PROPOSED EXPANSION OF QUARRY NEAR MATJIESFONTEIN, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT Ecological Assessment and Wetland Assessment for the proposed expansion of the existing quarry near Matjiesfontein Compiled by JANUARY 2018 Matjiesfontein Quarry: Biodiversity Assessment 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background It is the intention of Concor Infrastructure to expand an existing quarry on the farm Tweedside No.151 RD in the Lainsburg Municipal District, Western Cape Province. The quarry is approximately 13km west of Matjiesfontein. The expanded quarry will be less than 5ha in extent, including crushing facilities. Flori Scientific Services cc was appointed as the independent consultancy to conduct a strategic (desktop) biodiversity assessment, which includes a terrestrial ecological assessment and a wetland assessment, for the study site. No field investigations were conducted by the author of the report, but by other EAPs involved in the project. Location of the study area The study site consists of an existing quarry area and a proposed expansion area for the quarry. The study area is situated approximately 13km west of Matjiesfontein, on the farm Tweedside 151 RD, in the Lainsburg Municipal District, Western Cape Province. The site is just over 1km due north of the N1 National route and is 4,78ha in area. TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY Vegetation Due to the complexity and lack of botanical data, the Fynbos Biome is not divided up into Bioregions in the same way, or sense, as that of Savanna or Grassland Biomes. For simplicity of explanation, the Fynbos Biome currently is divided into three ‘Bioregions’ of Fynbos, Renosterveld and Strandveld, with numerous sub-vegetation units and veldtypes. The study site is situated within the ‘bioregion’ of Renosterveld of the Fynbos Biome and the veldtype unit of Matjiesfontein Shale Renosterveld. AQUATIC ECOLOGY Watercourses in the study area There are no watercourses in the study area. However, due to its close proximity, a small semi-perennial stream (or drainage line) just to the north of the study area was delineated and taken into account. 1 Matjiesfontein Quarry: Biodiversity Assessment Drainage areas Level Category Primary Drainage Area (PDA) E & J Quaternary Drainage Area (QDA) E22A & J12E Water Management Area (WMA) – Gouritz Previous / Old Water Management Area (WMA) – New Breede-Gouritz (as of Sept. 2016) Sub-Water Management Area Groot Catchment Management Agency (CMA) Breede-Gouritz Sensitivity analyses The ecological sensitivity of the study area is determined by combining the sensitivity analyses of both the floral and faunal components. The highest calculated sensitivity unit of the two categories is taken to represent the sensitivity of that ecological unit, whether it is floristic or faunal in nature. Ecological sensitivity analysis Ecological Floristic Faunal Ecological Development community sensitivity sensitivity sensitivity Go-ahead Quarry Low Low Low Go Renosterveld Medium Medium Medium Go-But Watercourse Medium Medium/High Medium/High Go-But 2 Matjiesfontein Quarry: Biodiversity Assessment Sensitivity map Fatal flaws There are no fatal flaws. Priority areas The study area does not fall within any priority areas. Priority areas include formal and informal protected areas (nature reserves); important bird areas (IBAs); RAMSAR sites; National fresh water ecosystem priority areas (NFEPA) and National protected areas expansion strategy (NPAES) areas. The study area does not fall within a demarcated critical biodiversity area (CBA). The study area is not situated within a threatened ecosystem or veldtype. 3 Matjiesfontein Quarry: Biodiversity Assessment CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................... 1 2 ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................... 8 3 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................. 9 3.1 Project overview.................................................................................................................................... 9 4 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 10 4.1 Desktop assessment .......................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Field surveys ........................................................................................................................................ 10 4.3 Floristic Sensitivity ............................................................................................................................ 11 4.4 GO, NO - GO Criteria .......................................................................................................................... 12 4.5 Floral Assessment – Species of Conservation Concern ...................................................... 13 4.6 Faunal Sensitivity ............................................................................................................................... 13 4.7 Faunal Assessment – Species of Conservation Concern .................................................... 14 4.8 Biodiversity Impact Assessment ................................................................................................. 14 4.9 Criteria for the classification of an impact ............................................................................... 14 5 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 17 5.1 Study Site Location ............................................................................................................................ 17 5.2 GPS Coordinates of the Main Landmarks ................................................................................. 17 5.3 Topography .......................................................................................................................................... 19 5.4 Climate .................................................................................................................................................... 19 6 TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY .................................................................................. 20 6.1 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................................. 20 6.2 Priority Floral Species ...................................................................................................................... 22 6.3 Conservation status ........................................................................................................................... 22 6.4 Plants identified during field investigations ........................................................................... 25 6.5 Protected tree species identified in the study area .............................................................. 25 6.6 Fauna ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 6.6.1 Mammals ................................................................................................................................................ 25 6.6.2 Avifuana .................................................................................................................................................. 25 6.6.3 Reptiles .................................................................................................................................................... 26 6.6.4 Invertebrates......................................................................................................................................... 27 7 AQUATIC ECOLOGY ....................................................................................... 28 7.1 Wetlands ................................................................................................................................................ 28 4 Matjiesfontein Quarry: Biodiversity Assessment 7.2 Riparian zones ..................................................................................................................................... 29 7.3 Rivers and streams ............................................................................................................................ 30 7.4 Watercourses in the study area ................................................................................................... 30 7.5 Classification of watercourses in the study area ................................................................... 31 7.6 Delineated Watercourses................................................................................................................ 32 7.7 Drainage areas ..................................................................................................................................... 33 7.8 Methodology: Present Ecological State ..................................................................................... 36 7.9 PES of watercourses in the study area ...................................................................................... 38 7.10 Methodology: Ecological Importance and Sensitivity ...................................................... 38 7.11 EIS of watercourses in the study area .................................................................................... 39 8 SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT