ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE KUSIBED DELTA AND DUNE BELT AREA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM, DIRECTORATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS NAMIBIAN COAST CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT (NACOMA) 2011 Final Draft Scoping Report UNIVERRSITY OF NAMIBIA CENTRAL CONSULTANCY BUREAU (UCCB)- 2011 UNAM Content List LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................ V KUISEB DELTA & DUNE BELT EIA TEAM: ................................................................................................. V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ VI 1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. VI 1.2 PROJECT LOCATION ................................................................................................................................. VI 1.3 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................... VI 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................ VII 3. CURRENT AND FUTURE LAND USES OF THE STUDY AREA ........................................................................... VII 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ........................................................................................... VII 5. BASELINE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................................... VIII 6. SCOPING STUDY CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................. IX 7. SCOPING STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................... IX 7.1 Full Environmental Assessment ................................................................................................ ix 7.2 Aims and Objectives of the Full Environmental Assessment (EA) ............................................. x 7.3 Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................... x 7.4 Specialist Studies to be Undertaken ......................................................................................... xii 7.5 Likely Positive Impacts to be Considered ................................................................................. xii 7.6 Likely Negative Impacts to be Considered ............................................................................... xii 7.7 Environmental Management Plan (EMP) Considerations ....................................................... xiii 7.8 Proposed Outline of EIA and EMP Reports ............................................................................. xiii 1. PROJECT BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................. - 15 - 1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... - 15 - 1.2 PROJECT LOCATION ................................................................................................................... - 15 - 1.3 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................... - 19 - 1.4 PURPOSE OF THIS SCOPING (BASELINE) STUDY ........................................................................... - 20 - 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ....................................................................... - 22 - 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... - 22 - 2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS .................................................................................................. - 22 - 2.2.1 Constitution of the Republic of Namibia (1990) ................................................................... - 22 - 2.2.2 Environmental Management Act, 2007 (Act No.7 of 2007) ..................................................... - 22 - 2.2.3 Environmental Assessment Policy ........................................................................................... - 23 - 2.3 OTHER SPECIFIC LEGISLATION .................................................................................................... - 23 - 2.3.1 Nature Conservation legislation ........................................................................................... - 23 - 2.3.2 Tourism ................................................................................................................................ - 23 - 2.3.3 National Heritage Act ........................................................................................................... - 23 - 2.3.4 Water Resource Management and Regulations .................................................................. - 24 - 2.3.5 Waste Management ............................................................................................................. - 24 - 3. CURRENT AND FUTURE LAND USES OF THE STUDY ................................................................... - 25 - 3.1 CURRENT AND FUTURE TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN THE KUISEB DELTA AND DUNE BELT AREA ..................... - 26 - 3.2 SUB REGIONAL CONCEPTS ......................................................................................................... - 29 - 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ........................................................................... - 32 - 4.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................. - 32 - 4.1.1 Kuiseb Delta Development Project/ Trust (KDDP/T) ............................................................... - 32 - 4.1.2 Walvis Bay Bird Paradise ........................................................................................................ - 35 - 5. BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................ - 37 - 5.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................. - 37 - 5.2 CLIMATIC SETTING ...................................................................................................................... - 37 - 5.2.1 Temperature ............................................................................................................................ - 37 - 5.2.2 Precipitation ............................................................................................................................. - 37 - 5.2.3 Wind ......................................................................................................................................... - 37 - 5.3 VERTEBRATE FAUNA EXPECTED IN THE KUISEB DELTA AND DUNE BELT AREA ........................................ - 38 - 5.3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... - 38 - ii 5.3.2 Methods ............................................................................................................................... - 39 - 5.3.3 Results ..................................................................................................................................... - 40 - 5.3.3.1 Reptile Diversity ................................................................................................................................ - 40 - 5.3.3.2 Amphibian Diversity ................................................................................................................... - 43 - 5.3.3.3 Mammal Diversity ...................................................................................................................... - 44 - 5.3.3.4 Avian Diversity .................................................................................................................................. - 47 - 5.3.3.5 Important Species ...................................................................................................................... - 53 - 5.3.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... - 56 - 5.4. FLORA EXPECTED IN THE KUISEB DELTA AND DUNE BELT AREA ...................................................... - 58 - 5.4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... - 58 - 5.4.2 Methods ............................................................................................................................... - 60 - 5.4.3 Results ................................................................................................................................. - 60 - 5.4.3.1 Tree and Shrub Diversity ........................................................................................................... - 60 - 5.4.3.2 Grass Diversity ................................................................................................................................. - 63 - 5.4.3.3 Important Species .....................................................................................................................