ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT (FAUNA, FLORA & AVIFAUNA) PROPOSED SIRIUS 100MW PV SOLAR 4 PROJECT NEAR UPINGTON, NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE SEPTEMBER 2019 Prepared by: NKURENKURU ECOLOGY & BIODIVERSITY (PTY) LTD. Gerhard Botha (Pri Sci Nat: Ecology & Botany) PO Box 12500, Brandhof, 9324 Cell: 084 2073454 Email: [email protected] Sirius solar pv project Four, northern cape province: ECOLOGY (fauna, flora & avifauna) REPORT SEPTEMBER 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration of Consultant’s Independence...................................................................v 1. SPECIALIST INFORMATION .............................................................................. vii 2. DECLARATION BY THE SPECIALIST ................................................................... vii 1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Applicant ................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Project .................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Proposed Activity ...................................................................................... 1 1.4 Terms of reference .................................................................................... 2 1.5 Conditions of this report ............................................................................ 2 1.6 Relevant legislation ................................................................................... 2 2 Methodology ................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Ecology (Terrestrial Fauna & Flora): Data scouring and review........................ 4 2.2 Ecology (Terrestrial Fauna & Flora): Methods to be followed during the Assessment ........................................................................................................ 5 2.3 Avifauna: Data scouring and review ............................................................ 6 2.4 Field sampling and assessment methodology ................................................ 7 2.5 Ecological Mapping .................................................................................... 8 2.6 Sensitivity Analysis and Criteria .................................................................. 8 2.7 Assessment of impacts ............................................................................. 10 3 Study Area .................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Locality ................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Climate and rainfall .................................................................................. 15 3.3 Physiography and soils ............................................................................. 16 3.4 Existing Land Use .................................................................................... 27 3.5 Conservation Planning: Strategic Environmental Assessment for wind and solar PV energy in South Africa – Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZs)............. 31 3.6 Conservation Planning: Environmental Management Framework .................... 39 3.7 Conservation Planning: Critical Biodiversity Areas and broad scale ecological processes .......................................................................................................... 42 3.8 Vegetation overview ................................................................................. 45 3.9 Site specific vegetation description – Fine Scale Vegetation Patterns .............. 52 Description of the identified habitat types ............................................................. 59 3.9.1 Ziziphus mucronata – Cenchrus ciliaris riparian woodlands of intermittent watercourses/streams. ....................................................................................... 60 3.9.2 Rhigozum trichotomum – Barleria lichtensteiniana riparian shrubland of the ephemeral washes (drainage lines). ..................................................................... 65 3.9.3 Ziziphus mucronata – Lycium oxycarpum riparian shrubland of the moist derpression like feature. ..................................................................................... 69 ii | P a g e Sirius solar pv project Four, northern cape province: ECOLOGY (fauna, flora & avifauna) REPORT SEPTEMBER 2019 3.9.4 Senegalia mellifera – Stipagrostis uniplumis mixed open shrublands. ............. 72 3.9.5 Zygophyllum chrysopteron – Enneapogon scaber dwarf shrublands. ............... 76 3.10 Fauna Survey .......................................................................................... 80 3.10.1 Mammals ................................................................................................ 80 3.10.2 Reptiles .................................................................................................. 81 3.10.3 Amphibians ............................................................................................. 82 3.11 Avifauna Survey ...................................................................................... 85 3.11.1 Avian micro-habitats ................................................................................ 85 3.11.2 Important Bird Areas (IBA) ....................................................................... 88 3.11.3 Avifauna species composition .................................................................... 88 4 sensitivity assessment ..................................................................................... 95 5 assessment of proposed impacts .................................................................... 100 5.1 Assumptions ......................................................................................... 100 5.2 Fixed and Tracking PV Panels .................................................................. 100 5.3 Monofacial (traditional opaque-backsheeted panels) vs Bificial modules ........ 101 5.4 Localised vs. cumulative impacts: some explanatory notes.......................... 106 5.5 Identification of Potential Ecological Impacts and Associated Activities .......... 109 5.6 Assessment of Impacts ........................................................................... 110 5.6.1 For the SOLAR PV FACILITY (Entire project site including access roads, internal access roads, solar field, all laydown alternatives, all substation and battery areas as well as the office). ............................................................................................ 110 Listed Impacts Influenced by the Different PV Solar Panel Tehcnologies and Associated Infrastructure (Mono- and Bi-Facial PV Solar Technologies). ................................ 112 Listed Impacts that are NOT Influenced by the Different PV Solar Panel Tehcnologies and Associated Infrastructure .......................................................................... 125 5.6.2 For the Grid Connection Power Line .......................................................... 135 Construction Phase ........................................................................................ 135 Operation Phase ............................................................................................ 142 5.6.3 Cumulative Impacts ............................................................................... 147 5.7 Comparison of Laydown Alternative Options .............................................. 152 5.8 Comparison of Office Alternative Options .................................................. 152 5.9 Comparison of Substation and Battery Alternatives .................................... 153 6 Discussion and Conclusion ............................................................................. 153 7 References ................................................................................................... 160 8 Appendices: ................................................................................................. 163 Appendix 2. List of bird species identified within the study site during the site visit. 163 Appendix 2. Listed Plant Species ....................................................................... 166 Appendix 3. List of Mammals ............................................................................ 170 Appendix 4. List of Reptiles. .............................................................................. 173 iii | P a g e Sirius solar pv project Four, northern cape province: ECOLOGY (fauna, flora & avifauna) REPORT SEPTEMBER 2019 Appendix 5. List of Amphibians. ......................................................................... 175 Appendix 6. Specialist CV. ................................................................................. 176 FIGURES Figure 1: Location map of the farm Tungsten 638 and the feasibility area as well as the proposed development footprint area of the proposed Sirius PV Solar Project Four. ....................................................................................................... 13 Figure 2: Proposed Layout Map of the Sirius PV Solar 3 Facility. ................................... 14 Figure 3: Climate graph of Upington (https://en.climate-data.org/africa/south- africa/northern-cape/upington-838/). ......................................................... 15 Figure 4: Climate table of Upington (https://en.climate-data.org/africa/south- africa/northern-cape/upington-838/). ........................................................