FLORA AND FAUNA SPECIALIST ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED DE AAR 2 SOUTH GRID CONNECTION NEAR DE AAR, NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE On behalf of Mulilo De Aar 2 South (Pty) Ltd December 2020 Prepared By: Arcus Consultancy Services South Africa (Pty) Limited Office 607 Cube Workspace Icon Building Cnr Long Street and Hans Strijdom Avenue Cape Town 8001 T +27 (0) 21 412 1529 l E [email protected] W www.arcusconsulting.co.za Registered in South Africa No. 2015/416206/07 Flora & Fauna Impact Assessment Report De Aar 2 South Transmission Line and Switching Station TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 4 1.1 Background .................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Assessment Philosophy .................................................................................. 4 1.3 Scope of Study ................................................................................................ 5 1.4 Assumptions and Limitations ......................................................................... 5 2 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 5 3 RESULTS .................................................................................................................... 5 3.1 Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 6 3.1.1 Northern Upper Karoo ............................................................................................ 6 3.1.2 Besemkaree Koppies Shrubland ............................................................................... 7 3.2 Biodiversity Conservation .............................................................................. 8 3.2.1 Vegetation types .................................................................................................... 8 3.2.2 Biodiversity Planning .............................................................................................. 8 3.2.3 Plant Species ....................................................................................................... 10 3.2.4 Vertebrate Species ............................................................................................... 12 3.2.5 Invertebrate Species ............................................................................................. 17 3.2.6 Habitats ............................................................................................................... 18 3.2.7 Habitat Sensitivity ................................................................................................ 22 3.3 Sensitivity Assessment ................................................................................. 23 4 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................. 24 4.1 Identification of Potential Impacts .............................................................. 24 4.1.1 Construction Phase Impacts .................................................................................. 25 4.1.2 Operational Phase Impacts ................................................................................... 25 4.1.3 Cumulative Impacts .............................................................................................. 25 5 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS ...................................................................................... 25 5.1 Construction Phase Impacts ........................................................................ 25 5.1.1 Impact 1: Loss or fragmentation of indigenous natural vegetation ........................... 25 5.1.2 Impact 2: Loss of individuals of threatened or protected plant species ..................... 26 5.1.3 Impact 3: Loss of faunal habitat and refugia .......................................................... 27 5.1.4 Impact 4: Direct impact to fauna due to construction ............................................. 28 5.1.5 Impact 5: Displacement or disturbance of fauna due to increased activity and noise levels ................................................................................................................... 29 5.2 Operational Phase Impacts .......................................................................... 30 5.2.1 Impact 6: Direct faunal impacts due to operation ................................................... 30 Arcus Consultancy Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd Mulilo De Aar 2 South (Pty) Ltd December 2020 Page i Flora & Fauna Impact Assessment Report De Aar 2 South Transmission Line and Switching Station 5.2.2 Impact 7: Alien Plant Invasion .............................................................................. 30 5.2.3 Impact 8: Soil Erosion Risk ................................................................................... 31 5.3 Cumulative Impacts ..................................................................................... 32 5.3.1 Impact 9: Impacts on Broad-Scale Ecological Processes .......................................... 32 5.3.2 Impact 10: Impact on Conservation Objectives ...................................................... 32 6 OPPORTUNITIES ..................................................................................................... 33 7 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................. 33 APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................... 35 APPENDIX I: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 35 Data Sources ........................................................................................................... 35 Existing Studies ............................................................................................................... 35 Site Visit .......................................................................................................................... 35 Species 35 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................... 36 Ecosystems ..................................................................................................................... 36 Species of Concern .......................................................................................................... 36 APPENDIX II: LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS .................................................................... 37 Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) ..................................................................................... 37 National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998, NEMA) .............................. 38 National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act No. 10 of 2004, NEMBA) ........... 38 National Forests Act (Act No. 84 of 1998) .......................................................................... 39 National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) ........................................................................... 39 Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (Act No. 43 of 1983 as amended in 2001) .......... 39 National Veld and Forest Fire Act (Act No. 101 of 1998) ..................................................... 39 Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act (Act No. 9 of 2009) ............................................... 39 APPENDIX III: IMPACT SIGNIFICANCE RATING SYSTEM ................................................. 40 APPENDIX IV: POTENTIAL PLANT SPECIES ON THE PROJECT SITE .................................. 42 APPENDIX V: POTENTIAL PROTECTED PLANT SPECIES ON THE PROJECT SITE ............... 45 APPENDIX VI: POTENTIAL MAMMAL SPECIES ON THE PROJECT SITE ............................. 46 APPENDIX VII: POTENTIAL AMPHIBIAN SPECIES ON THE PROJECT SITE ....................... 47 APPENDIX VIII: POTENTIAL REPTILE SPECIES ON THE PROJECT SITE ........................... 48 Arcus Consultancy Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd Mulilo De Aar 2 South (Pty) Ltd December 2020 Page ii Flora & Fauna Impact Assessment Report De Aar 2 South Transmission Line and Switching Station APPENDIX IX: POTENTIAL INVERTEBRATE SPECIES ON THE PROJECT SITE ................... 48 Regulation GNR 326 of 4 December 2014, as amended 7 April 2017, Section of Report Appendix 6 (a) details of the specialist who prepared the report; and the expertise of that specialist Attached to compile a specialist report including a curriculum vitae; (b) a declaration that the specialist is independent in a form as may be specified by the Attached competent authority; (c) an indication of the scope of, and the purpose for which, the report was prepared; 1.3 (cA) an indication of the quality and age of base data used for the specialist report; Appendix I (cB) a description of existing impacts on the site, cumulative impacts of the proposed 4 development and levels of acceptable change; (d) the duration, date and season of the site investigation and the relevance of the 2, 3 season to the outcome of the assessment; (e) a description of the methodology adopted in preparing the report or carrying out Appendix I the specialised process inclusive of equipment and modelling used; (f) details of an assessment of the specific identified sensitivity of the site related to the 4 proposed activity or activities and its associated structures and infrastructure, inclusive of a site plan