LAPALALA WILDERNESS LODGE and ROAD DEVELOPMENT BASELINE TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY STUDY AND BIODIVERSITY SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT November 2016 Prepared for: Peter Velcich NuLeaf Planning and Environmental PostNet Suite 168 Private Bag X 844 Silverton 0127 Prepared by: ECOREX Consulting Ecologists CC PO Box 57 White River 1240 Author: Duncan McKenzie Reviewers: Dr Rob Palmer (Nepid Consultants) Warren McCleland (Ecorex) LAPALALA LODGE TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY STUDY & BIODIVERSITY VALUE Nov 2016 ASSESSMENT (ECOREX) TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................ 3 LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................... 3 EIA REGULATIONS SPECIALISTS REPORT CHECKLIST ..................................................................... 5 ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 5 TERMINOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................. 5 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 7 2. TERMS OF REFERENCE ...................................................................................................................... 8 3. STUDY AREA.............................................................................................................................................. 9 FIGURE 3. LOCATION OF THE CURRENT AND PROPOSED ROADS ON LAPALALA .................. 12 4. METHODS ................................................................................................................................................. 13 4.1 FLORA .................................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 FAUNA .................................................................................................................................................... 13 4.3 SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................................... 14 4.3 ASSUMPTIONS, LIMITATIONS AND KNOWLEDGE GAPS ........................................................................... 15 4.3.1 Seasonality .................................................................................................................................... 15 4.3.2 Overlooked Species ..................................................................................................................... 15 5. BIODIVERSITY BASELINE DESCRIPTION.......................................................................................... 17 5.1 FLORA .................................................................................................................................................... 17 5.1.1 National Vegetation Types .......................................................................................................... 17 5.1.2 Limpopo Province Biodiversity Conservation Assessment ...................................................... 17 5.1.3 Descriptions of Development Sites ............................................................................................. 19 5.1.4 Confirmed Conservation-Important Flora ................................................................................... 68 5.1.5 Potentially Occurring Conservation-Important Flora ................................................................. 72 5.2 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA ............................................................................................................................. 73 5.2.1 Mammals ....................................................................................................................................... 73 5.2.2 Birds ............................................................................................................................................... 75 5.2.3 Reptiles .......................................................................................................................................... 78 5.2.3 Frogs .............................................................................................................................................. 79 6. SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................. 81 7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................... 90 8. REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 93 9. APPENDICES............................................................................................................................................ 95 APPENDIX 1A. CHECKLIST OF FLORA RECORDED DURING FIELDWORK ......................................................... 95 APPENDIX 1B. CHECKLIST OF FLORA RECORDED PER SITE IN THE SOUTH WEST PORTION OF THE STUDY AREA ........................................................................................................................................................... 104 APPENDIX 1C. CHECKLIST OF FLORA RECORDED PER SITE IN THE NORTH EAST PORTION OF THE STUDY AREA ........................................................................................................................................................... 113 APPENDIX 2. LOCALITIES OF CONFIRMED CONSERVATION-IMPORTANT PLANT SPECIES ............................. 120 APPENDIX 3. POTENTIALLY OCCURRING PLANT SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN ............................. 124 APPENDIX 4. CHECKLIST OF FAUNA CONFIRMED DURING FIELDWORK ........................................................ 125 APPENDIX 5. MACKINNON 10-SPECIES LIST DATA SUMMARY ..................................................................... 135 APPENDIX 6. POTENTIALLY OCCURRING FAUNA OF CONSERVATION CONCERN........................................... 137 APPENDIX 7. DUNCAN MCKENZIE CV ........................................................................................................ 141 APPENDIX 8. SPECIALIST DECLARATION FORM .......................................................................................... 142 ECOREX Consulting Ecologists CC 2 PO Box 57 White River 1240 (013) 750-1893 (083) 231-5632 [email protected] LAPALALA LODGE TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY STUDY & BIODIVERSITY VALUE Nov 2016 ASSESSMENT (ECOREX) DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE .............................................................................................................. 143 List of Tables Table 1. Sensitivity Drivers and Scores used to assess the sensitivity of the proposed development sites. ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Table 2. Localities of potentially sensitive sites along the proposed new roads in Lapalala .................. 66 Table 3. Plant species of conservation-concern recorded during fieldwork ............................................. 71 Table 4. Sensitivity of South West sites to biodiversity / development conflict........................................ 81 Table 5. Sensitivity of North East sites to biodiversity / development conflict ......................................... 82 Table 6. Sensitivity of road sites to biodiversity / development conflict .................................................... 87 List of Figures Figure 1. Location of Lapalala Wilderness .................................................................................................. 10 Figure 2. Location of the 36 proposed development sites on Lapalala .................................................... 11 Figure 3. Location of the current and proposed roads on Lapalala .......................................................... 12 Figure 4. Critical Biodiversity Areas on Lapalala Wilderness .................................................................... 18 Figure 5. Selected photos from Kolobe ....................................................................................................... 20 Figure 6. Selected photos from Takudu Plains ........................................................................................... 21 Figure 7. Selected photos from Elephant Pool ........................................................................................... 22 Figure 8. Selected photos from Bushman’s Painting ................................................................................. 23 Figure 9. Vegetation Associations at Kolobe, Takadu Plains, Elephant Pool and Bushman’s Painting ......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 10. Selected photos from Tholo Plain .............................................................................................. 25 Figure 11. Selected photos from Burkia ...................................................................................................... 26 Figure 12. Selected photos from Molope Plains ........................................................................................