacts on Flora ....................................................................................................................................................... 28 5.2 Impacts on Fauna ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 6 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................................... 34 6.1 General Recommendations and Mitigations ............................................................................................................. 34 7 References ........................................................................................................................................................................ 36 8 Appendix ........................................................................................................................................................................... 38 8.1 Appendix 1: Georeferenced photographs taken during the fieldwork survey. ........................................................... 38 8.2 Appendix 2: Flora species list ................................................................................................................................... 45 8.3 Appendix 3: Mammal species list ............................................................................................................................. 49 8.4 Appendix 4: Herpetofauna species list ................................DRAFT ..................................................................................... 52 8.5 Appendix 5: Avifauna species list ............................................................................................................................. 54 8.6 Appendix 6: Specialists Proof of Qualification and CV ............................................................................................. 65 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2-1: Location of the study area. ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 4-1: The study area in relation to the regional vegetation types (Mucina & Rutherford 2006). ....................................... 13 Figure 4-2: The study area in relation to the Gauteng Conservation Plan (2014). ..................................................................... 14 Figure 4-3: Gauteng Environmental Management Framework 2015. ........................................................................................ 16 Figure 4-4: Current Impacts recorded within the development area. ......................................................................................... 17 Figure 4-5: Specialist coverage (GPS tracks) and location of georeferenced photographs taken during the field survey. ........ 18 Figure 4-6: Delineated habitats within the study area. ............................................................................................................... 19 3 , Figure 4-7: Photographic evidence of Degraded Grassland habitat. .......................................................................................... 20 Figure 4-8: Photographic evidence of Egoli Grassland Habitat. ................................................................................................. 22 Figure 4-9: Transformed Habitat. ............................................................................................................................................... 23 Figure 4-10: Habitat sensitivity of the study area. ...................................................................................................................... 27 LIST OF TABLES Table 4-1: Attributes of the Egoli Granite Grassland vegetation type 12 Table 4-2: Plant species recorded in the Degraded Grassland during the site visit. 20 Table 4-3: Plant species recorded in the Egoli Grassland Habitat 21 Table 4-4: A list of potential flora Species of Conservation Concern within the study area 24 DRAFT 4 , 1 INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT PURPOSE Enviro-Insight CC was commissioned by Nali Environmental Solutions to perform an Appendix 6 Level Flora and Fauna Assessment for the proposed Knopjeslaagte 115 development, Gauteng Province,
Recommended publications
  • Freshwater Fishes
    WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE state oF BIODIVERSITY 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction 2 Chapter 2 Methods 17 Chapter 3 Freshwater fishes 18 Chapter 4 Amphibians 36 Chapter 5 Reptiles 55 Chapter 6 Mammals 75 Chapter 7 Avifauna 89 Chapter 8 Flora & Vegetation 112 Chapter 9 Land and Protected Areas 139 Chapter 10 Status of River Health 159 Cover page photographs by Andrew Turner (CapeNature), Roger Bills (SAIAB) & Wicus Leeuwner. ISBN 978-0-620-39289-1 SCIENTIFIC SERVICES 2 Western Cape Province State of Biodiversity 2007 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Andrew Turner [email protected] 1 “We live at a historic moment, a time in which the world’s biological diversity is being rapidly destroyed. The present geological period has more species than any other, yet the current rate of extinction of species is greater now than at any time in the past. Ecosystems and communities are being degraded and destroyed, and species are being driven to extinction. The species that persist are losing genetic variation as the number of individuals in populations shrinks, unique populations and subspecies are destroyed, and remaining populations become increasingly isolated from one another. The cause of this loss of biological diversity at all levels is the range of human activity that alters and destroys natural habitats to suit human needs.” (Primack, 2002). CapeNature launched its State of Biodiversity Programme (SoBP) to assess and monitor the state of biodiversity in the Western Cape in 1999. This programme delivered its first report in 2002 and these reports are updated every five years. The current report (2007) reports on the changes to the state of vertebrate biodiversity and land under conservation usage.
    [Show full text]
  • An Evaluation of the Vegetation and Herpetofauna for the Proposed Road D for the Development on the Farm De Deur 539 IQ, Gauteng Province
    An evaluation of the vegetation and herpetofauna for the proposed Road D for the development on the farm De Deur 539 IQ, Gauteng Province April 2010 April 2010 Doornkuil Road D APRIL 2010 An evaluation of the vegetation and herpetofauna for the proposed Road D for the development on the farm De Deur 539 IQ, Gauteng Province Commissioned by The MSA Group Contributors: Part 1 – Vegetation and Flora: GJ Bredenkamp DSc PrSciNat Part 2 – Herpetofauna JCP van Wyk MSc PrSciNat EcoAgent CC PO Box 23355 Monument Park 0181 Tel 012 4602525 Fax 012 460 2525 Cell 082 5767046 April 2010 e Doornkuil Road D APRIL 2010 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................... 5 PART 1: VEGETATION AND FLORA ....................................................................... 6 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ...................................................................... 6 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 7 1. ASSIGNMENT ...................................................................................................... 7 2. RATIONALE .......................................................................................................... 8 3. STUDY AREA ....................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Location ........................................................................................................... 9 3.2 Vegetation
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and Its Islands Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use
    Biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and its Islands Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use Occasional Papers of the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 6 IUCN - The World Conservation Union IUCN Species Survival Commission Role of the SSC The Species Survival Commission (SSC) is IUCN's primary source of the 4. To provide advice, information, and expertise to the Secretariat of the scientific and technical information required for the maintenance of biologi- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna cal diversity through the conservation of endangered and vulnerable species and Flora (CITES) and other international agreements affecting conser- of fauna and flora, whilst recommending and promoting measures for their vation of species or biological diversity. conservation, and for the management of other species of conservation con- cern. Its objective is to mobilize action to prevent the extinction of species, 5. To carry out specific tasks on behalf of the Union, including: sub-species and discrete populations of fauna and flora, thereby not only maintaining biological diversity but improving the status of endangered and • coordination of a programme of activities for the conservation of bio- vulnerable species. logical diversity within the framework of the IUCN Conservation Programme. Objectives of the SSC • promotion of the maintenance of biological diversity by monitoring 1. To participate in the further development, promotion and implementation the status of species and populations of conservation concern. of the World Conservation Strategy; to advise on the development of IUCN's Conservation Programme; to support the implementation of the • development and review of conservation action plans and priorities Programme' and to assist in the development, screening, and monitoring for species and their populations.
    [Show full text]
  • Olympus AH Eco Assessment
    FAUNAL AND FLORAL ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR THE PROPOSED ERASMUS PARK PHASE 2 TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT, ERASMUSRAND, GAUTENG. Prepared for Nali Sustainability Solutions February 2019 Section C: Faunal Assessment Prepared by: Scientific Terrestrial Services Report author: C. Hooton Report reviewer: K. Marais (Pr. Sci. Nat) Report Reference: STS 180084 Date: February 2019 Scientific Terrestrial Services CC CC Reg No 2005/122329/23 PO Box 751779 Gardenview 2047 Tel: 011 616 7893 Fax: 086 724 3132 E-mail: [email protected] STS 180084 February 2019 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY From the faunal assessment it can be concluded that there are four habitat units encompassed within the study area, namely Senegalia caffra – Vachellia karroo Woodland, Rocky Grassland, Degraded Hyparrhenia Grassland and Freshwater Habitat. These habitat range from moderately-low to moderately high sensitivities Based on the impact assessment, the impacts on faunal habitat, diversity and SCC within the different habitat units varies from low to high significance during the construction and the operational phase of the project prior to mitigation taking place. With effective mitigation implemented, all impacts may be reduced to very-low to medium-low levels. It is the opinion of the ecologists that this study provides the relevant information required in order to implement an Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) plan and to ensure that the best long-term use of the ecological resources in the study area will be made in support of the principle of sustainable development. Scientific Terrestrial Services (STS) was appointed to conduct a faunal and floral ecological assessment for the proposed Erasmus Park development on the remaining extent of the farm Waterkloof 378 JR, Erasmusrand, Gauteng Province (hereafter referred to as the ‘study area’).
    [Show full text]
  • Universityof Cape Town
    The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive licensety ofgranted Cape to UCTTown by the author. si Univer DEMOGRAPHIC AND GENETIC VARIABILITY IN CAPE DWARF CHAMELEONS, Bradypodion pumilum, WITHIN A FRAGMENTED, URBAN HABITAT MASTER OF SCIENCE CANDIDATE: Eric Michael Katz [email protected] SUPERVISORS: Dr.y K. of A. Tolley Cape Town South African tNational Biodiversity Institute si Dr. J. M. Bishop Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town Univer & Dr. R. Altwegg South African National Biodiversity Institute Thesis presented for the degree of Master of Science Within the Department of Zoology University of Cape Town, South Africa June, 2012 (2nd Submission) PLAGIARISM DECLARATION 1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another’s work and pretend that it is one’s own. 2. Each contribution to, and quotation in, this thesis from the work(s) of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. 3. This thesis is my own work. 4. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as his or her own work. 5. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment or essay, or part of it, is wrong, and declare that this is my own work. _________________________ Signature Removedty of Cape Town Eric M.
    [Show full text]
  • Herpetofaunal Habitat Assessment Portion 64
    Herpetofaunal Habitat Assessment of Portion 64, 165 and the Remainder of Portion 3 of the farm Witpoortje 117-IR (Minnebron X 1) January 2018 Report author: Mr. J.C.P van Wyk (Pr.Sci.Nat: M.Sc) Herpetofauna Report: Minnebron X 1 January 2018 1 of 19 pages TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 4 2. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ................................................ 4 3. STUDY AREA ................................................................................................. 4 4. METHOD ........................................................................................................ 5 4.1 FIELD SURVEYS ........................................................................................... 5 4.2 DESKTOP SURVEYS ..................................................................................... 6 4.3 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................ 6 5. RESULTS ....................................................................................................... 7 6. FINDINGS AND POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS ............................................. 15 7. LIMITATIONS, ASSUMPTIONS AND GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE ................... 16 8. RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES .............................................. 16 9. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 17 10. LITERATURE SOURCES .........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological Impact Assessment Report
    ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED SIYATHEMBA 20MVA 88/22KV SUBSTATION: FAUNA & FLORA SPECIALIST REPORT FOR BASIC ASSESSMENT PRODUCED FOR NSOVO BY [email protected] April 2018 CONTENTS NEMA 2014 CHECKLIST ................................................................................................................................ 3 PROFESSIONAL PROFILE OF CONSULTANT: ........................................................................................................ 4 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Scope of Study ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.2 Assessment Approach & Philosophy ............................................................................... 6 1.3 Relevant Aspects of the Development ........................................................................... 9 2 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Data Sourcing and Review ................................................................................................ 10 2.2 Site Visit ................................................................................................................................... 11 2.3 Sampling Limitations and Assumptions ......................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • From the Aberdare Mountains in the Central Highlands of Kenya
    Zootaxa 3391: 1–22 (2012) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2012 · Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) A new species of chameleon (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) from the Aberdare Mountains in the central highlands of Kenya JAN STIPALA1,4, NICOLA LUTZMANN2, PATRICK K. MALONZA3, PAUL WILKINSON1, BRENDAN GODLEY1, JOASH NYAMACHE3 & MATTHEW R. EVANS1 1School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Tremough Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] , [email protected], [email protected] 2Seitzstrasse 19, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Email: [email protected] 3Herpetology section, National Museums of Kenya, Museum Hill, Nairobi, Kenya. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] 4Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract We describe a new species of chameleon, Trioceros kinangopensis sp. nov., from Kinangop Peak in the Aberdare moun- tains, central highlands of Kenya. The proposed new species is morphologically and genetically distinct from other mem- ber of the bitaeniatus-group. It is morphologically most similar to T. schubotzi but differs in the lack of sexual size dimorphism, smaller-sized females, smoother, less angular canthus rostrales, smaller scales on the temporal region and a bright orange gular crest in males. Mitochondrial DNA indicates that the proposed new taxon is a distinct lineage that is closely related to T. nyirit and T. schubotzi. The distribution of T. kinangopensis sp. nov. appears to be restricted to the afroalpine zone in vicintiy of Kinangop Peak and fires may pose a serious threat to the long-term survival of this species.
    [Show full text]
  • Johan Marais
    AFRICAN SNAKEBITE INSTITUTE – Johan Marais Checklist of Reptiles in Southern Africa Scientific Name Common Name Afrikaans Common Name Afroedura africana Damara Flat Gecko Damara Platgeitjie Afroedura amatolica Amatola Flat Gecko Amatola Platgeitjie Afroedura bogerti Bogert's Flat Gecko Bogert se Platgeitjie Afroedura broadleyi Broadley’s Flat Gecko Broadley se Platgeitjie Afroedura gorongosa Gorongosa Flat Gecko Gorongosa Platgeitjie Afroedura granitica Lillie Flat Gecko Lillie Platgeitjie Afroedura haackei Haacke's Flat Gecko Haacke se Platgeitjie Afroedura halli Hall's Flat Gecko Hall se Platgeitjie Afroedura hawequensis Hawequa Flat Gecko Hawequa se Platgeitjie Afroedura karroica Karoo Flat Gecko Karoo Platgeitjie Afroedura langi Lang's Flat Gecko Lang se Platgeitjie Afroedura leoloensis Sekhukhuneland Flat Gecko Sekhukhuneland Platgeitjie Afroedura loveridgei Loveridge's Flat Gecko Loveridge se Platgeitjie Afroedura major Swazi Flat Gecko Swazi Platgeitjie Afroedura maripi Mariepskop Flat Gecko Mariepskop Platgeitjie Afroedura marleyi Marley's Flat Gecko Marley se Platgeitjie Afroedura multiporis Woodbush Flat Gecko Woodbush Platgeijtie Afroedura namaquensis Namaqua Flat Gecko Namakwa Platgeitjie Afroedura nivaria Drakensberg Flat Gecko Drakensberg Platgeitjie Afroedura pienaari Pienaar’s Flat Gecko Pienaar se Platgeitjie Afroedura pondolia Pondo Flat Gecko Pondo Platgeitjie Afroedura pongola Pongola Flat Gecko Pongola Platgeitjie Afroedura rupestris Abel Erasmus Flat Gecko Abel Erasmus platgeitjie Afroedura rondavelica Blyde River
    [Show full text]
  • Integrated Reserve Management Plan
    INTEGRATED RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN ZANDVLEI ESTUARY NATURE RESERVE June 2011 AUTHORIZATION PAGE This Integrated Management Plan for the Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve was drafted by the Area Manager and recommended by the Reserve Planning Team, a multi-disciplinary team consisting of: Reserve Planning Team: Branch Manager, Regional Manager, Area Manager, Biophysical Specialist, Biodiversity Coordinator, Sustainable Resource Specialist and Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator _____________________________________ Casandra Sheasby – Area Manager Biodiversity Management Branch Environmental Resource Management Department City of Cape Town Name and Title Signature and Date Mr Jacob Hugo Executive Director: Economic, Environment and Spatial Planning Directorate Approved by: Name and Title Signature and Date Mr Anton Bredell Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning DOCUMENTED Integrated Reserve Management Plan This management plan replaces any previous versions Document Version: Prepared by: Adele Pretorius Version.02: June 2011 Responsibility: Reserve Management plans Document reference: Approved by: Mr Anton Bredell (DEA&DP reference to be Position: Minister of Local Government, Environmental inserted) Affairs and Development Planning Date of approval: Date of implementation : Immediate Distribution: Distribute as Reserve Management Plan to relevant staff in the City of Cape Town for immediate implementation. Date for Revision: June 2016 INTEGRATED RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN Compiled by Dalton Gibbs, Vaughn Thompson and Cassandra Sheasby Biodiversity Management Branch Environmental Resource Management Department City of Cape Town ZANDVLEI ESTUARY NATURE RESERVE June 2011 ISBN NUMBER TABLE OF CONTENTS PART SECTIONS AND SUBSECTIONS PAGE NUMBER NUMBER List of maps ii List of figures ii List of tables ii List of appendices iii List of abbreviations used iv Part 1 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Phd Thesis Jennifer C. Jackson 16.10.07 For
    REPRODUCTION IN DWARF CHAMELEONS (BRADYPODION) WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO B. PUMILUM OCCURRING IN FIRE-PRONE FYNBOS HABITAT JENNIFER C. JACKSON Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Zoology) at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof. P le F. N. Mouton Co-supervisor: Dr. A. F. Flemming December 2007 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part been submitted it at any university for a degree. ………………………………. ……………… Signature Date Copyright © 2007 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved II Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland are home to an endemic group of dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion). They are small, viviparous, insectivorous, arboreal lizards, found in a variety of vegetation types and climatic conditions. Previous work on Bradypodion pumilum suggests prolonged breeding and high fecundity which is very unusual for a viviparous lizard inhabiting a Mediterranean environment. It has been suggested that the alleged prolonged reproduction observed in B. pumilum may be a reproductive adaptation to life in a fire-prone habitat. In addition, Chamaesaura anguina a viviparous, arboreal grass lizard also occurs in the fire-frequent fynbos and exhibits an aseasonal female reproductive cycle with high clutch sizes; highly unusual for the Cordylidae. With the observation of two species both inhabiting a fire-driven environment and exhibiting aseasonal reproductive cycles with high fecundity, it was thought that this unpredictable environment may shape the reproductive strategies of animals inhabiting it.
    [Show full text]
  • Little Slow Foot- the Story of the Whale Coast
    LITTLE SLOW-FOOT It was a traumatic experience that galvanised Whale Coast Conservation into starting its Chameleon Conservation Project. An eco-adventure to look for chameleons on open plots in V ermont led to the discovery of more than a hundred animals right there among the houses. What excitement! Who would have known - except the chameleon enthusiast who led the adventure. But within a few days disaster struck when the chameleon colony was bulldozed for infrastructure. It was clear that something needed to be done to minimise the loss of more chameleons. Bur why are chameleons so important to us? These little dragons can swivel their eyes independently to scan nearly 360°. Their tongues are twice the length of their bodies and can be used like ballistic missiles to catch prey. They have prehensile tails and sets of fused toes with sharp nails to grip their perch. They can change colour in response to their environment, their mood and the ambient temperature. They are the embodiment of any child’s fascination with dragons and dinosaurs. Most people who grew up in the Western Cape will remember often finding them in suburban gardens and going ‘hunting’ with a chameleon perched on a finger. These days we see them much less often. Does that mean their numbers have declined or are we not looking? What do we know about Cape Dwarf Chameleons and their conservation status? South Africa is home to 19 species of chameleons, of which 17 are Dwarf Chameleons of the genus Bradypodion, meaning ‘slow foot’. All the Dwarf Chameleons are endemic to South Africa, i.e.
    [Show full text]