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The Effect and Interactions of Stocking Rate, Type of Grazing System Applied

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The Effect and Interactions of Stocking Rate, Type of Grazing System Applied ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN Namakwa District Municipality Final Report 4 March 2011 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONSULTANTS 147 Bram Fisher Drive Phone: (011) 781 1730 FERNDALE Fax: (011) 781 1731 2194 Email: [email protected] Copyright Nemai Consulting 2011 NDM EMF & SEMP FINAL REPORT TITLE AND APPROVAL PAGE TITLE: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN CLIENT : Namakwa District Municipality P O Box 5 Van Riebeeck street SPRINGBOK 8240 PREPARED BY Nemai Consulting C.C. P.O. Box 1673 Sunninghill 2157 Telephone: (011) 781 1730 Facsimile : (011) 781 1731 AUTHORS C. Chidley, R. Le Roux, E. Holton __________________________ __________________ Signature Date APPROVAL __________________________ __________________ Signature Date Nemai Consulting C.C. i NDM EMF & SEMP FINAL REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Namakwa Environmental Management Framework (EMF) and Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) was developed in order to provide a high level plan for sustainable development in the Namakwa District Municipality of the Northern Cape Province. The EMF and SEMP provides an evaluation of the state of the environment, sets out an environmental vision and details the constraints, opportunities, management measures, monitoring indicators and desired state of the environment for the various environmental elements. The EMF, the spatial section of the study, is presented as a series of environmental management zones which present the sensitive aspects of the environment, which land uses are suitable in each zone and which environmental studies should be conducted for proposed developments in each zone. The status quo in the district can be characterised as a large arid area with a dispersed population and high population densities where settlements have been established. Water sources include the Orange River to the north of the district, which has allocable water available. Groundwater sources are limited and both ground water and surface water pollution represent a threat. The central region of the district is dominated topographically by the Kamiesberg Mountains which provide important habitats for both flora and fauna. The southern and eastern regions of the district are largely plains. The coastline has been highly impacted upon by diamond mining and access has been restricted for the best part of two generations. As diamond resources become fully exploited, and access to the coastline improves, the extent of the damage, and of the opportunities that the change of landuse presents will become evident to the residents of the district and the region. Higher biodiversity is generally found to the north-west and along the coastline than in the interior and eastern areas of the district. The district is home to the Succulent Karoo biome and is a biodiversity hotspot of worldwide significance. Due to the importance of biodiversity to the tourism economy, the district has a well-developed biodiversity plan that has formed an important input to this SEMP and EFM. The district supports a large variety of fauna, which include endemic reptile, tortoise, frogs, scorpion and the Riverine Rabbit. There is large variety of buck including Grey Reedbuck, Steenbok, Springbok and Gemsbok. Nemai Consulting C.C. ii NDM EMF & SEMP FINAL REPORT District geology is generally stable and the district has general poor quality soils that do not readily support cropping. Soil quality increases in the south and supports agricultural crops. With regards the impact of climate change, the district is expected to get warmer and drier which will have important downstream impacts upon social and economic development. The impacts will first be felt by various environmental elements including water availability and habitat change. The district’s population is located in relatively few settlements and is generally poor with low education levels. Due to the relatively highly concentrated economy with its focus on mining, agriculture, government service and tourism, economic dislocations affect the population more than it would in larger and more diverse economies. The population of the district is ageing and migrating towards the better economic opportunities in the district and the broader region. The district is has a rich and long history with many heritage artefacts that merit preservation. The Strategic Environmental Management Plan considers fourteen environmental elements in the District. These fourteen are: Climate; Hydrology; Groundwater; Topography; Soils; Flora; Fauna; Coastal Environment; Social Environment; Tourism; Mining; and Agriculture. Each of these elements are important components of the biophysical, economic and social environment of the Namakwa District Municipality. The management measures acknowledge the need for social and economic development and provide strategic issues which should be addressed to take advantage of the environmental goods and services in the district. On the other Nemai Consulting C.C. iii NDM EMF & SEMP FINAL REPORT hand, the strategic issues in the SEMP provide strategic actions that should be taken to protect and conserve environmental resources. Noteworthy amongst the strategic action plans is the once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-make the coastal strip and to secure its use for the greater good. This opportunity presents itself as coastal diamond mining activities decline and access to the coastal strip becomes available. The Environmental Management Framework is presented as a map showing the Environmental Management Zones in the Namakwa District Municipality. There are six Environment Managements Zones and one additional zone for areas where insufficient information exists to make a determination. The seven zones are named from A to G. The zone descriptions are as follows: A. The zone includes a number of environmentally sensitive features and development should be avoided. If the development is critical to the economic and social wellbeing of the local population, utmost care should be taken to avoid impacts and mitigate where possible. B. Several environmentally sensitive features are present. Development should be restricted in terms of type and magnitude of impact. This rating is not very lenient in terms of development but does recognise that development cannot be excluded where compelling economic and social benefits will be derived for the local and regional population. All legislative requirements should be adhered to and a fully inclusive consideration of the biophysical receptors should be undertaken. Development in these areas will also require a comprehensive public participation process with input from stakeholders and government organisations. C. These areas include environmentally sensitive features. Development in this zone must serve to complement the area and should be limited where relevant. Adequate provision should be made for the protection of environmental features and a fully inclusive participation process should be conducted. D. These areas include environmentally sensitive features which are relatively common in the study area. Development must be guided by the constraints offered by the site and must be ensure that adequate provision is made for protection of environmental features. Applicable legislation should drive the process to be followed. E. The area is regarded to have little environmental sensitivity in comparison to the Zones A to D. Development should be facilitated in Nemai Consulting C.C. iv NDM EMF & SEMP FINAL REPORT this area whilst ensuring compliance to existing legislation and best practice approaches. F. The area is regarded to have been potentially has been heavily impacted upon. Development should be facilitated in this area whilst ensuring compliance to existing legislation and best practice approaches. G. No rating was provided due to lack of relevant information. The focus of the Environmental Management Zones is to restrict development in the zones with the greatest sensitivity, and allow development in the zones of low sensitivity. The EMF does not prohibit development in any one zone, neither does it give carte blanche for un-restricted development in any zone. The EMF should be used as guidance to the sensitivities of the proposed development area and tailor development planning and environmental authorisation approaches to the level of sensitivity in each zone. The blocks forming the components of each zone are large and reflect the size of the study area, as well as the degree of certainty of the input data. The use of these large component blocks provides environmental planners with the necessary latitude to strike the balance between the use of environmental goods and services, and protection of environmental resources. The SEMP and EMF serves as a framework for environmental planning and a desktop tool for the analysis of development proposals. The tool should be reviewed in five years’ time to keep pace with development in the district. Nemai Consulting C.C. v NDM EMF & SEMP FINAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. II TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................. VI TABLE OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... IX ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................
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