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FAUNAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED MADWALENI LODGE ADJACENT TO THE WHITE UMFOLOZI, ULUNDI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, ZULULAND DISTRICT, KWAZULU-NATAL Compiled by Compiled for Ross Goode Emcakwini Community Trust Zanemvula Environmental (Pty) Ltd Tel 033 343 1352 Email [email protected]/ [email protected] September 2019 FINAL REPORT ZANEMVULA ENVIRONMENTAL (PTY) LTD Physical Address: 22 Hilton Avenue Postal Address: PO Box 949, Hilton, 3245 1 Telephone: 033 343 1352 Mobile: 073 825 5770 Level 1 BBEEE contributor Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 Figures ............................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Tables .............................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................ 4 1.1 Project background .................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Legislation guiding this assessment ......................................................................................................... 6 2. TERMS OF REFERENCE .................................................................................................................................... 7 3. LIMITATIONS, GAPS AND ASSUMPTIONS .................................................................................................... 7 4. SITE DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................................. 8 5. METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................. 9 5.1 Desktop assessment .................................................................................................................................... 9 5.2 Site Verification ........................................................................................................................................... 10 6. RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 6.1 Desktop Study ............................................................................................................................................. 10 6.2 Site verification ........................................................................................................................................... 13 7. Mitigation Measures ..................................................................................................................................... 18 8. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................. 19 9. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 20 Figures Figure 1: Locality map of proposed Madwaleni Lodge development........................................................ 5 Figure 2: CBA’s of the proposed study site. ........................................................................................................ 11 Tables Table 1: Mean monthly rainfall and temperature observed in Babanango (derived from historical data) ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 Table 2: Species occurring on the TSCP Minset database ............................................................................ 11 Table 3: Avifaunal species of conservation concern according to SABAP 2. ......................................... 12 Table 4: Amphibians of conservation concern occurring on site according to the ADU FrogMAP. 12 Table 5: Mammal species of conservation concern potentially occurring on site according to the ADU MammalMAP. ................................................................................................................................... 12 Table 6: Reptile species of conservation concern potentially occurring on site according to the ADU ReptileMAP. ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Annexures Annexure A Declaration of Independence by Specialist 2 Appendices Appendix A SABAB2 Species Lists Appendix B ADU Species Lists Acronyms ADU Animal Demographic Unit CBA Critically Biodiverse Areas DEDTEA Department of Economic Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs DWAF Department of Water Affairs & Forestry DWS Department of Water & Sanitation EAP Environmental Assessment Practitioner ECO Environmental Control Officer EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIS Ecological Importance & Sensitivity EKZNW Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife GIS Geographical Information Systems NEMA National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998) SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment Assessment details This report has been prepared in accordance with Section 13: General Requirements for Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) and Specialists as well as per Appendix 6 of GNR 327 – Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA, No. 107 of 1998 as amended 2017). It has been prepared independently of influence or prejudice by any parties. A full declaration of independence has been provided in Annexure A. Details of Authors: Ross Goode is a vegetation ecologist with years of experience in the field. He is well known in the grassland ecology community and spends most of his time identifying grass species and implementing fire management plans. Ross has undertaken projects throughout the country including the Kruger National Park and most of northern KwaZulu-Natal. Ross is involved in training staff for fire burning regimes. He also has a close relationship with tertiary education units through which he has co-authored scientific papers. 3 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project background Madwaleni Lodge has been proposed within the new Babanango Reserve adjacent to the White Umfolozi River within the Ulundi area (cf. Figure 1). IDM consultants has been appointed as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to determine the legislative requirements of the proposed development. The site has been open tribal lands. Prior to this it was terraced and cultivated. The coordinates for the Madwaleni Lodge are: 28.216545 S & 31.076411 E The proposed development will include the following: A main reception area; 9 accommodation units; A boma area; Staff accommodation; and A sewage treatment plant. It must be noted, access to the Madwaleni Lodge was not available, and therefore a site verification was done through the game fence. Fauna assemblages were noted to be the same as the Madwaleni Lodge. Undeveloped areas are valuable in providing habitat, forage areas and breeding grounds for faunal species. These areas are often associated with drainage lines and wetland systems which are often undevelopable, and provide the necessary ecological corridors linking habitats. The presence of fauna is of vital importance in maintaining ecological diversity and ecosystem health. Indicator species are species which tend to decrease in presence and diversity when the ecological state of the system is under pressure. Additionally, species of conservation concern and Red Data species are protected on a provincial, national and international level and the presence of such species needs to be verified. Therefore, Zanemvula Environmental (PTY) LTD has been tasked with undertaking a baseline faunal assessment to verify the presence of faunal species, and more importantly, the presence of species of conservation concern. This informs the pre-development assessments that are required to gain an understanding of the natural environment and guide the developmental process in order that site-specific mitigation measures can be put in place. 4 Figure 1: Locality map of proposed Madwaleni Lodge development 5 1.2 Legislation guiding this assessment Legislation provides the means for key legal considerations of importance to projects. This provides the framework for the protection of fauna and flora on a Provincial and National scale. Key legislation is as follows: National Environmental Management Act, Act No. 107 of 1998 (NEMA) NEMA requires, inter alia, that: “Development must be socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable”, “Disturbance of ecosystems and loss of biological diversity are avoided, or, where they cannot be altogether avoided, are minimised and remedied.” “A risk-averse and cautious approach is applied, which takes into account the limits of current knowledge about the consequences of decisions and actions”,
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