A BIODIVERSITY AND WETLAND SCREENING ASSESSMENT (DESKTOP LEVEL) FOR THE PROPOSED DE BAD PROSPECTING APPLICATION, NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE Prepared for: LW Consultants Prepared by: Exigo Sustainability (Pty) Ltd A BIODIVERSITY AND WETLAND SCREENING ASSESSMENT (DESKTOP LEVEL) FOR THE PROPOSED DE BAD PROSPECTING APPLICATION, NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE FATAL FLAW ANALYSIS (DESKTOP LEVEL) July 2018 Conducted on behalf of: LW Consultants 19 Park Road, Belgravia, Kimberley Contact person: Mr. K. Wiehahn Compiled by: Dr. BJ Henning Pr.Sci.Nat (PhD plant Ecology; MSc Botany - Soil Science related) Although Exigo exercises due care and diligence in rendering services and preparing documents, Exigo accepts no liability, and the client, by receiving this document, indemnifies Exigo and its directors, managers, agents and employees against all actions, claims, demands, losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses arising from or in connection with services rendered, directly or indirectly by Exigo and by the use of the information contained in this document. This document contains confidential and proprietary information of Exigo and is protected by copyright in favour of Exigo and may not be reproduced, or used without the written consent of Exigo, which has been obtained beforehand. This document is prepared exclusively for LW Consultants and is subject to all confidentiality, copyright and trade secrets, rules, intellectual property law and practices of South Africa. 3 REPORT DISTRIBUTION LIST Name Institution Mr. K. Wiehahn LW Consultants DOCUMENT HISTORY Date Version Status July 2018 1.0 Draft 1 -i- De Bad prospecting application Biodiversity & Wetland Screening Declaration I, Barend Johannes Henning, declare that - I act as the independent specialist; I will perform the work relating to the project in an objective manner, even if this results in views and findings that are not favourable to the project proponent; I declare that there are no circumstances that may compromise my objectivity in performing such work; I have expertise in conducting the specialist report relevant to this project, including knowledge of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998; the Act), regulations and any guidelines that have relevance to the proposed activity; I will comply with the Act, regulations and all other applicable legislation; I will take into account, to the extent possible, the matters listed in Regulation 8; I have no, and will not engage in, conflicting interests in the undertaking of the activity; I undertake to disclose to the project proponent and the competent authority all material information in my possession that reasonably has or may have the potential of influencing - any decision to be taken with respect to the project; and - the objectivity of any report, plan or document to be prepared by myself for submission to the competent authority or project proponent; All the particulars furnished by me in this document are true and correct; and I realise that a false declaration is an offence in terms of Regulation 71 and is punishable in terms of section 24F of the Act. ___________________________________ SIGNATURE OF SPECIALIST Company: Exigo Sustainability Date: July 2018 -ii- De Bad prospecting application Biodiversity & Wetland Screening Table of contents GLOSSARY OF TERMS ................................................................................................................................ 1 ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 4 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 5 2 ASSIGNMENT ..................................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 INFORMATION SOURCES ................................................................................................................ 7 2.2 REGULATIONS GOVERNING THIS REPORT ........................................................................................ 7 2.2.1 National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) - Regulation No. R982 7 2.2.2 The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (Act No. 107 of 1998) ................ 9 2.2.3 Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (Act No. 43 of 1983) .................................... 9 2.2.4 National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (NEMBA: Act 10 0f 2004) ............ 9 2.2.5 The National Forest Act (Act 84 of 1998) .......................................................................... 9 2.2.6 Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act, No. 9 of 2009 ................................................... 9 2.3 TERMS OF REFERENCE .................................................................................................................. 10 2.3.1 Rationale ......................................................................................................................... 10 2.3.2 Ecological Sensitivity Assessment and FFA ................................................................... 11 2.3.3 Limitations and assumptions ........................................................................................... 12 3 STUDY AREA .................................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY .................................................................................... 13 4 BACKGROUND ON CONSERVATION TOOLS ASSESSMENT ................................................................... 17 4.1 CRITICAL BIODIVERSITY & ECOLOGICAL SUPPORT AREAS OF THE PROJECT AREA ............................. 17 4.2 PROTECTED AREAS NETWORK AND NATIONAL PROTECTED AREAS EXPANSION STRATEGY (NPAES) . 19 4.3 IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS .............................................................................................................. 21 4.4 NATIONALLY THREATENED ECOSYSTEMS ....................................................................................... 23 5 METHODS ........................................................................................................................................ 25 5.1 GENERAL ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS ....................................................................................... 25 5.2 VEGETATION ............................................................................................................................ 25 5.2.1 Scoping level assessment ............................................................................................... 25 5.2.1.1 Data recorded: ............................................................................................................. 25 5.3 FAUNA SCOPING & HABITAT ASSESSMENTS .................................................................... 26 5.4 SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................... 26 5.4.1 Ecological function .......................................................................................................... 26 5.4.2 Conservation importance ................................................................................................ 26 5.4.3 Sensitivity scale ............................................................................................................... 26 6 RESULTS .......................................................................................................................................... 28 6.1 LAND-USE ................................................................................................................................. 28 6.2 TOPOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................... 28 6.3 WATER COURSES, WETLANDS AND DRAINAGE ................................................................ 30 6.4 LANDTYPE DISTRIBUTION, GEOLOGY & SOILS ................................................................. 34 - iii- De Bad prospecting application Biodiversity & Wetland Screening 6.5 FLORA ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................. 37 6.5.1 VEGETATION TYPES .................................................................................................... 37 6.5.2 Species of conservation concern .................................................................................... 40 6.5.3 Protected tree species (NFA) .......................................................................................... 41 6.5.4 Protected plants (Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act, No. 9 of 2009) ................... 41 6.5.5 Invasive alien species (CARA, 1983) .............................................................................. 42 6.6 FAUNAL ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................. 42 6.6.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................... 42 6.6.2 Results of desktop survey and aerial analysis ................................................................ 43 6.6.3 Mammal Habitat Assessment and desktop species survey ............................................ 43 6.6.4 Birds (avifauna) ..............................................................................................................