SOLARRESERVE ARRIESFONTEIN SOLAR POWER PLANT: PHOTOVOLTAIC PHASE 1 - 3 Appendix I – Avifauna Scoping Study Page 250 260380PWE : 1 Rev A : 2012-03-05 PROPOSED ARRIESFONTEIN SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY POWER PLANT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST AVIFAUNAL IMPACT ASSESMENT SCOPING REPORT November 2011 Andrew Pearson Endangered Wildlife Trust 011 486 1102
[email protected] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Solar Reserve SA (Pty) Ltd is planning a Solar Thermal Energy Power Plant (or otherwise known as a Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant), as well as a multi-phase Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project, within a single development site in the Northern Cape, South Africa. The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) was subsequently appointed to conduct an avifaunal specialist study. Very few CSP plants have been constructed worldwide to date, and knowledge on the associated avifaunal impacts remains limited. The site consists mainly of uniform, arid vegetation types. Few permanent water bodies were observed on site. The proposed site falls within the Quarter Degree Grid Square (QDGS), 2823BD, while data from three additional squares, 2823BA, 2823BB, and 2823BC was also considered due to their close proximity to the site. The South African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) recorded 12 Red Listed Species (Harrison et al, 1997), across all four squares, of which 5 are classified as Vulnerable, and 7 as Near Threatened. One additional species, the White Stork, is also included as it is protected internationally under the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species. Various other species relevant to the project were identified and include raptors, doves, pigeons and aerial foragers such as swallows and swifts. In general, SABAP2 data showed low counting effort for study site and immediate surrounds.