Botanical Assessment of site for proposed Life Sciences Building at the University of the Western Cape, Bellville, City of Cape Town

Report by Dr David J. McDonald Bergwind Botanical Surveys & Tours CC. 14A Thomson Road, Claremont, 7708 Tel / Fax: 021-671-4056 University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

1. Introduction

The botanical assessment covered in this report was commissioned by the University of the Western Cape, Bellville (UWC). UWC proposes to develop a tract of land of 0.89 ha within the University precinct for the purposes of constructing a new Life Sciences building. The botanical evaluation of the site forms part of an environmental sensitivity assessment that is necessary because the site is on deep sands that supports Sand Fynbos. This vegetation type has been heavily impacted by development on the Cape Flats – where UWC is situated – and elsewhere. This report examines the state of the site of the proposed development in terms of its botanical attributes and the future of the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos in the designated area in the light of the proposed development. The recommended guidelines for specialist studies of this nature (Brownlie 2005, De Villiers et al. 2005) have been followed.

2. Terms of Reference

 To examine and record the vegetation of the proposed development site for a new Life Sciences complex at UWC.

 To look for any sensitive habitats and rare or endangered plant species that should be avoided or that may require ‘search and rescue’ interventions should the development proceed on the proposed site and the habitat be unavoidably impacted by the proposed development.

 To identify ‘no go’ zones and areas of opportunities and constraints from a botanical perspective.

 To provide recommendations re mitigation for any negative impacts on the natural vegetation at the site.

3. Study Area

3.1 Site description, location and history

The site under investigation is situated on the Cape Flats within the property of the University of the Western Cape (Figures 1 & 2). It is currently an undeveloped portion of land that has a ‘dog-leg’ shape. It is closely adjacent to Modderdam Road on its western boundary whereas to the north it is bordered by a UWC parking area and to the east prefabricated buildings and the precinct where the security dogs are housed. The University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

southern boundary is a fence that separates the site from another portion of vacant land forming part of the Senate House area.

Figure 1. Location of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) on the Cape Flats in relation to Cape Town.

The Cape Flats Nature Reserve (CFNR) (Figure 2) is on the campus of the UWC but is specifically set aside for the conservation of plant and faunal communities typical of the sandy Cape Flats. It was officially proclaimed in 1977 under Section 12(4) of the Nature Conservation Ordinance of 1974 and was declared a National Monument in 1978. It serves for experimental and research work and environmental education (Low 1986).

This study is confined to the ‘dog’s leg’ area (Figure 2) that has been managed as part of the CFNR but which is not formally part of the proclaimed CFNR as surveyed and recognized by the UWC Planning Department. The ‘dog’s leg’ has been part of discussions and memoranda concerning ‘land swaps’ between the CFNR and the ‘main campus’ to consolidate the area available to the UWC authorities for development of buildings on the UWC main campus. In 1988 it was extracted from the CFNR in a re- survey of the boundaries of the CFNR where the ‘dog’s leg and the northern portion of the CFNR (where the School of Government is now situated and from there southeastwards University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

to the railway line) were ‘traded’ as part of a land swap for a triangular portion of University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

Figure 2. Aerial image GOOGLE (Image from Google-Earth 2006 ©) University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

land that has now been incorporated into the CFNR at the southwestern end of the ‘dog’s leg’ portion, however, has been recognized as an important fragment of Cape Flats habitat that augments the CFNR and its conservation purposes. In the period since the inception of the CFNR and subsequent to the resurvey of the boundaries it has been managed as part of the CFNR. Thus the evaluation of the vegetation and flora of the ‘dog’s leg’ is made in the context of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve as a whole for comparative purposes but the focus is on the merits and demerits of the ‘dog’s leg’ itself and how it will be impacted by any proposed development.

3.2 Geology and topography

The study area is almost flat and lies at an elevation of approximately 60 m a.m.s.l. The substrate consists of deep, alkaline to acid sands of Recent and Tertiary origin. The area would have consisted of a series of dunes and depressions but the southern boundary was bulldozed to form a ‘berm’. An underground cable was also laid diagonally across the site from a mid-point on the southern boundary north-westwards and a linear depression was formed. These activities introduced some physical disturbance to the site and changed its topography. The site is therefore slightly higher (by 1-1.5m) in the south and is lower and flattens out to the north and west. A low depression is also found in the narrow portion near the footbridge (Figure >>).

3.3 Climate

The Cape Flats is subject to a mediterranean-type climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average rainfall is in excess of 500 mm per annum and mean temperatures are 20.4 °C in mid-summer (January) and 11.8 °C in mid-winter (July). Mists occur mainly in May and strong desiccating bergwinds can occur preceding the arrival of cold fronts in winter. Frosts occur rarely in winter. The study site falls within this climatic regime.

4. Evaluation Method

The ‘dog leg’ site was evaluated by walking around the site on the existing paths to obtain an overall impression of the site. Then the area was traversed on foot during which time the site was ‘searched’ for the species occurring there. A list of species was made and University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

notes were compiled on the vegetation and plant species at the site. This was compared with existing records for the site while in the field. Co-ordinates were taken of random points throughout the site using a GPS and notes made that were linked to these points in order to build up a ‘picture’ of the vegetation (Figure 3). Particular attention was given to the possibility of finding ‘red data’ species. Other site characteristics such as geology, soil, disturbance and faunal activity were also recorded. Photographs were taken to provide a record of the vegetation at the site.

Figure 3. Map of portion of UWC showing proximity of the site to Modderdam Road and the sampling track logged by GPS while on the site, with waypoints denoted as UWC #.

Mapping of the vegetation of the ‘dog’s leg’ was also informed by two colour aerial photographs taken of the CFNR in 1996 and 2001.

5. The Vegetation 5.1 The vegetation in context

The unabated demand for land for urban development has seen the unprecedented growth of housing and industrial developments on the Cape Flats since the early 1980’s. In a survey of conservation priority of the Cape Flats by McDowell (1990) stated, University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

‘The objective of the survey, as described within this report, has been to promote the protection of that privately and / or publicly owned open space which still supports natural plant cover within the study region. At present, the total area of remnant vegetation enjoying formal conservation status is negligible.

On the other side of the coin, the survey recognizes the dire demand for land to be used to meet the escalating demands of a rapidly burgeoning population for residential, industrial and educational facilities. It is the actual siting of such development which is at issue. The present study has demonstrated that large open areas still exist which have negligible quality as natural ecosystems. Such areas should be earmarked for development – not those sites containing highly valued natural assets.’

Significant further loss of natural habitat has occurred since the time of McDowell’s report and with it many endemic plant species (Maze, Kätzschner & Myrdal 2002). Historically the vegetation on the Cape Flats was mainly Sand Fynbos. The exceptions were areas where limestone or calcareous dunes occurred, where the vegetation was more a thicket and was referred to as Dune Thicket (Low & Rebelo 1996) or Cape Flats Fynbos – Thicket Mosaic (Cowling et al. 1999; Cowling & Heijnis 2001). The national classification of the vegetation of South Africa, recently published as maps, classifies the vegetation as Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (FFd5) (Mucina, Rutherford & Powrie 2005). For practical interpretive reasons, Helme et al. (2005) grouped the vegetation type found on the Cape Flats with other types under the heading of ‘Lowland Fynbos Ecosystems’, incorporating Sand Fynbos and Limestone Fynbos. Estimates as at 1996 were that 81% of the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos had been transformed (Rouget et al. 2004), however, due to substantial urban pressure it is now believed that even more of this vegetation type has been lost with possibly more to follow. It is thus a CRITICALLY ENGANGERED vegetation type (Rouget et al. 2004; Helme et al. 2005). Every fragment of land on the Cape Flats that harbours natural vegetation is thus important and should be seen as vital in the patchwork of conservation areas necessary to ensure the continued survival of the vegetation types and the plant species they contain.

5.2 The vegetation of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve (CFNR).

The vegetation and flora of the CFNR was described by Low (1986) where he identified two veld types, Strandveld, a broad-leaved, sclerophyllous shrubland and alkaline Coastal Fynbos, now known as Sand Fynbos. Details of the vegetation according to Low’s (1986) description are given in Appendix 1. A map of the vegetation as described by Low is given in Figure 4. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

Figure 4. Vegetation of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve (from Low 1986) showing the reserve prior to the augmentation of the triangle at the southwestern end. The ‘dog’s leg’ portion is highlighted by enclosure in a red line.

Portions of the two aerial photographs taken of the CFNR in 1996 and 2001 were extracted to show the ‘dog’s leg’ section specifically (Figures 5 & 6). The 1996 photograph (Figure 5) shows the vegetation 19 years after the reserve was proclaimed and 10 years after the vegetation was mapped by Low (1986). The 2001 photograph (Figure 6) shows the vegetation five years after 1996. The Google Earth ® image shown in Figure 7 shows the vegetation presently (2006), five years after 2001. These images provide a useful record of the changes that have occurred in the vegetation at the study site over the past 10 years. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

Figure 5. The ‘dog’s leg’ section of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve indicated by the red boundary line. Aerial photograph taken in 1996. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

Figure 6. The ‘dog’s leg’ section of the CFNR, red boundary line as in 2001. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

Figure 7. Aerial photo of the ‘dog’s leg’ extracted from Google Earth ® showing the vegetation as in 2006. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

Low (1986) distinguished four vegetation units in the ‘dog’s leg’ section of the CFNR. Thamnochortus erectus Veld occupied the largest area, to the southeast of the footbridge and along the eastern to mid-central area of the western limb. Ehrharta Grassland was found partly on the southern boundary and extending in a band from the mid-central area to the western boundary. Closed and tall Coastal Fynbos (now called Sand Fynbos) was found along the southern boundary and in the narrow section eastern limb. Imperata cylindrica Grassland was to be found in the extreme northwestern corner.

The 1996 aerial photograph was not easily stratified but the vegetation as described by Low (1986) could be distinguished although the Imperata cylindrica Grassland in the extreme northwest corner had become overgrown with thicket vegetation by that time. The state of the vegetation had not change much by 2001. The plant communities were mature and the thickets dominated by Rhus species were encroaching more into the grassland units.

In 2005 there was a fire that burnt the major part of the eastern limb of the ‘dog’s leg’ section up to the footbridge and a large part of the mid-central are up to the western boundary at Modderdam Road. A portion from more-or-less the middle of the western limb to the northern boundary was not burnt.

The presence of burnt and unburnt areas within the ‘dog’s leg’ section of the reserve provided an opportunity for comparison of the vegetation in a post-fire ‘pioneer’ phase with vegetation in a mature state. The drawback, however, was that the field work was conducted in late October so most of the winter-flowering geophytes had already set seed and were not readily identified.

5.2.1 Description of the vegetation at random positions within the ‘dog’s leg’

The following is a description of the vegetation at random positions (co-ordinates given) within the ‘dog’s leg’ section of the CFNR based on field notes. These notes correspond to the positions in Figure 3.

UWC 1: S 33° 55’ 52.2 E 18° 37’ 28.0

A large clump of Rhus lucida is found at the entrance gate from the parking area off Access Way. Towards the security dog kennels to the east there is a lot of grass, dominated by Ehrharta calycina, E. villosa and Bromus cf. diandrus. Thamnochortus erectus also occurs here as does Chrysanthemoides monilifera, Aspalathus hirsutus, Conicosia pugioniformis and Willdenowia teres. Hyobanche sanguinea was found University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

parasitizing other plants in this area. Invasive Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) is found along the fence. Along the northern fence-line there is mainly a grassy layer but also some low shrubs.

UWC2: S 33° 55’ 51.3” E 18° 37’ 30.0”

There is an extensive patch of the succulent sour fig Carpobrotus edulis at this position and a stand of Senecio halimifolius in the area too. Lantana camara, an exotic invasive species is encroaching in the thickets.

Avena fatua, exotic wild oats is growing amongst Ehrharta villosa in the northwest corner of the site. The sedge Scirpus nodosus occurs here and there is a stand of Hellmuthia membranacea. This indicates wet conditions, at least at some time of the year. On drier areas the succulent Conicosia pugioniformis is found.

UWC 3: S 33° 55’50.2” E 18° 37’ 29.8”

Position of Dovyalis caffra (Kei Apple)– an indigenous species not native to this area, found in the northwest corner of the site.

A break has been cleared all along the fence along Modderdam Road. Dodonaea angustifolia (Sand Olive) is growing amongst Rhus spp. and other shrubs.

UWC 4: S 33° 55’ 50.9” E 18° 37’ 28.8”

A dense impenetrable thicket of Rhus laevigata covering an area of approximately 150m2.

UWC5: S 33° 55’ 51.5” E 18° 37’ 28.3”

A stand of Thamnochortus erectus extends from the Rhus laevigatus thicket (above) along the Modderdam Road fence. Interspersed between the T. erectus is a stand of another restio, Willdenowia teres.

UWC 6: S 33° 55’ 51.9” E 18° 37’ 27.3”

This position is at the junction of footpaths next to the Modderdam Road fence. Willdenowiia teres forms a low cover here with Rhus laevigata forming a thicket behind. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

UWC 7: S 33° 55’ 52.3” E 18° 37’ 28.9”

Large Euclea racemosa ‘tree’ towards the northern boundary of the site.

UWC 8: S 33° 55’ 53.0” E 18° 37’ 27.6”

Amongst Thamnochortus erectus and Willdenowia teres old veld. There is a concentration of Moraea fugax in this area with synchronous flowering happening in the afternoon (23/10/2006).

UWC 9: S 33° 55’ 53.0” E 18 37’ 25.5”

Burnt area near a large clump of Rhus laevigata that was burnt in the fire, near Modderdam Road fence.

UWC 10: S 33° 55’ 53.4” E 18° 37’ 24.9”

Another thicket of R. laevigata that was burnt in the fire; also close to Modderdam Road fence.

UWC 11: S 33° 55’ 54.2” E 18° 37’ 23.8”

Burnt out Rhus lucida thicket in the southwest corner of the site. It is now a tangle of burnt branches with lots of Senecio elegans pioneering in the open sandy areas. A few plants of Hellmuthia membranacea and a tiny sedge cf. Scirpus antarcticus were also found in this area.

UWC 12: S 33° 55’ 54.8” E 18° 37’ 24.0”

A stand of Rhus lucida, mostly burnt but some regenerating (resprouting at the base of burnt shrubs). This area is very weedy with a number of plants of the exotic manatoka (Myoporum tenuifolium) growing vigorously after the fire.

The fire was obviously very hot around the area of UWC 11 and UWC 12 because not very many grasses have grown after the fire. The area is dominated by Senecio elegans. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

UWC 13: S 33° 55’ 56.0 E 18° 37’ 27.6”

This position is near the corner of the prefab building and fence in the low-lying area. The vegetation is dominated by Ehrharta calycina and Imperata cylindrical with other species such as Moraea fugax, Hellmuthia membranacea, Jamesbrittenia tomentosa, Senecio elegans, cf. Scirpus antarcticus also present. At the side of the building are shrubs of Chrysanthemoides monilifera, Metalasia muricata and Senecio halimifolius.

UWC 14: S 33° 55’ 57.3” E 18° 37’ 27.5”

In the ‘middle’ of the low-lying area on the eastern limb of the ‘dog’s leg’. The area is dominated by Imperata cylindrica.

UWC 15: S 33° 55’ 56.2” E 18° 37’ 25.1”

On southern boundary next to field near Senate House. There is extensive dune mole-rat activity in this area. The dominant grass on the ridge is Ehrharta calycina. The exotic annual grasses such as Bromus cf. diandrus and Avena fatua were in seed and drying off at the time of sampling. Jamesbrittenia tomentosa also occurs in patches.

Along the fence is a group of shrubs including Olea exasperata, Cotoneaster sp., Reseda sp., Chrysanthemoides monlilfera, Rhus laevigata, Schinus molle and Rhus crenata.

UWC 16: 33° 55’ 58.1 E 18° 37’27.3

Located in a sandy patch with Imperata cylindrica on the ridge in the southeast corner near the footpath. A large clump of Thamnochortus erectus is found in the southeast corner of the eastern limb.

UWC 17: S 33° 55’ 58.7 E 18° 37’ 28.1

This location is close to the “footbridge” fence and escaped the fire in 2005. Plants that occur in the area are Chrysanthemoides monilifera, Ehrharta calycina, Reseda sp., Asparagus capensis, Rhus laevigata, Senecio halimifolia, Willidenowia teres and Pentaschistis cf. pallida. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

UWC 18: S 33° 55’ 57.8” E 18° 37’ 28.0

This position is in the low-lying ‘vlei’ area west of the footbridge. It was burnt in the 2005 fire and it was remarkable that no Bromus spp. were present in this area. The species recorded there are:

Imperata cylindrica – dominant Hellmuthia membranacea – co-dominant Senecio halimifolius Zantedeschia aethiopica Ehrharta calycina Pelargonium capitatum Metalasia muricata Acacia saligna (seedlings) Pentaschistis cf. pallida Conicosia pugioniformis Senecio elegans

UWC 19: S 33° 55 55.8 E 18° 37 26.7

This position is in the ‘middle’ of the site where it was burnt. Rhus laevigata is resprouting. The dominant grass is Ehrharta calycina which is 1 – 1.2 m tall.

UWC 20: S 33° 55’ 55.1 E 18° 37 25.9

At this position there are some large patches of the succulent Conicosia pugioniformis together with the grass Vulpia myuros. The geophyte Ferraria crispa was also recorded here.

5.2.2 General summary description of the vegetation

The area towards the north of the site, adjacent to the students’ parking area was not burnt in 2005. Some of the shrubs e.g. Euclea racemosa and Rhus sp. Are in excess of 3 m tall. The vegetation is dense and old (mature) and well developed and the thickets of shrubs are interspersed with stand of Thamnochortus erectus and Willdenowia teres. Parasitic plants like root parasite Hyobanche sanguinea are found under the shrubs. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

The area to the south and southeast was burnt in the 2005 fire and now the shrubs such as Rhus spp. and Senecio halimifolius are resprouting. Some Thamnochortus erectus is also regenerating wheras some large tussocks are completely burnt off. Some forbs such as Capnophyllum africanum as well as some dwarf shrubs like Aspalathus hirsuta are also regenerating. Grasses, particularly Ehrharta calycina are dominant with various sedges e.g. Ficinia spp. are also resprouting and contributing to the graminoid mix.

In the low-lying ‘vlei’ area of the eastern limb the community is dominated by the grass Imperata cylindrica and the sedge Hellmuthia membranacea. Ehrharta spp. contribute little here. Bromus spp. dominate in some places, particularly where the soil is more alkaline and disturbed by mole-rat activity.

The time of year when the recording of the vegetation was conducted was not optimal. The best time would have been in winter to spring when most species, including geophytes, would have been evident. A single ‘sampling’ is also not ideal to build a ‘picture’ of the flora and vegetation of a given area, in this case the ‘dog’s leg’ section of the CFNR. Therefore the CFNR checklist, compiled over many years (L.Raitt pers. comm.) (Appendix 1) is relied upon to provide information not available from the field survey. Where species had not been previously recorded for the ‘dog’s leg’ they were added to the exiting list.

Attention was given particularly to locating rare and threatened species such as Leucospermum hypophyllocarpodendron. This species was not found and no other rare species were found on the ‘dog’s leg’.

5.2.3 Soils and vegetation

Since Low’s (1986) description of the vegetation of the CFNR work has been carried out on the soils that has confirmed that they are calcareous (Unpublished data L. Raitt). Indications are that towards the southwest the dunes and depressions are alkaline (pH 8.4) but with a reduction in alkalinity towards the northern end of the CFNR (pH 7.9 – 8.0). This same gradient is seen in the ‘dog’s leg’ where the southern part is alkaline (ph 8.4 – 8.7) whereas the northern part is distinctly acid (ph 6.1 – 6.8). This means that the northern part of the ‘dog’s leg’, in terms of soils (acid sand), is a habitat not found elsewhere in the CFNR. This contradicts earlier assumptions that all the sandy soils of the CFNR are calcareous. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

5.2.4 Alien invasive plant species in the ‘dog’s leg’ section of the CFNR

The sandy soils of the Cape Flats are prone to invasion by exotic plant species if they are disturbed. The southern part of the ‘dog’s leg’ section was disturbed in the past by bulldozing and leveling. Further disturbance on the site occurred when an 11 kV electricity cable was laid in a trench approximately diagonally across it. These disturbances together with the continual disturbance of the soil by dune mole-rats has encouraged the invasion of bromes or predikantsluis (Bromus spp.) and wild oats (Avena fatua), particularly where the sandy soil is alkaline. Vulpia myuros (rat’s tail fescue) is another introduced grass species that is weedy and is encouraged by disturbance.

Apart from the woody alien invasive Acacia spp. and Myoporum tenuifolia that are regularly monitored and controlled in the reserve, there are also climbers, forbs and herbs that were recorded namely, Lantana camara, considered one of the world’s worst weeds, Oenothera sp. (evening primrose), Vicia villosa (vetch), Echium plantagineum (Patterson’s curse or vipers’ bugloss), Sonchus cf. oleraceus (sowthistle), Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion) and Reseda cf. lutea (Dyer’s rocket).

6. General Assessment and Recommendations

The natural vegetation of the Cape Flats is under siege. There is very little left and what is left is critically endangered (Maze, Kätzschner & Myrdal, 2002). Thus it is vitally important to look at each parcel of land where such vegetation occurs or may have historically occurred. The prospect therefore of a change in land use of the ‘dog’s leg’ portion of the CFNR is of serious concern from a botanical point of view. Construction of a building on this site will completely destroy the remnants of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos that occur there. There is little that could be done to mitigate such an impact since the ecological integrity of the site would be so changed as to make it ecologically unsustainable. This site is essentially irreplaceable and will be a significant loss to conservation of this veld type and to achieving the national target of conserving 30% of this veld type (Rouget et al. 2004)

The vegetation of the ‘dog’s leg’ section of the CFNR should be seen in its entirety as a group of plant communities functioning in ecological balance and not just a collection of individual plant species. This is important when considering the presence or absence of rare or endangered species. Such species are only as safe as the security of the habitat in which they occur and which they share with other companion species. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

The vegetation of the ‘dog’s leg’ section of the CFNR has been described as Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and no rare or unexpected species were recorded in this survey. Some special species such as Ferraria crispa and Moraea fugax and no doubt some other geophytes were recorded, that although not rare should not be ignored.

The question therefore is whether any of the plant communities found on the ‘dog’s leg’ are not found in the main Cape Flats Nature Reserve? From the information available, it appears that this is not the case and that similar if not the same communities are found within the main reserve. The only element found on the ‘dog’s leg’ is the more acid sandy soil towards the northern end of the ‘dog’s leg but even in that area no unusually different vegetation was found than occurs elsewhere. There are thus no areas that are considered as ‘no go’ zones from a botanical perspective and no areas that should be set aside from the development proposal. No obvious constraints can be placed on the development as proposed.

Should the development of the site with a Life Sciences Building proceed it is recommended that there should be ample opportunity offered to the staff of the Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology at UWC to identify locations and to collect plants in a ‘search and rescue’ operation that can then be transferred from the ‘dog’s leg’ to suitable sites in the main CFNR or maintained in ex situ collections.

6. References

Brownlie, S. 2005. Guideline for involving biodiversity specialists in EIA processes: Edition 1. CSIR Report No. ENV-S-C 2005-053 C. Provincial Government of the Western Cape: Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.

CFNR website: http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/eeru/cfnr/cfnr.htm

Cowling, R. & Heijnis, C. 2001. The identification of Broad Habitat Units as biodiversity entities for systematic conservation planning in the Cape Floristic Region. South Africa Journal of Botany 67: 15 – 38.

Helme, N. Holmes, P. & Rebelo, A.G. 2005, Lowland Fynbos Ecosystems, In: C.C. de Villiers et al. 2005. Fynbos Forum Ecosystem Guidelines for Environmental Assessment in the Western Cape. Fynbos Forum, Cape Town. University of the Western Cape: Botanical Assessment of site for New Life Sciences Building

De Villiers, C.C. Driver, A. Clark, B. Euston-Brown, D.I.W. Day, E.G. Job, N. Helme, N.A. Holmes, P. M. Brownlie, S. and Rebelo, A. G. 2005. Fynbos Forum Ecosystem Guidelines for Environmental Assessment in the Western Cape. Fynbos Forum, Cape Town 94pp.

Low, A.B. 1986. Cape Flats Nature Reserve, University of the Western Cape. Pamphlet published by the University of the Western Cape.

Low, A.B. & Rebelo, A.G. (Eds) 1996. Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism, Pretoria.

Maze, K. Kätzschner, T. & Myrdal, B. 2002. In, Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Development, Ed. S.M. Pierce, R.M. Cowling, T. Sandwith & K MacKinnon. Biodiversity Series, World Bank Environment Department.

Mucina, L., Rutherford, M.C., & Powrie, L.W. (Eds.). 2005. Vegetation map of South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland 1:1 000 000 scale sheet maps. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. ISBN 1-919976-22-1.

Rouget, M., Reyers, B., Jonas, Z., Desmet, P., Driver, A., Maze, K., Egoh, B. & Cowling, R.M. 2004. South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Technical Report.

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