BASIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED AGGENEYS 2 SOLAR PV FACILITY AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE: AVIFAUNAL SPECIALIST STUDY Red Lark Calendulauda burra PRODUCED FOR SAVANNAH ENVIRONMENTAL BY [email protected] April 2019 Avifaunal Specialist Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ABO Wind Aggeneys PV 2 (Pty) Ltd is proposing the establishment of a 100MW commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) facility and associated infrastructure, called Aggeneys 2, on the Remainder of the Farm Bloemhoek 61, situated in the Namakwa District Municipality in the Northern Cape Province near Aggeneys. As the site falls within the Springbok Renewable Energy Development Zone (REDZ), a Basic Assessment (BA) process is required for authorisation. Savannah Environmental has appointed 3Foxes Biodiversity Solutions to provide a specialist avifaunal EIA study of the project site as part of the required BA process. A full field assessment over two seasons as well as a desktop review of the available avifaunal information for the area was conducted in order to identify and characterise the avifaunal features of the project site. An approximate total of 105 bird species have been previously recorded within the broader study area, of which 54 species were observed during the site visit in winter (June 2018) and summer (March 2019). Eight (8) of these are red-listed as Threatened while a further four (4) are Near-threatened. One species, the Vulnerable Red Lark Calendulauda burra, is endemic to South Africa, while fourteen (14) other species are near-endemic. Twelve (12) species are listed as biome-restricted, and include a number of lark species in particular. The site is located near an Important Bird Area (IBA) known as Haramoep and Black Mountain Mine. This IBA is one of only a few sites that provides protection to the globally threatened Red Lark. The IBA also supports a number of other red-listed species, while it is also important for seasonally occurring nomadic larks. The Red Lark distribution on the site does not overlap with the development area and the field surveys indicate that it is strongly associated with the red dune system of the Koa River valley about 2km south of the development area. The expected impacts of Aggeneys 2 within the project site includes 1) habitat loss and fragmentation associated with the Bushmanland Arid Grassland habitat, 2) disturbance caused during the construction and maintenance phases, and 3) direct mortality of avifauna colliding with solar panels and possible entrapment along perimeter fencing. The species that will be the most negatively impacted by the proposed development include mostly small passerines, ground-dwelling non-passerines and large raptors and terrestrial birds that occasionally use the area for foraging. The impacts on the avifauna would normally be expected to be of medium significance, but due to the low frequency of occurrence of priority red-listed species and the wide distribution and nomadic movements of many of the near- endemics and biome-restricted species, the impacts are likely to be low and no high post- mitigation impacts are expected to occur. 2 Aggeneys 2 Avifaunal Specialist Report The primary mitigation measures required to reduce the potential impacts on priority species would include 1) restricting habitat destruction and disturbance to the footprint of the proposed development, 2) exclusion of the dune habitat with an adequate buffer zone to be avoided and excluded from any disturbance or future development, and 3) ensuring that perimeter fencing along the boundaries of the development are bird and wildlife friendly (especially for ground-dwelling species). Considering that the project site for Aggeneys 2 supports a typical Nama-Karoo bioregional avifaunal assemblage, and that there are no known breeding or roosting sites of red-listed priority species within 3 km of the site, and that most near-endemics and biome-restricted species have wide distribution ranges, there are no impacts associated with the development that are considered to be of high significance and which cannot be mitigated to a low acceptable level. Therefore, there are no fatal flaws from an avifaunal perspective that should prevent the development from proceeding. Cumulative impacts associated with the development may be of moderate concern due to increasing number of solar facility developments proposed for the broader Aggeneys area. Considering that the vegetation and avifauna that occur on the property are rather typical of the Nama-Karoo bioregion, the overall cumulative avifaunal impact of the development is, however, considered to be low, provided the development footprint for Aggeneys 2 remains restricted to the plains habitat of the Bushmanland Arid Grassland vegetation type. Impact statement The proposed site for Aggeneys 2 is considered to represent a broadly suitable environment for the location of the proposed solar PV facility. Considering that the study area supports a typical bioregional avifaunal assemblage within an extensive vegetation type, and that there are no known breeding or roosting sites of red-listed priority species within close proximity (<3 km), there are no impacts associated with the development that are considered to be of high residual significance and which cannot be mitigated to a low acceptable level. Consequently, the development can be supported from an avifaunal perspective. It is therefore the reasoned opinion of the specialist that Aggeneys 2 should be authorised, subject to the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures. 3 Aggeneys 2 Avifaunal Specialist Report CONTENTS Executive Summary....................................................................................................2 Contents .................................................................................................................4 Compliance with Appendix 6 of the 2014 EIA Regulations, as Amended .....................................5 Short CV/Summary of Expertise .....................................................................................6 Specialist Declaration 1 ...............................................................................................9 Specialist Declaration 2 .............................................................................................10 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................11 1.1 Scope of Study ............................................................................................12 1.2 Relevant Aspects of the Development.............................................................13 2 METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................15 2.1 Data Sourcing and Review ............................................................................15 2.2 Site Visit & Field Methodology........................................................................16 2.3 Sensitivity Mapping & Assessment..................................................................17 2.4 Sampling Limitations and Assumptions ...........................................................18 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT- BASELINE ...............................19 3.1 Site Context & Avifaunal Microhabitats of the Site ............................................19 3.2 General Avifauna .........................................................................................21 3.3 Red-listed Species........................................................................................25 3.4 Current Baseline & Cumulative Impact............................................................29 3.5 Avian Sensitivity Assessment.........................................................................30 4 IDENTIFICATION & NATURE OF IMPACTS...........................................................32 4.1 Identification of Potential Impacts and Damaging Activities ...............................34 5 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS.............................................................................36 5.1 Aggeneys 2 .................................................................................................36 5.1.1 Planning & Construction Phase Impacts ....................................................37 5.1.2 Operational Phase Impacts......................................................................38 5.1.3 Decommissioning Phase Impacts .............................................................40 5.1.4 Cumulative Impacts ...............................................................................42 6 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS ..............................................................43 7 ACTIVITIES FOR INCLUSION IN DRAFT EMPR .....................................................46 8 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................53 9 Annex 1. List of Avifauna ....................................................................................55 4 Aggeneys 2 Avifaunal Specialist Report COMPLIANCE WITH APPENDIX 6 OF THE 2014 EIA REGULATIONS, AS AMENDED Addressed in the Requirements of Appendix 6 – GN R326 2014 EIA Regulations, 7 April 2017 Specialist Report 1. (1) A specialist report prepared in terms of these Regulations must contain- a) details of- i. the specialist who prepared the report; and 6-8 ii. the expertise of that specialist to compile a specialist report including a curriculum vitae; b) a declaration that the specialist is independent in a form as may be specified