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IMPROVEMENT OF NATIONAL ROUTE R510 SECTION 2 FROM KM 6.3 AT BIERSPRUIT BRIDGE AND ENDS AT KM 33.4 NEAR THABAZIMBI ECOLOGICAL AND BIODIVERSITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT Prepared for: Royal HaskoningDHV (Pty) Ltd Fountain Square 78 Kalkoen Street, Monument Park Ext 2 Pretoria 0181 Under the direction of: The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd Regional Manager Northern Region 38 Ida Street, Menlo Park 0081 Prepared by: JOHANNESBURG Block D, Gillooly’s View Office Park (EOH Business Park), 1 Osborne Lane, Bedfordview, Johannesburg, 2007. (011) 607 8389 Also in Cape Town, East London, Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth and Maputo (Mozambique) www.cesnet.co.za or www.eoh.co.za July 2017 Ecological & Biodiversity Assessment – June 2017 REVISIONS TRACKING TABLE EOH Coastal and Environmental Services Report Title: Improvement of National Road R510 Section 2, from Bierspruit (km 6.4) to Thabazimbi (km 33.8), Limpopo Province: Ecological and Biodiversity Impact Assessment. Report Version: Draft v2 (RDK v1) Project Number: 209 Copyright This document contains intellectual property and proprietary information that is protected by copyright in favour of Coastal & Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd. (and the specialist consultants). The document may therefore not be reproduced, used or distributed to any third party without the prior written consent of Coastal & Environmental Services. Although this document is prepared exclusively for submission to the Royal Haskoning DHV South Africa, Coastal & Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd retains ownership of the intellectual property and proprietary information contained herein, which is subject to all confidentiality, copyright and trade secrets, rules intellectual property law and practices of South Africa. EOH Coastal & Environmental Services i Proposed road upgrade, Limpopo Province Ecological & Biodiversity Assessment – June 2017 ACRONYMS BA Basic Assessment (in terms of NEMA) BSP Biodiversity Sector Plan CBA Critical Biodiversity Area CITES Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species CP Conservation Plan CR Critically Endangered DAFF Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries DEA Department of Environmental Affairs DMR Department of Mineral Resources DT Moderate degraded Thornveld DWS Department of Water and Sanitation EAP Environmental Assessment Practitioner ECO Environmental Control Officer EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMPr Environmental Management Programme Report EN Endangered EOH EOH Coastal and Environmental Services EOH Enterprise Outsource Holdings (used interchangeably: EOH CES, CES) EOH CES EOH Coastal and Environmental Services (used interchangeably: EOH, CES) ESA Ecological Support Area GA General Authorization GRV Highly degraded grassy road verge IBA Important Bird Area IDF Integrated Development Framework IDP Integrated Development Plan IUCN International Unit for Conservation of Nature LC Least concern LCP2 Limpopo Conservation Plan version 2 (2011) LEMA Limpopo Environmental Management Act MEC Member of the Executive Council/Committee MM Mine Manager MOO Mine overburden overgrowth NBF The National Biodiversity Framework NBSAP The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NEM:BA National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, (Act No. 10 OF 2004) NEMA National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 as amended NEMPAA The National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act NFEPA National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas NHRA National Heritage Resources Act (Act No. 25 of 1999) NPA National Protected Area NPAES National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy NSBA The National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment NT Near Threatened NWA National Water Act POSA Plants of Southern Africa PPE Personal Protective Equipment RHDHV Royal Haskoning DHV RV Riparian vegetation SANBI South African National Biodiversity Institute SANRAL South African National Roads Agency Limited SCC Species of Conservation Concern SDF Spatial Development Framework EOH Coastal & Environmental Services ii Proposed road upgrade, Limpopo Province Ecological & Biodiversity Assessment – June 2017 VU Vulnerable WBR Waterberg Bioregional Plan (2015) WUL Water Use Licence WULA Water Use License Application EOH Coastal & Environmental Services iii Proposed road upgrade, Limpopo Province Ecological & Biodiversity Assessment – June 2017 DEFINITIONS Environment The surroundings in which humans exist and which comprise (a) the land, water and atmosphere of the earth; and (b) micro-organisms, plant and animal life. Any part or combination of (a) and (b) and the interrelationships among and between them. The physical, chemical, aesthetic and cultural properties and conditions of the foregoing that can influence human health and well-being. Environmental impact The change to the environment resulting from an environmental aspect (an activity) on the environment, whether desirable or undesirable. An impact may be the direct or indirect consequence of an activity. Invasive Invasive alien species are animals, plants or other organisms introduced by man into places out of their natural range of distribution, where they become established and disperse, generating a negative impact on the local ecosystem and species. Monitoring A systematic and objective observation of an organisation’s activities and services conducted and reported on regularly. Rehabilitation Rehabilitation is defined as the return of a disturbed area to a state, which approximates the state (where possible), which it was before disruption. Rehabilitation for the purposes of this specification is aimed at post-reinstatement re-vegetation of a disturbed area and the assurance of a stable land surface. Re-vegetation should aim to accelerate the natural succession processes so that the plant community develops in the desired way, i.e. promote rapid vegetation establishment. Restoration Is the process of reconstituting a degraded system to its original state. Re-vegetation Re-vegetation implies restoration without the objective of reinstating a particular native ecosystem. In re-vegetation, any plant species would do (for instance, sowing a mixture of commercially available grasses on mine tailings for soil rehabilitation) although a commercial crop or timber producing trees are often used. Re-vegetation is the physical process of establishing a vegetation cover. Subsoil The soil horizons between the topsoil horizon and the underlying parent rock. Topsoil This is defined as the “A” horizon of the soil profile. Topsoil is the upper layer of soil from which plants obtain their nutrients for growth. It is often darker in colour, due to the organic (humic) fraction, but regardless of the fertility appearance, structure, agriculture potential, this profile constitutes the topsoil. The top 30cm of soil and include vegetative material. Weed An undesirable plant, typically an alien or non-native species, which exhibits robust growth and may provide competition for resources with the desired vegetation. Herpetofauna The reptiles and amphibians of a particular region, habitat, or geological period. Invasive alien plant Invasive plants are naturalized plants that produce reproductive offspring, often in very large numbers, at considerable distances from parent plants (approximate scales being more than 100 m in less than 50 years for taxa spreading by seeds and other propagules; more than 6 m/3 years for taxa spreading by roots, rhizomes, stolons or creeping stems) and thus have the potential to spread over considerable areas (Richardson et al. 2000). EOH Coastal & Environmental Services iv Proposed road upgrade, Limpopo Province Ecological & Biodiversity Assessment – June 2017 Clay fraction Fine-grained natural rock or soil material typically with a grain size of less than 0.002mm. The finest classification of soil components. Mineral and Petroleum The Act which makes provisions for equitable access to and sustainable Development Act development of the nation’s mineral and petroleum resources. Study Area A study area refers to the geographic region for which data is analyzed in a report and/or map, or where a particular development will occur. In this instance, specific to the N2 road (inclusive of reserve) between Caledon and Riviersonderend. Alluvial Made up of or found in the materials that are left by the water of rivers, floods, and others. No-go Areas Refers to areas that are highly sensitive and therefore no development or individual is allowed. EOH Coastal & Environmental Services v Proposed road upgrade, Limpopo Province Ecological & Biodiversity Assessment – June 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. THE PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................................... IX 1.1. Details of specialist ......................................................................................................... ix 1.2. Expertise ........................................................................................................................ ix 1.3. Declaration ...................................................................................................................... x 2. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 2.1. Background to the Study ................................................................................................. 1 2.2. Project description and location ....................................................................................... 1 2.3. Project details .................................................................................................................