ecological impact assessment - erm · 3.3 listed and protected plant species ... 3.7.1 impact risk...

Annex F2

Ecological Impact Assessment

PROPOSED MAMATHWANE COMPILATION YARD, NORTHERN CAPE:

FAUNA & FLORA SPECIALIST SCOPING REPORT FOR IMPACT ASSESSMENT

PRODUCED FOR ERM ON BEHALF OF

TRANSNET (SOC) LTD

BY

[email protected]

July 2013

Mamathwane Compilation Yard

2 Fauna & Flora Specialist Study for EIA

CONTENTS

Declaration of Consultants’ Independence .............................................................................................. 3 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 4

1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 6

1.1 Scope of Study............................................................................................................................... 6 2 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 8

2.1 Data Sourcing and Review ............................................................................................................ 8 2.2 Site Visit....................................................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Sensitivity Mapping & Assessment ............................................................................................. 10 2.4 Sampling Limitations and Assumptions ...................................................................................... 11 2.5 Relevant Aspects of the Development........................................................................................ 11

3 Description of the Affected Environment- Baseline ........................................................................... 13

3.1 Broad-Scale Vegetation Patterns ................................................................................................ 13 3.2 Fine-Scale Vegetation Patterns ................................................................................................... 14 3.3 Listed and Protected Plant Species ............................................................................................. 14 3.4 Critical Biodiversity Areas & Broad-Scale Processes ................................................................... 15 3.5 Faunal Communities ................................................................................................................... 15 3.6 Site Sensitivity Assessment ......................................................................................................... 17 3.7 Identification & Nature of Impacts ............................................................................................. 18

3.7.1 Impact Risk Factors ............................................................................................................. 18

3.7.2 Identified Impacts ............................................................................................................... 19

3.8 Assessment of Impacts ............................................................................................................... 20 3.8.1 Construction Phase ............................................................................................................. 21

3.8.2 Operational Phase ............................................................................................................... 24

4 Conclusion & Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 27

5 References .......................................................................................................................................... 29

6 Annex 1. List of Plants ......................................................................................................................... 30

7 Annex 2. List of Mammals ................................................................................................................... 33

8 Annex 3. List of Birds ........................................................................................................................... 37

9 Annex 3. List of Reptiles ...................................................................................................................... 42

10 Annex 4. List of Amphibians ............................................................................................................ 44

Short CV of Consultant: ........................................................................................................................... 45



DECLARATION OF CONSULTANTS’ INDEPENDENCE

The author of this report, Simon Todd, does hereby declare that he is an independent consultant appointed by the Client and has no business, financial, personal or other interest in the activity, application or appeal in respect of which he was appointed other than fair remuneration for work performed in connection with the activity, application or appeal. There are no circumstances that compromise the objectivity of the specialist performing such work. All opinions expressed in this report are his own.

Simon Todd Pr.Sci.Nat 400425/11.

July 2013



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report details the faunal and botanical impacts likely to be associated with the development of the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard approximately 20 km south of Hotazel in the Northern Cape along the Transnet Manganese Ore line.

A site visit and desktop study were conducted to assess the presence and distribution of ecologically sensitive, species, habitats and vegetation units within the development footprint. The results indicate that the development of the Mamathwane Compilation Yard is not likely to generate any highly significant ecological impacts. The diversity of the vegetation is fairly low and the only notable feature is the presence of the protected tree species Acacia erioloba and Acacia haematoxylon. Some individuals of these species will undoubtedly be impacted by the development. However these species are the dominant tree species in the area and the number of individuals affected is relatively low and this is not considered to be a significant impact.

There are a number of listed terrestrial fauna which may occur in the area, most notably the Black-footed Cat Felis nigripes (Vulnerable), Honey Badger Mellivora capensis (SARDB Endangered) and Ground Pangolin Smutsia temminckii (Vulnerable). These species are however widespread and as the development would result in the direct loss of less than 50ha of currently intact habitat, this would not be a significant impact on these species. Furthermore, the site is in close proximity to the existing railway line, the Mamathwane mine and the R380, all of which generate significant noise and human activity and reduce the current likely value of the area for fauna. Although at least ten listed bird species are known from the broad area, the above considerations are also likely to significantly reduce the current habitat value of the site and provided that no extensive power lines are required as part of the development, impacts on avifauna would also be local in nature and not of broader significance. The site does not appear to be unique or have any attributes which would make it of greater significance than the surrounding landscape for biodiversity pattern and process. As there is an abundance of less disturbed habitat in the area, the impacts associated with the development are likely to be local in nature and there do not appear to be any broad scale ecological processes or gradients which might be significantly disrupted by the development.

In terms of the likely impacts associated with the development of the compilation yard, the construction phase would generate a lot of disturbance which should be carefully managed in order reduce the risks of erosion, alien plant invasion and faunal impact. Due to the large amount of disturbance and noise generated during the construction phase, these impacts cannot be completely mitigated and some residual impact is inevitable. However this phase is transient and with mitigation, impacts associated with operation are likely to be low and there are no impacts on fauna and flora which represent a significant potential constraint or critical flaw. A summary assessment of the pre- and post – mitigation significance ratings associated with the construction and operational phases of the development is provided below.



Summary assessment of the pre- and post-mitigation impacts associated with the construction and operation phases of the Compilation Yard.

Impact Construction Operation

Pre-Mitigation Post-Mitigation Pre-Mitigation Post-Mitigation

Impacts on vegetation and protected tree species

Moderate Moderate-Minor Minor Minor

Negative impact on fauna Moderate Moderate-Minor Minor Minor

Loss of ecosystem services and ecological degradation

Moderate Minor Moderate Minor



1 INTRODUCTION

Transnet (SOC) Ltd is in the process of upgrading the Manganese Ore Line, which runs from the vicinity of Kathu and Hotazel in the Northern Cape to the Ngqura deep water port at Coega. As part of the upgrade, various rail loops and other facilities to increase the capacity of the line are being constructed. One of these developments is a compilation yard at Mamathwane, between Kathu and Hotazel. The purpose of the yard is to allow for the compilation and decompliation of up to five 200 wagon trains, and also includes various maintenance and other buildings. In terms of the EIA regulations, an environmental authorization is required before the development can proceed. ERM has been appointed to undertake the EIA process for the above facility and have appointed Simon Todd Consulting to contribute the ecological component of the EIA process. The purpose of the current study is to characterize the receiving environment and provide an assessment of the likely impact of the development on the fauna and flora of the site. The scope of the study is detailed below and further details of the development thereafter.

1.1 SCOPE OF STUDY

Vegetation Study

Carry out fieldwork to locate and describe the current state of vegetation on the Study Area, key focus on the impact footprint(s) for site, so that there is a baseline description/status quo against which impacts can be identified and measured. Determine the species present and localities within each vegetation types. Generate a vegetation map showing the site in relation to any Critical Biodiversity Areas and links to ecological corridors and support areas, vegetation sensitivity, disturbed, transformed and potential “no-go” areas. Determine whether the Study Area falls wholly or partially within the distribution range of species listed as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered and Protected. Provide site photos that show the current state of the vegetation (i.e. natural, transformed, disturbed etc.) Identify and describe the conservation value and conservation planning frameworks relevant to this site (Regional Planning) for represented vegetation units. Provide a detailed list of species of special concern. Provide an indication of the irreplaceability value of vegetation types present on site. Describe the areas where indigenous vegetation has been transformed. Determine alien species present; their distribution within the Study Area and recommended management actions. Provide a description of different micro-habitats, and the species associated with those habitats. Note and record the position of unusually large specimens of trees.



Describe the potential direct, indirect and cumulative negative and positive impacts of the proposed activity on vegetation species during the construction, operation and decommissioning phases of the project. Identification of issues and potential direct, indirect and cumulative biodiversity impacts, which are to be considered in combination with any additional relevant issues that may be raised through the public consultation process. Disclose any gaps in information or assumptions made. Provide recommendations for mitigatory measures to minimise impacts identified. Provide an outline of additional management guidelines. Provide monitoring requirements, mitigation measures and recommendations in a table format as input into the Environmental Management Plan (EMP), as well as generic rehabilitation and re-vegetation guidelines.

Faunal Study Carry out fieldwork to describe and assesses the current state of terrestrial fauna in the area so that there is a baseline description/status quo against which impacts can be identified and measured. Conduct a faunal assessment that can be integrated into the ecological study. Describe the existing impacts of current land use as they affect the fauna. Describe the different micro-habitats, and the species associated with those habitats. Describe the potential direct, indirect and cumulative negative and positive impacts of the proposed activity on inhabitant and reliant faunal species during the construction, operation and decommissioning phases of the project. Provide a detailed fauna sensitivity map of the site, including mapping of faunal community disturbance, transformation and potential “no-go” areas on site. Clarify species of special concern (SSC) and that are known to be:

o endemic to the region; o that are considered to be of conservational concern; o that are in commercial trade (CITES listed species); o of cultural significance.

Provide a description of species composition and conservation status in terms of protected, endangered or vulnerable faunal species.

o This description will include species which are likely to occur within, traverse across or forage within the proposed project area, as well as species which may not necessarily occur on site, but which are likely to be impacted upon as a result of the proposed development.

Identification of issues and potential direct, indirect and cumulative biodiversity impact which are to be considered in combination with any additional relevant issues that may be raised through the public consultation process. These include:

o The cumulative impact of clearing for the construction of solar facilities on faunal species of concern both on the farm and in the greater area.



General Considerations:

Disclose any gaps in information or assumptions made. Provide recommendations for mitigatory measures to minimise impacts identified. Provide an outline of additional management guidelines. Provide monitoring requirements, mitigation measures and recommendations in a table format as input into the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for faunal related issues.

A description of the potential impacts of the development and recommended mitigation measures are to be provided which will be separated into the following project phases:

Construction

Operational phases

2 METHODOLOGY

2.1 DATA SOURCING AND REVIEW

Apart from the data collected on-site, other data sources consulted and used where necessary in the study includes the following:

Vegetation:

Vegetation types and their conservation status were extracted from the South African National Vegetation Map (Mucina and Rutherford 2006). Information on plant and animal species recorded for the Quarter Degree Squares (QDS) 2722 BD and DB and 2723AC and CA was extracted from the SABIF/SIBIS database hosted by SANBI. This area has however not been well sampled, suggesting the list is not likely to be comprehensive. The IUCN conservation status (Table 1) of the species in the list was also extracted from the database and is based on the Threatened Species Programme, Red List of South African Plants (2011). Threatened Ecosystem data was extracted from the National List of Threatened Ecosystems 2010. Freshwater and wetland information was extracted from the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas assessment, NFEPA (Nel et al. 2011). Important catchments and protected areas expansion areas were extracted from the National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy 2008 (NPAES).



Fauna

Lists of mammals, reptiles and amphibians which are likely to occur at the site were derived based on distribution records from the literature and various spatial databases (SANBI’s SIBIS and BGIS databases). Literature consulted includes Branch (1988) and Alexander and Marais (2007) for reptiles, Du Preez and Carruthers (2009) for amphibians, Friedmann and Daly (2004) and Skinner and Chimimba (2005) for mammals. Reptiles were extracted from the SARCA web portal, hosted by the ADU, http://vmus.adu.org.za The faunal species lists provided are based on species which are known to occur in the broad geographical area, as well as a preliminary assessment of the availability and quality of suitable habitat at the site. The conservation status of each species is also listed, based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 3.1 (2012) (See Table 1) and where species have not been assessed under these criteria, the CITES status is reported where possible. These lists are adequate for mammals and amphibians, the majority of which have been assessed, however the majority of reptiles have not been assessed and therefore, it is not adequate to assess the potential impact of the development on reptiles, based on those with a listed conservation status alone. In order to address this shortcoming, the distribution of reptiles was also taken into account such that any narrow endemics or species with highly specialized habitat requirements occurring at the site were noted.

Table 1. The IUCN Red List Categories for fauna and flora. Species which fall within the categories in red and orange below are of conservation concern.

IUCN Red List Category Critically Endangered (CR) Endangered (EN) Vulnerable (VU) Near Threatened (NT) Critically Rare Rare Declining Data Deficient - Insufficient Information (DDD) Data Deficient - Taxonomically Problematic (DDT) Least Concern



2.2 SITE VISIT

The site visit took place on the 4th of October 2012. During the site visit, the different biodiversity features, habitat, vegetation and landscape units present at the site were identified and mapped in the field. Walk-through-surveys were conducted across the site and all plant and animal species observed were recorded. The entire development footprint was walked and all listed and protected plant species observed within the development area recorded and located using a GPS. Given the relatively small extent of the site, the site was well covered during the site visit and it is not likely that there any significant features present that were not observed and investigated during the site visit.

2.3 SENSITIVITY MAPPING & ASSESSMENT

A draft ecological sensitivity map of the site was produced by integrating the information collected on-site with the available ecological and biodiversity information available in the literature and various spatial databases. This includes delineating the different vegetation and habitat units identified in the field and assigning sensitivity values to the units based on their ecological properties, conservation value and the potential presence of species of conservation concern. The ecological sensitivity of the different units identified in the mapping procedure was rated according to the following scale:

Low – Units with a low sensitivity where there is likely to be a negligible impact on ecological processes and terrestrial biodiversity. This category is reserved specifically for areas where the natural vegetation has already been transformed, usually for intensive agricultural purposes such as cropping. Most types of development can proceed within these areas with little ecological impact. There were however no Low Sensitivity areas within the study area. Medium- Areas of natural or previously transformed land where the impacts are likely to be largely local and the risk of secondary impact such as erosion low. Development within these areas can proceed with relatively little ecological impact provided that appropriate mitigation measures are taken. High – Areas of natural or transformed land where a high impact is anticipated due to the high biodiversity value, sensitivity or important ecological role of the area. Development within these areas is undesirable and should only proceed with caution as it may not be possible to mitigate all impacts appropriately. Very High – Critical and unique habitats that serve as habitat for rare/endangered species or perform critical ecological roles. These areas are essentially no-go areas from a developmental perspective and should be avoided at all costs.



2.4 SAMPLING LIMITATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS

The major potential limitation associated with the sampling approach is the narrow temporal window of sampling. Ideally, a site should be visited several times during different seasons to ensure that the full complement of plant and animal species present are captured. However, this is rarely possible due to time and cost constraints and therefore, the representivity of the species sampled at the time of the site visit should be critically evaluated.

The vegetation at the time of the site visit was in a reasonable condition for sampling. There had been some rain prior to the site visit which had stimulated a few forbs and annuals to emerge. However the majority of the vegetation was in a dry and dormant condition. As a result some groups of plant species such as annuals, forbs and geophytes are likely to be poorly represented in the species list obtained for the site. The woody shrubs and trees present are less affected by seasonal changes and all shrubs and trees observed could be identified to species level. The perennial grasses present were largely dormant at the time of sampling and although most species present could be identified, there may have been some additional species present that were not noted on account of the lack of flowering material which could be used to differentiate them. The implications of this for the study are however not highly significant as the paucity of annuals and forbs is not likely to influence the sensitivity of the different landscape units identified. In addition, there are no listed species known to occur in the area which are not perennial would not have been visible during the site visit.

Active small mammal and reptile trapping was not conducted as trap success within low-rainfall areas under dry conditions is very low and several weeks of trapping would be required to generate a reliable species list for the site. Searches for fauna were however conducted at the site within habitats likely to be important for fauna and the lists of species directly or indirectly observed were augmented with those likely to occur in the area based on their distribution and habitat preferences. This represents a sufficiently conservative and cautious approach which takes the study limitations into account.

2.5 RELEVANT ASPECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT

A single site is being considered and alternative sites are not being assessed or compared to one another. The major alternative which is implicit in the assessment is the no-go alternative, in which the compilation yard is not built and the current landuse is maintained at the site. This forms the baseline for the assessment as the impacts are assessed in relation to maintaining the current landuse at the site.

The Mamathwane compilation yard will be constructed adjacent to the main line and comprises five yard lines with crossovers at third points. This will allow the consolidation and deconsolidation of up to five 200 wagon trains. The yard will be electrified to 3kV DC with



tangential turnouts. The main compilation yard will be fully signalled with the rolling stock maintenance area of the yard being provided with automated yard signalling. A balloon line is also proposed but is currently not included in the current scope but is part of the future proposed layout for the yard. Included in the yard is a wagon servicing slab for the servicing of wagons as well a diesel refueling facility for locomotives. A triangle is included in the layout to allow for the locomotives to turn around. A rolling stock maintenance shed is also provided for some minor servicing of locomotives and wagons with a sanding facility.

The following buildings are also included in the design of the yard:

Security building Two shunter cabins Main Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) operations building.

Provision has been made for the supply of water, electricity, and storm water drainage as well as sewerage systems for each of the above mentioned buildings. Parking is also provided. A dirty/oily water treatment facility is included for waste water. The footprint of the facility is depicted below in Figure 1. The total footprint of the development is estimated at less than 50ha.

Figure 1. Google satellite view of the proposed site of the Mamathwane Compilation Yard. The Mamathwane mine can be seen at the left of the image. The balloon loop on the right is not part of the current development but is planned for the future.



3 DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT- BASELINE

3.1 BROAD-SCALE VEGETATION PATTERNS

National Vegetation Types According to the national vegetation map (Mucina & Rutherford 2006), the site lies entirely within the Kathu Bushveld vegetation type (Figure 2). This vegetation unit occupies an area of 7443 km2 and extends from around Kathu and Dibeng in the south through Hotazel and to the Botswana border between Van Zylsrus and McCarthysrus. In terms of soils the vegetation type is associated with aeolian red sand and surface calcrete and deep sandy soils of the Hutton and Clovelly soil forms. The main land types are Ah and Ae with some Ag. The Kathu Bushveld vegetation type is still largely intact and less than 2% has been transformed by mining activity and it is classified as Least Threatened. It is, however, poorly conserved and does not currently fall within any formal conservation areas. Although no endemic species are restricted to this vegetation type a number of Kalahari endemics are known to occur in this vegetation type such as Acacia luederitzii var luederitzii, Anthephora argentea, Megaloprotachne albescens, Panicum kalaharense and Neuradopsis bechuanensis. Other vegetation types which occur in the broad vicinity include Gordonia Duneveld and Kuruman Thornveld. These other vegetation types are also classified as Least Threatened and there are no listed vegetation types known from the area.

Figure 2. Broad-scale overview of the vegetation in and around the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard. The vegetation map is an extract of the national vegetation map as produced by Mucina & Rutherford (2006), and also includes rivers, pans and wetlands delineated by the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas assessment (Nel et al. 2011).

2 0 2 Kilometers

Mamatwane Compilation Yard

National Vegetation Map

Produced for ERMOctober 2012

Vegetation TypesGordonia DuneveldKathu BushveldKuruman Mountain BushveldKuruman Thornveld

RoadsNational roadMain roadSecondary road

NFEPA RiversNFEPA Wetlands

Railway LineStudy Area

N



3.2 FINE-SCALE VEGETATION PATTERNS

Within the site, the vegetation consists of a tree layer, comprised mainly of Acacia haematoxylon, Acacia mellifera, Acacia erioloba, Terminalia sericea and Grewia flava, with a grassy understorey consisting mainly of perennial grass species such as Schmidtia pappophoroides, Aristida meridionalis, Eragrostis lehmanniana and Stipagrostis uniplumis. There are some occasional shrubs present, such as Gnidia polycephala, Hermannia tomentosa and Melolobium macrocalyx. Other large woody species that occurred at the site as scattered individuals or localized clumps include Searsia lancea, Acacia hebeclada and Lycium hirsutum. Overall diversity at the site was quite low and there was not a lot of variation in the vegetation of the site. Apart from Acacia haematoxylon and Acacia erioloba, there were no other threatened or protected species observed at the site.

Figure 3. Examples of the landscape and vegetation in the vicinity of the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard. The images illustrate the dominance of Acacia erioloba and Acacia haematoxylon at the site, the relatively dense grass layer and the very flat nature of the site.

3.3 LISTED AND PROTECTED PLANT SPECIES

According to the SANBI SIBIS database, 202 plant species have been recorded from the four quarter degree squares 2722 BD and DB and 2723AC and CA. Although the area does not contain very high plant diversity, this is nevertheless a relatively low total, suggesting that the area has not been very well sampled in the past. Only one species, Acacia erioloba is of conservation concern and is listed as Declining by the South African Red Data List of Plants (2012). Several nationally protected tree species occur at the site including Acacia haematoxylon



and Acacia erioloba which are dominant species at the site and Boscia albitrunca which is widespread in the area but was not observed at the site itself.

3.4 CRITICAL BIODIVERSITY AREAS & BROAD-SCALE PROCESSES

No fine-scale conservation planning has been conducted for this area. The site also does not fall within a National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy focus area, indicating that it has not been recognized as a potentially important area for future conservation efforts. The habitats present at the site are widely available across an extensive area surrounding the site and the potential for broad-scale fragmentation or loss of connectivity is low. In terms of the broad-scale processes operating at the site, the flat, open nature of the site suggests that few such ecological gradients and processes are likely to be operating across the site. Within the broader landscape, the Ga-Mogara River which is more than 10km to the west of the site is a significant ecological feature that may be important for dispersal and broad-scale ecological processes. However, the development would not have an impact on that ecosystem. 3.5 FAUNAL COMMUNITIES

Mammals The site falls within the distribution range of 48 terrestrial mammal species, and eight bat species, indicating that the mammalian diversity at the site is potentially high. Those species associated with rocky habitats are however not likely to occur at the site, which is restricted to deep Kalahari sands. Five terrestrial mammal species of conservation concern may occur in the area, the Brown Hyaena Hyaena brunnea (Near Threatened), Black-footed Cat Felis nigripes (Vulnerable), Leopard Panthera pardus (Near Threatened), Honey Badger Mellivora capensis (SARDB Endangered) and Ground Pangolin Smutsia temminckii (Vulnerable). Given that the area is currently used for livestock grazing, the abundance of larger predators such as Leopard and Brown Hyaena in the area is likely to be very low as a result of persecution from farmers. There is a high probability that the other listed species occur in the area as the habitat is broadly suitable for all three. The Black-footed Cat, Honey Badger and Ground Pangolin are however widely distributed across the arid and semi-arid parts of South Africa and the development of the site would not constitute significant habitat loss for these species, a single individual of which has a home range far exceeding the extent of the study area. In addition, the proposed site is in close proximity to a large amount of human activity and disturbance and it therefore unlikely that there are large populations of these shy species in the area. Mammalian impacts are likely to be concentrated within the construction phase, with the major impact during operation being some habitat loss as a result of the presence of the facility itself as well as from the noise generated by the daily operational activities of the yard.



Avifauna The avifauna in area around the site has not been well sampled in the past and both SABAP1 and SABAP2 do not have a lot of records from the area. According to SABAP2 only 140 species have been recorded from the area. This list does not include any listed species and is very depauperate of raptors, suggesting that less common species are not well represented. Taking the list for the Kathu area as being more representative, there are at least 10 listed species known from the broader area which may occur at the site. This includes the Black Stork, Martial Eagle, Secretarybird, White-backed Vulture, Bateleur, Black Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, Kori Bustard and Ludwig’s Bustard. Several of these species have very low reporting rates suggesting that they are probably not resident in the area; nevertheless this list suggests that the area is likely to be fairly important from an avifaunal perspective. As there is already a substation on the site, additional power lines through the area are not likely to be required. This is significant as power line infrastructure is a major source of mortality for virtually all the listed species mentioned above. Consequently, there are not likely to be any major impacts associated with the development on avifauna aside from some habitat loss. Given the mobility of avifauna and the homogenous nature of the landscape surrounding the site, impacts on avifauna are likely to be localised in nature and not of a high significance.

Reptiles The site lies in or near the distribution range of 33 reptile species, indicating that the reptile diversity at the site is likely to be of relatively low diversity. Based on distribution maps and habitat requirements, the composition of the reptile fauna is likely to comprise two tortoises, 11 snakes, 13 lizards and skinks, one chameleon and five geckos. The actual number of species present at the site is likely to be significantly lower as species associated with rocky habitats are not likely to be present. The reptile fauna is likely to be characterised by species associated with sandy substrates or those with wide habitat tolerance. Species commonly encountered in the area include the Cape Cobra Naja nivea, Kalahari Sand Snake Psammophis trinasalis, Ground Agama Agama aculeata and Spotted Sand Lizard Pedioplanis lineoocellata. No listed reptiles are known from the area and there are also no narrow endemics which occur in the area, indicating that the reptiles at the site are likely to be largely widespread species of low conservation concern.

Amphibians The site lies within the distribution range of 11 amphibian species, of which only about three or four are likely to occur at the site. There is no natural surface water at the site and no areas where water is likely to collect for any prolonged length of time. As a result, only those species able to persist away from perennial water are likely to occur at the site. The Giant Bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus is the only species of conservation concern which occurs in the area, but as there is no breeding habitat for this species in or near the site, the site is not likely to be significant for the Giant Bullfrog. The species which are likely to occur at the site such as sand and rain frogs, are widespread species associated with sandy substrates which characterize the broad area and the site is not likely to be of above-average significance for these species either.



As a result, the development of the site is not likely to have significant implications for amphibians.

3.6 SITE SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT

The only feature of higher ecological significance that could be identified within the study area is the Vlermuisleegte drainage system towards the southern extent of the site. This is an ephemeral drainage system that carries water only during exceptional circumstances. It is characterised by the presence of large Acacia erioloba trees. There is currently a bridge over the river which will not be altered by the current development. As a result, this area is not likely to be significantly impacted by the development. The rest of the site is an open plain on deep sand and cannot be differentiated in terms of ecological sensitivity. Within this area the major sensitive feature of the site is the abundance of the protected tree species Acacia erioloba and Acacia haematoxylon, which are ubiquitous across the site and it would not be possible to develop the site without some impact on these species. However, overall, given that neither species is actually rare and that the affected habitat is widely available in the area, the impact on these species and their habitat is not seen as being highly significant. The site should therefore not be considered to be highly sensitive on account of the presence of these two species.

There are a number of physical attributes of the site which are likely to reduce some of the potential impacts of the development. The site is very flat which will reduce the erosive capacity of any runoff generated from the site. In addition, the deep sandy soils have a high infiltration capacity with the result that any runoff generated will be quickly absorbed by the adjacent areas receiving the runoff. As a result the risk and likelihood of water erosion at the site is low. The proximity of the site to existing infrastructure and human activity is also an important consideration. The site is immediately adjacent to an existing railway line, the Mamathwane mine as well as the R380, all of which generate significant noise, human activity and disturbance. As a result, the ecological value of the site is already quite low and the site does not appear to have any ecological characteristics to distinguish it from the surrounding landscape or suggest that it would be of above average importance for biodiversity or ecological processes. As there is a large amount of similar, less disturbed habitat in the wider area, the impact of the development is likely to local in nature and not of broader significance for the affected vegetation type or ecological processes.



Figure 5. Ecological Sensitivity map of the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard site. The majority of the site is natural vegetation of medium sensitivity, while the Vlermuisleegte drainage line is the only feature within the study area of high sensitivity. 3.7 IDENTIFICATION & NATURE OF IMPACTS

3.7.1 Impact Risk Factors

Potential ecological impacts resulting from the development would stem from a variety of different activities and risk factors associated with the construction and operational phases of the project including the following:

Construction Phase

Vegetation clearing for lines, roads, buildings etc could impact listed plant species as well as high-biodiversity plant communities. Vegetation clearing will also lead to habitat loss for fauna and potentially the loss of sensitive faunal species, habitats and ecosystems. Increased erosion risk would be likely to result due to the loss of plant cover and soil disturbance created during the construction phase. This may impact downstream riparian and wetland habitats if a lot of silt enters the drainage systems.



Presence and operation of construction machinery on site. This will create a physical impact as well as generate noise, pollution and other forms of disturbance at the site. Increased human presence can lead to poaching, illegal plant harvesting and other forms of disturbance such as fire. Loss of connectivity & habitat fragmentation may result due to the presence of the railway line infrastructure, roads, site fencing and other support infrastructure of the development.

Operational Phase Although there is already an operational railway line present at the site, the operation of the compilation yard will create a more persistent presence and generate a lot more noise which may deter some fauna from the area, amounting to a loss of connectivity & habitat fragmentation. Maintenance activities such as vegetation clearing will impact the biodiversity of the site if not conducted in a sensitive manner, as it may impact indigenous species as well as encourage alien plant invasion.

3.7.2 Identified Impacts

The above risk factors are likely to be manifested as the following impacts:

Impacts on vegetation and protected tree species Some loss of vegetation is an inevitable consequence of the development. In addition the density of the protected tree species Acacia erioloba and Acacia haematoxylon at the site is high and some loss of individuals of these species is likely to be unavoidable. As these trees cannot be translocated on account of their deep rooting system, any individuals within the development footprint would be killed and there are few mitigation options in this regard.

Direct and Indirect Faunal impacts Increased levels of noise, pollution, disturbance and human presence will be detrimental to fauna. Sensitive and shy fauna would move away from the area during the construction phase as a result of the noise and human activities present, while some slow-moving species would not be able to avoid the construction activities and might be killed. Some mammals and reptiles such as tortoises would be vulnerable to illegal collection or poaching during the construction phase as a result of the large number of construction personnel that are likely to be present. There are also a number of mammals of conservation concern which occur in the area and impacts on these species



would be undesirable. Some habitat loss for these species is likely to occur, but would not be of high significance given the scale of the development relative to the distribution extent of these species. Impacts such as electrocution would be of greater potential significance on account of the long-term cumulative impact that may result.

Loss of ecosystem services & degradation Disturbance created during the construction phase would leave the site vulnerable to various forms of ecological degradation, especially alien plant invasion and soil erosion. In the long term these impacts lead to the loss of biodiversity as well as decline in ecosystem services and potentially changes in local hydrology as well. The woody alien invader Prosopis glandulosa is common in the area and would be likely to invade disturbed areas if not controlled. The current railway line forms a corridor for the dispersal and invasion of alien plant species and there are a number of alien and weedy forbs associated with the railway line, which would quickly invade the areas disturbed by construction activities.

3.8 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS

The four major impacts identified above are assessed below, during the construction and operational phases of the project as well as before and after mitigation. The development is assessed as a whole and the different elements such as the roads are not assessed separately as they are not independent elements. Specific mitigation measures are however directed at the different components and activities associated with the development.



3.8.1 Construction Phase

Impact 1: Impacts on vegetation and protected tree species

Impact Nature: Site preparation and construction will require vegetation clearing which will result in the loss of currently intact vegetation including individuals of protected tree species.

Impa

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Exte

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Without Mitigation

Negative Local Long-term

Medium Low Low Definite Moderate High

With Mitigation


Medium-Low

Medium Low Definite Moderate-Minor

High

Mitigation Description: The areas to be cleared should be clearly demarcated so as to ensure that the development footprint is kept to a minimum. There should not be any wholesale clearing of the area and vegetation between the infrastructure should be left intact wherever possible. Vegetation (shrubs, grass woody vegetation) from cleared areas should be set aside and used to protect bare ground remaining after construction to encourage recolonisation and prevent wind and water erosion. Topsoil (uppermost 20-30cm of soil) should also be set aside and replaced in areas where revegetation is desirable. No collection of plants or plant parts to be allowed by construction personnel. The ECO / Transnet EO should provide environmental induction to all construction staff to ensure that they are aware of this and other environmental sensitivities at the site. No fuelwood collection should be allowed on-site. No fires allowed on-site.

Residual Impact: The loss of some individuals of protected plant species from the development footprint cannot be fully mitigated and the habitat loss will be permanent. Cumulative Impact: The development would contribute to cumulative habitat loss and transformation in the area. However, as the affected vegetation types are still largely intact and the extent of habitat loss relatively low, the impact would be largely local in nature and would not be of broader significance.



Impact 2: Negative impact on fauna

Impact Nature: Construction activities such as the operation of heavy machinery and the presence of construction personnel at the site will result in direct and indirect impacts on terrestrial fauna at the site.

Impa

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Prob

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Without Mitigation

Negative Local Short-term

High Medium Low Probable Moderate High

With Mitigation

Negative Local Short-term

Medium Medium Low Probable Moderate-Minor

High

Mitigation Description: All construction staff should undergo an environmental induction from the ECO / Transnet EO or other suitably qualified persons. Site clearing should progress in a phased manner so that large cleared areas are not left standing for extended periods of time before construction commences. Any fauna directly threatened by the construction activities should be removed to a safe location designated by the ECO / Transnet EO or other suitably qualified person. Personnel should not be allowed to wander away from the construction area. No dogs should be allowed on-site. All hazardous materials should be stored in the appropriate manner to prevent contamination of the site. Any accidental chemical, fuel and oil spills that occur at the site should be cleaned up in the appropriate manner as related to the nature of the spill. No unauthorized persons should be allowed onto the site. All construction vehicles should adhere to a low speed limit to avoid collisions with susceptible species such as snakes and tortoises, as well as to minimize dust generation. All construction vehicles to remain on demarcated roads and access routes. If any part of the construction site, such as any construction camps, must be lit at night, this should be done with low-UV type lights (such as most LEDs), which do not attract insects

Residual Impact: Not all faunal impacts can be mitigated and there will be some residual impact resulting from noise, disturbance and mortality of species unable to flee the construction activities. The construction phase is however transient and in the long-term there would be little long-term impact resulting from the construction phase itself. Cumulative Impact: Direct impacts on fauna during construction will be transient and will not generate significant long-term cumulative impact on its own.



Impact 3: Loss of ecosystem services and ecological degradation

Impact Nature: Disturbance and construction activities will increase the vulnerability of the site to alien plant invasion and soil erosion, which will impact biodiversity within the affected areas and in severe cases could lead to a decline in ecosystem services such as changes in hydrology or a decline in grazing value.

Impa

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Prob

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Without Mitigation


Medium Medium Medium Probable Moderate High

With Mitigation


Low High Low Unlikely Minor High

Mitigation Description: Disturbed areas and topsoil stockpiles should be checked for alien plant species on a regular basis and cleared where necessary. Dust suppression measures should be put in place for the construction phase. Measures to regulate runoff from cleared and hardened surfaces during construction should be put in place with silt fences or similar traps where necessary, Disturbed areas that are no longer required for construction should be packed with brush or rehabilitated with seed of indigenous species. Regular monitoring for erosion during construction to ensure that no erosion problems have developing as result of the construction disturbance. All erosion problems observed should be rectified as soon as possible, using the appropriate erosion control structures and revegetation techniques.

Residual Impact: With mitigation, there will be little residual impact. Cumulative Impact: With erosion and alien plant control in place there would be little cumulative impact with regards to this impact.



3.8.2 Operational Phase

Impact 1: Impacts on vegetation and protected tree species

Impact Nature: Maintenance or repair activities could impact intact vegetation and individuals of protected plant species, while dust generated from the ore on the trains or from the site would impact the surrounding vegetation.

Impa

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Prob

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Sign

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Without Mitigation


Medium-Low

Low Low Probable Minor High

With Mitigation


Low Low Low Improbable Minor High

Mitigation Description: Any vegetation clearing that needs to take place should be done by hand and herbicides should not be used except for dense infestations of alien species which may be controlled with approved herbicides used in the applicable approved manner. No herbicide application should be allowed within 150m of watercourses. If vegetation needs to be cleared, this should not be done to ground level and some residual ground cover should be left in place to prevent soil and wind erosion.

Residual Impact: With mitigation, the residual impact associated with the compilation yard would be largely restricted to habitat loss. Cumulative Impact: The development would contribute to cumulative vegetation transformation in the area. The affected vegetation type is however less and 2% transformed and the additional impact of the yard would be minimal when considered at this broad scale.



Impact 2: Negative impact on fauna

Impact Nature: The presence of the compilation yard, associated noise and fencing will have a negative impact on fauna.

Impa

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Without Mitigation


Medium-Low

Low Low Improbable Minor High

With Mitigation


Low Low Low Improbable Minor High

Mitigation Description: If the yard must be lit at night for operational or security purposes, this should be done with low-UV type lights (such as most LEDs), which do not attract insects. The lights should also be of types which are directed downward and do not result in large amounts of light pollution. All hazardous materials (such as diesel) should be stored in the appropriate manner to prevent contamination of the site. Any accidental chemical, fuel and oil spills that occur at the site should be cleaned up in the appropriate manner as related to the nature of the spill. The facility is likely to be fenced-off. This should be in a manner which does not pose a threat to fauna, and as such no electrical stands should be placed within 30cm of the ground. All maintenance vehicles to remain on the demarcated access roads.

Residual Impact: The operation of the facility will generate noise and light pollution which will have a negative local impact on fauna. Cumulative Impact: The presence of the facility will contribute to cumulative habitat loss and disturbance in the area. The contribution would however be minor when considered at the landscape scale as there is an abundance of similar, but less disturbed habitat in the area.



Impact 3: Loss of ecosystem services and ecological degradation

Impact Nature: Disturbance and construction activities will increase the vulnerability of the site to alien plant invasion and soil erosion, during the operational phase which will impact biodiversity within the affected areas and in severe cases if left unchecked could lead to a decline in ecosystem services such as changes in hydrology or a decline in grazing value.

Impa

ct

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Exte

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Dur

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Impa

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Prob

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Sign

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Conf

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Without Mitigation


Medium Medium Medium Probable Moderate High

With Mitigation


Low High Low Unlikely Minor High

Mitigation Description: There should be a runoff and stormwater management system in place for the facility. Although the area is arid, occasional intense thunder storms can occur. The compilation yard is likely to generate dirty water on account of ore dust, oil and petroleum residues etc and runoff from the yard itself should be evaporated or treated before being allowed to leave the site. Regular monitoring for alien plants within the development area during operation. All alien plants present at the site should be controlled at least biannually using the best practice methods for the species present. Regular monitoring for erosion to ensure that no erosion problems are occurring at the site as a result of the roads and other infrastructure. All erosion problems observed should be rectified as soon as possible, using the appropriate flow management and erosion control structures.

Residual Impact: With mitigation there will be little residual impact. Cumulative Impact: The development will contribute to cumulative degradation and anthropogenic impact in the area, but with mitigation this would be largely local in nature and the overall contribution to cumulative impact would be small.



4 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

From a terrestrial ecology perspective, the Mamathwane Compilation Yard site is not considered highly sensitive. The diversity of the vegetation is fairly low and the only notable feature is the presence of the protected tree species Acacia erioloba and Acacia haematoxylon. Although some individuals of these species will undoubtedly be impacted by the development, the number of individuals affected would be low in context of the surrounding landscape and this is not considered to be a significant impact. The impact on these species could be easily offset by planting a similar number of individuals within the site to provide shade or along the perimeter of the facility to reduce the visual impact of the development.

The proximity of the site to the existing railway line has a significant impact on the current value of the area for fauna. Although the compilation yard will significantly increase the amount of noise and disturbance in the area, there are several mitigating circumstances which reduce the likely impact of the development. Firstly the site is near to the Mamathwane mine where blasting and associated mining noise are generated on a daily basis. Secondly the site is located between the existing railway line and the R380, both of which generate significant noise and human activity as well as reduce the connectivity of the landscape. The development of the compilation yard would therefore contribute to cumulative local impact, which although already quite high is seen as a preferable option to disturbing a less impacted environment. As the affected area does not appear to be unique or have any attributes which would make it of greater significance than the surrounding landscape for biodiversity pattern and process, it seems highly unlikely that the development of the compilation yard would have any impacts of broader significance.

In terms of the likely impacts associated with the development of the compilation yard, the construction phase would generate a lot of disturbance which should be carefully managed in order reduce the risks of erosion, alien plant invasion and faunal impact. With mitigation, impacts associated with operation are likely to low and there are no impacts on fauna and flora which represent a significant potential constraint or critical flaw.



Table 2. Summary assessment of the pre- and post-mitigation impacts associated with the construction and operation phases of the Compilation Yard.

Impact Construction Operation

Pre-Mitigation Post-Mitigation Pre-Mitigation Post-Mitigation

Impacts on vegetation and protected tree species

Moderate Moderate-Minor Minor Minor

Negative impact on fauna Moderate Moderate-Minor Minor Minor

Loss of ecosystem services and ecological degradation

Moderate Minor Moderate Minor



5 REFERENCES

Alexander, G. & Marais, J. 2007. A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa. Struik Nature, Cape Town.

Branch W.R. 1998. Field guide to snakes and other reptiles of southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town.

Du Preez, L. & Carruthers, V. 2009. A Complete Guide to the Frogs of Southern Africa. Struik Nature., Cape Town.

IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 January 2012.

Marais, J. 2004. Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa. Struik Nature, Cape Town.

Nel, J.L., Murray, K.M., Maherry, A.M., Petersen, C.P., Roux, D.J., Driver, A., Hill, L., Van Deventer, H., Funke, N., Swartz, E.R., Smith-Adao, L.B., Mbona, N., Downsborough, L. and Nienaber, S. (2011). Technical Report for the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas project. WRC Report No. K5/1801.

Mucina L. & Rutherford M.C. (eds) 2006. The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia 19. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.

Skinner, J.D. & Chimimba, C.T. 2005. The mammals of the Southern African Subregion. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.



6 ANNEX 1. LIST OF PLANTS List of plant species which are known to occur in the vicinity of the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard site according to the SANBI SIBIS database (Accessed & records downloaded 12 September 2012. Protected species that were observed at the site are in Red.

Family Species Family Species

Acanthaceae Barleria irritans Acanthaceae Barleria rigida

Acanthaceae Blepharis integrifolia var. integrifolia Acanthaceae Blepharis marginata

Acanthaceae Blepharis sp. Acanthaceae Glossochilus burchellii

Acanthaceae Hypoestes forskaolii Acanthaceae Justicia puberula

Acanthaceae Monechma divaricatum Aizoaceae Plinthus karooicus

Amaranthaceae Alternanthera pungens Amaranthaceae Gomphrena celosioides

Amaranthaceae Hermbstaedtia odorata var. odorata Amaranthaceae Kyphocarpa angustifolia

Amaranthaceae Pupalia lappacea var. lappacea Amaranthaceae Sericorema remotiflora

Amaranthaceae Sericorema sericea Anacardiaceae Searsia burchellii

Anacardiaceae Searsia ciliata Anacardiaceae Searsia tenuinervis

Anacardiaceae Searsia tridactyla Anacardiaceae Searsia lancea

Apiaceae Deverra burchellii Apocynaceae Fockea angustifolia

Apocynaceae Gomphocarpus tomentosus subsp. tomentosus Apocynaceae Microloma armatum var. burchellii

Apocynaceae Raphionacme velutina Asparagaceae Asparagus capensis

Asparagaceae Asparagus exuvialis forma exuvialis Asparagaceae Asparagus laricinus

Asparagaceae Asparagus retrofractus Asteraceae Arctotis leiocarpa

Asteraceae Conyza bonariensis Asteraceae Dicoma macrocephala

Asteraceae Dicoma schinzii Asteraceae Felicia muricata subsp. cinerascens

Asteraceae Gazania krebsiana subsp. arctotoides Asteraceae Geigeria brevifolia

Asteraceae Helichrysum cerastioides var. cerastioides Asteraceae Helichrysum zeyheri

Asteraceae Hirpicium echinus Asteraceae Kleinia longiflora

Asteraceae Parthenium sp. Asteraceae Pegolettia retrofracta

Asteraceae Pentzia globosa Asteraceae Rosenia humilis

Asteraceae Tarchonanthus camphoratus Boraginaceae Ehretia rigida subsp. rigida

Boraginaceae Heliotropium nelsonii Capparaceae Cleome angustifolia subsp. diandra

Caryophyllaceae Pollichia campestris Celastraceae Gymnosporia buxifolia

Colchicaceae Ornithoglossum vulgare Combretaceae Terminalia sericea

Convolvulaceae Convolvulus multifidus Convolvulaceae Convolvulus ocellatus var. ocellatus

Convolvulaceae Ipomoea obscura var. obscura Convolvulaceae Seddera capensis

Convolvulaceae Xenostegia tridentata subsp. angustifolia Cucurbitaceae Acanthosicyos naudinianus

Cucurbitaceae Corallocarpus triangularis Cucurbitaceae Cucumis africanus

Cucurbitaceae Cucumis myriocarpus subsp. myriocarpus Cyperaceae Bulbostylis burchellii

Cyperaceae Bulbostylis hispidula Cyperaceae Bulbostylis hispidula subsp. pyriformis

Cyperaceae Cyperus margaritaceus var. margaritaceus Cyperaceae Cyperus marlothii

Cyperaceae Cyperus squarrosus Ebenaceae Euclea undulata

Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia inaequilatera var. inaequilatera Fabaceae Acacia erioloba



Fabaceae Acacia haematoxylon Fabaceae Acacia karroo

Fabaceae Acacia mellifera subsp. detinens Fabaceae Acacia hebeclada subsp. hebeclada

Fabaceae Crotalaria orientalis subsp. orientalis Fabaceae Crotalaria spartioides

Fabaceae Crotalaria griquensis Fabaceae Cyamopsis serrata

Fabaceae Elephantorrhiza elephantina Fabaceae Indigastrum argyraeum

Fabaceae Indigofera alternans var. alternans Fabaceae Indigofera sessilifolia

Fabaceae Indigofera sp. Fabaceae Lessertia pauciflora var. pauciflora

Fabaceae Lotononis crumanina Fabaceae Melolobium macrocalyx var. macrocalyx

Fabaceae Melolobium villosum Fabaceae Requienia sphaerosperma

Fabaceae Rhynchosia confusa Fabaceae Rhynchosia totta var. totta

Fabaceae Rhynchosia venulosa Fabaceae Senna italica subsp. arachoides

Fabaceae Sutherlandia frutescens Fabaceae Tephrosia burchellii

Fabaceae Tephrosia longipes subsp. longipes var. longipes Fabaceae

Tephrosia purpurea subsp. leptostachya var. leptostachya

Gisekiaceae Gisekia africana var. pedunculata Gisekiaceae Gisekia pharnacioides var. pharnacioides

Hyacinthaceae Albuca sp. Iridaceae Lapeirousia littoralis subsp. caudata

Lamiaceae Leucas capensis Lamiaceae Salvia verbenaca

Lamiaceae Stachys spathulata Lophiocarpaceae Lophiocarpus polystachyus

Malvaceae Abutilon austro-africanum Malvaceae Grewia flava

Malvaceae Hermannia jacobeifolia Malvaceae Hermannia linnaeoides

Malvaceae Hermannia sp. Malvaceae Hermannia tomentosa

Malvaceae Hibiscus ludwigii Malvaceae Hibiscus pusillus

Malvaceae Melhania burchellii Malvaceae Melhania rehmannii

Malvaceae Melhania virescens Malvaceae Pavonia burchellii

Malvaceae Sida chrysantha Malvaceae Sida cordifolia subsp. cordifolia

Malvaceae Sida ovata Molluginaceae Limeum aethiopicum var. intermedium

Molluginaceae Limeum viscosum subsp. transvaalense Papaveraceae Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca

Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthus maderaspatensis Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthus parvulus var. parvulus

Poaceae Andropogon chinensis Poaceae Andropogon schirensis

Poaceae Anthephora argentea Poaceae Aristida adscensionis

Poaceae Aristida congesta subsp. barbicollis Poaceae Aristida congesta subsp. congesta

Poaceae Aristida meridionalis Poaceae Aristida stipitata subsp. spicata

Poaceae Aristida vestita Poaceae Brachiaria brizantha

Poaceae Brachiaria nigropedata Poaceae Cenchrus ciliaris

Poaceae Cymbopogon caesius Poaceae Cymbopogon pospischilii

Poaceae Cynodon dactylon Poaceae Digitaria eriantha

Poaceae Digitaria polyphylla Poaceae Digitaria sanguinalis

Poaceae Eleusine coracana subsp. africana Poaceae Elionurus muticus

Poaceae Enneapogon cenchroides Poaceae Enneapogon desvauxii

Poaceae Enneapogon scoparius Poaceae Eragrostis barrelieri

Poaceae Eragrostis biflora Poaceae Eragrostis curvula

Poaceae Eragrostis lehmanniana var. chaunantha Poaceae Eragrostis lehmanniana var. lehmanniana



Poaceae Eragrostis mexicana subsp. virescens Poaceae Eragrostis nindensis

Poaceae Eragrostis pallens Poaceae Eragrostis rigidior

Poaceae Eragrostis trichophora Poaceae Eustachys paspaloides

Poaceae Fingerhuthia africana Poaceae Heteropogon contortus

Poaceae Lamarckia aurea Poaceae Leptochloa fusca

Poaceae Melinis repens subsp. grandiflora Poaceae Melinis repens subsp. repens

Poaceae Panicum coloratum var. coloratum Poaceae Panicum maximum

Poaceae Pogonarthria squarrosa Poaceae Schmidtia pappophoroides

Poaceae Setaria verticillata Poaceae Sporobolus fimbriatus

Poaceae Stipagrostis uniplumis var. neesii Poaceae Stipagrostis uniplumis var. uniplumis

Poaceae Tragus berteronianus Poaceae Tragus racemosus

Poaceae Trichoneura grandiglumis Poaceae Urochloa panicoides

Poaceae Urochloa stolonifera Polygalaceae Polygala seminuda

Portulacaceae Portulaca hereroensis Portulacaceae Portulaca kermesina

Rhamnaceae Ziziphus mucronata subsp. mucronata Rubiaceae Anthospermum rigidum subsp. rigidum

Santalaceae Thesium hystrix Scrophulariaceae Aptosimum albomarginatum

Scrophulariaceae Aptosimum lineare var. lineare Scrophulariaceae Aptosimum marlothii

Scrophulariaceae Jamesbrittenia atropurpurea subsp. atropurpurea Scrophulariaceae Jamesbrittenia sp.

Solanaceae Solanum burchellii Solanaceae Solanum lichtensteinii

Solanaceae Solanum supinum var. supinum Solanaceae Solanum tomentosum var. tomentosum

Solanaceae Lycium hirsutum Solanaceae Lycium cinereum

Tamaricaceae Tamarix parviflora Thymelaeaceae Gnidia polycephala

Vahliaceae Vahlia capensis subsp. vulgaris var. linearis Verbenaceae Chascanum adenostachyum

Verbenaceae Chascanum hederaceum var. hederaceum Verbenaceae Chascanum pinnatifidum var. pinnatifidum

Verbenaceae Chascanum schlechteri Zygophyllaceae Tribulus excrucians

Zygophyllaceae Tribulus terrestris Zygophyllaceae Zygophyllum pubescens

Asteraceae Geigeria ornativa subsp. ornativa Cyperaceae Cyperus decurvatus

Fabaceae Calobota cuspidosa



7 ANNEX 2. LIST OF MAMMALS List of mammals which are likely to occur at the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard. Habitat notes and distribution records are based on Skinner & Chimimba (2005), while conservation status is from the IUCN Red Lists 2012.

Scientific Name Common Name Status Habitat Likelihood

Macroscledidea (Elephant Shrews):

Macroscelides proboscideus Round-eared Elephant Shrew

LC

Species of open country, with preference for shrub bush and sparse grass cover, also occur on hard gravel plains with sparse boulders for shelter, and on loose sandy soil provided there is some bush cover

Low

Tubulentata:

Orycteropus afer Aardvark LC Wide habitat tolerance, being found in open woodland, scrub and grassland, especially associated with sandy soil

Definite

Hyracoidea (Hyraxes)

Procavia capensis Rock Hyrax LC Outcrops of rocks, especially granite formations and dolomite intrusions in the Karoo.

Low

Lagomorpha (Hares and Rabbits): Lepus capensis Cape Hare LC Dry, open regions, with palatable bush and grass High

Lepus saxatilis Scrub Hare LC Common in agriculturally developed areas, especially in crop-growing areas or in fallow lands where there is some bush development.

High

Rodentia (Rodents):

Cryptomys damarensis Damaraland Mole Rat

LC Predominantly on Kalahari arenosols Definite

Hystrix africaeaustralis Cape Porcupine LC Catholic in habitat requirements. Definite

Pedetes capensis Springhare LC Occur widely on open sandy ground or sandy scrub, on overgrazed grassland, on the fringes of vleis and dry river beds.

Definite

Xerus inauris South African Ground Squirrel

LC Open terrain with a sparse bush cover and a hard substrate

Definite

Rhabdomys pumilio Four-striped Grass Mouse

LC Essentially a grassland species, occurs in wide variety of habitats where there is good grass cover.

High

Zelotomys woosnami Woosnam's Desert Mouse

Lc Kalahari sands with a sparse cover of trees and scrub

High

Mus indutus Desert Pygmy Mouse LC Wide habitat tolerance within areas of 200-700 mm rainfall

High

Mastomys coucha Southern Multimammate Mouse

LC Wide habitat tolerance. High



Thallomys paedulcus Acacia Tree Rat LC Associated with stands of Acacia woodland Medium

Aethomys namaquensis Namaqua Rock Mouse

LC Catholic in their habitat requirements, but where there are rocky koppies, outcrops or boulder-strewn hillsides they use these preferentially

High

Parotomys brantsii Brants' Whistling Rat LC

Associated with a dry sandy substrate in more arid parts of the Nama-karoo and Succulent Karoo. Species selects areas of low percentage of plant cover and areas with deep sands.

Low

Desmodillus auricularis Cape Short-tailed Gerbil

LC Tend to occur on hard ground, unlike other gerbil species, with some cover of grass or karroid bush

High

Gerbillurus paeba Hairy-footed Gerbil LC Gerbils associated with Nama and Succulent Karoo preferring sandy soil or sandy alluvium with a grass, scrub or light woodland cover

High

Gerbilliscus leucogaster Bushveld Gerbil LC Predominantly associated with light sandy soils or sandy alluvium

High

Gerbilliscus brantsii Higheld Gerbil LC Sandy soils or sandy alluvium with some cover of grass, scrub or open woodland

High

Saccostomus campestris Pouched Mouse LC Catholic habitat requirements, commoner in areas where there is a sandy substrate.

High

Malacothrix typica Gerbil Mouse LC Found predominantly in Nama and Succulent Karoo biomes, in areas with a mean annual rainfall of 150-500 mm.

High

Dendromus melanotis Grey Climbing Mouse LC Often associated with stands of tall grass especially if thickened with bushes and other vegetation

High

Steatomys krebsii Krebs's Fat Mouse LC Prefer a sandy substrate. Moderate Primates:

Papio ursinus Chacma Baboon LC Can exploit fynbos, montane grasslands, riverine courses in deserts, and simply need water and access to refuges.

High

Eulipotyphla (Shrews):

Crocidura cyanea Reddish-Grey Musk Shrew

LC Occurs in relatively dry terrain, with a mean annual rainfall of less than 500 mm. Occur in karroid scrub and in fynbos often in association with rocks.

Low

Crocidura hirta Lesser Red Musk Shrew

LC Catholic habitat requirements High

Erinaceomorpha (Hedgehog)

Atelerix frontalis South African Hedgehog

LC Generally found in semi-arid and subtemperate environments with ample ground cover

Moderate

Philodota (Pangolins)

Smutsia temminckii Ground Pangolin SARDB VU Savanna sepcies which does not occur in grasslands, forests or desert

High

Carnivora:



Proteles cristata Aardwolf LC Common in the 100-600mm rainfall range of country, Nama-Karoo, Succulent Karoo Grassland and Savanna biomes

High

Hyaena brunnea Brown Hyaena NT Nama and Succulent Karoo and the drier parts of the Grassland and Savanna Biomes

Low

Caracal caracal Caracal LC Caracals tolerate arid regions, occur in semi-desert and karroid conditions

High

Felis silvestris African Wild Cat LC Wide habitat tolerance. High

Panthera pardus Leopard NT Wide habitat tolerance, associated with areas of rocky koppies and hills, mountain ranges and forest

Low

Felis nigripes Black-footed cat VU

Associated with arid country with MAR 100-500 mm, particularly areas with open habitat that provides some cover in the form of tall stands of grass or scrub.

High

Genetta genetta Small-spotted genet LC Occur in open arid associations High

Suricata suricatta Meerkat LC Open arid country where substrate is hard and stony. Occur in Nama and Succulent Karoo but also fynbos

High

Paracynictis selousi Selous' Mongoose LC Savanna species Cynictis penicillata Yellow Mongoose LC Semi-arid country on a sandy substrate High

Galerella sanguinea Slender Mongoose LC Catholic habitat requirements but does not occur in the south.

High

Vulpes chama Cape Fox LC Associated with open country, open grassland, grassland with scattered thickets and coastal or semi-desert scrub

High

Canis mesomelas Black-backed Jackal LC Wide habitat tolerance, more common in drier areas.

High

Otocyon megalotis Bat-eared Fox LC Open country with mean annual rainfall of 100-600 mm

High

Ictonyx striatus Striped Polecat LC Widely distributed throughout the sub-region High

Mellivora capensis Ratel/Honey Badger IUCN

LC/SA RDB EN

Catholic habitat requirements High

Rumanantia (Antelope): Oryx gazella Gemsbok LC Open arid country Low Sylvicapra grimmia Common Duiker LC Presence of bushes is essential High Antidorcas marsupialis Springbok LC Arid regions and open grassland. Low Raphicerus campestris Steenbok LC Inhabits open country, Definite Chiroptera (Bats)

Neoromicia capensis Cape Serotine Bat LC Wide habitat tolerances, but often found near open water

High

Tadarida aegyptiaca Egyptian Free-tailed Bat

LC In arid areas. often associated with water sources High



Nycteris thebaica Egyptian Slit-faced Bat

LC Wide habitat tolerance High

Miniopterus natalensis Natal long-fingered bat

NT Cave dwelling and suitable caves are an essential habitat requirement

Low

Eptesicus hottentotus Long-talied serotine bat

LC Wide habitat tolerance Low

Rhinolophus denti Dent's Horseshoe Bat LC Arid areas but require caves or rock crevices High

Rhinolophus darlingi Darling's Horsehoe Bat

LC Savanna woodland species but requires caves High

Eidolon helvum Straw-coloured fruit bat

LC Occasional migratory visitors within southern Africa

High



8 ANNEX 3. LIST OF BIRDS List of birds which are likely to occur in the broad area around the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard. The list is derived from the SABAP 2 for all years since 2007 for the quarter degree square 2723CA (Kathu) (31 cards). The area around the site has not been well sampled and the area around Kathu is used as it has been better sampled and provides a more representative list.

Rank Common name Scientific name Status Reporting

rate

1 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis 96.8

2 Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis 93.5

3 Cape Glossy Starling Lamprotornis nitens 93.5

4 Cape Turtle-Dove Streptopelia capicola 93.5

5 African Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus nigricans 93.5

6 Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus 93.5

7 Groundscraper Thrush Psophocichla litsipsirupa 87.1

8 Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler Parisoma subcaeruleum 87.1

9 African Hoopoe Upupa africana 83.9

10 White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali 83.9

11 Fiscal Flycatcher Sigelus silens 80.6

12 Southern Masked-Weaver Ploceus velatus 74.2

13 Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis 71.0

14 Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris 67.7

15 Brubru Brubru Nilaus afer 64.5

16 Southern Pied Babbler Turdoides bicolor 64.5

17 Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata 61.3

18 African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus 61.3

19 Yellow Canary Crithagra flaviventris 58.1

20 Black-chested Prinia Prinia flavicans 58.1

21 Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus 58.1

22 Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus 58.1

23 Acacia Pied Barbet Tricholaema leucomelas 58.1

24 Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula 54.8

25 Kalahari Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas paena 54.8

26 White-backed Mousebird Colius colius 54.8

27 Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas 51.6

28 Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus 51.6

29 Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hagedash 51.6

30 Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii 51.6



31 Karoo Thrush Turdus smithi 48.4

32 Violet-eared Waxbill Granatina granatina 45.2

33 Ashy Tit Parus cinerascens 41.9

34 African Palm-Swift Cypsiurus parvus 41.9

35 Namaqua Dove Oena capensis 38.7

36 Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas 38.7

37 House Sparrow Passer domesticus 38.7

38 Cape White-eye Zosterops virens 38.7

39 Scaly-feathered Finch Sporopipes squamifrons 38.7

40 Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris 35.5

41 Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus 35.5

42 Greater Striped Swallow Hirundo cucullata 35.5

43 Marico Flycatcher Bradornis mariquensis 35.5

44 Southern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer diffusus 32.3

45 Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum 32.3

46 Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis niger 32.3

47 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 32.3

48 Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus 32.3

49 European Bee-eater Merops apiaster 32.3

50 Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni 29.0

51 Pririt Batis Batis pririt 29.0

52 Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea 29.0

53 Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens 29.0

54 Red-billed Spurfowl Pternistis adspersus 29.0

55 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus 25.8

56 Familiar Chat Cercomela familiaris 25.8

57 Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis 25.8

58 Marico Sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis 25.8

59 Little Swift Apus affinis 25.8

60 Common Fiscal Lanius collaris 25.8

61 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 25.8

62 Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis 25.8

63 Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus 22.6

64 Common Ostrich Struthio camelus 22.6

65 Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba 22.6

66 Black-faced Waxbill Estrilda erythronotos 22.6

67 Black-throated Canary Crithagra atrogularis 22.6



68 Diderick Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius 19.4

69 Anteating Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora 19.4

70 Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea 19.4

71 Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua 19.4

72 Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens 19.4

73 Green Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus 19.4

74 African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus 19.4

75 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 19.4

76 Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor 19.4

77 Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus 19.4

78 Barn Owl Tyto alba 16.1

79 Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus 16.1

80 Reed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus 16.1

81 Pied Crow Corvus albus 16.1

82 African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis 16.1

83 Shaft-tailed Whydah Vidua regia 16.1

84 Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea 12.9

85 Purple Roller Coracias naevius 12.9

86 Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra 12.9

87 Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata 12.9

88 Fawn-coloured Lark Calendulauda africanoides 12.9

89 Red-crested Korhaan Lophotis ruficrista 12.9

90 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 12.9

91 Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis 12.9

92 Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio 12.9

93 Orange River White-eye Zosterops pallidus 12.9

94 White-throated Canary Crithagra albogularis 9.7

95 South African Shelduck Tadorna cana 9.7

96 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 9.7

97 Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha 9.7

98 Sabota Lark Calendulauda sabota 9.7

99 Cape Penduline-Tit Anthoscopus minutus 9.7

100 Gabar Goshawk Melierax gabar 9.7

101 Mallard Duck Anas platyrhynchos 9.7

102 White-rumped Swift Apus caffer 9.7

103 Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata 9.7

104 Northern Black Korhaan Afrotis afraoides 9.7



105 African Quailfinch Ortygospiza atricollis 9.7

106 Jacobin Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus 9.7

107 Eastern Clapper Lark Mirafra fasciolata 9.7

108 Bennett's Woodpecker Campethera bennettii 6.5

109 Barred Wren-Warbler Calamonastes fasciolatus 6.5

110 Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix 6.5

111 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 6.5

112 Rufous-eared Warbler Malcorus pectoralis 6.5

113 Karoo Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas coryphoeus 6.5

114 Rock Dove Columba livia 6.5

115 Bradfield's Swift Apus bradfieldi 6.5

116 Dusky Sunbird Cinnyris fuscus 6.5

117 Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea 6.5

118 White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis 6.5

119 Lesser Swamp-Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris 6.5

120 Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata 6.5

121 Chat Flycatcher Bradornis infuscatus 3.2

122 Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus 3.2

123 African Purple Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis 3.2

124 Lark-like Bunting Emberiza impetuani 3.2

125 Red-headed Finch Amadina erythrocephala 3.2

126 Fairy Flycatcher Stenostira scita 3.2

127 White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata 3.2

128 Common Swift Apus apus 3.2

129 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 3.2

130 Cape Crow Corvus capensis 3.2

131 Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus NT 3.2

132 Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis 3.2

133 Little Egret Egretta garzetta 3.2

134 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin 3.2

135 Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris 3.2

136 Desert Cisticola Cisticola aridulus 3.2

137 Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 3.2

138 Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild 3.2

139 African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus 3.2

140 Abdim's Stork Ciconia abdimii 3.2

141 Orange River Francolin Scleroptila levaillantoides 3.2



142 Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus 3.2

143 Great Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus 3.2

144 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 3.2

145 Short-toed Rock-Thrush Monticola brevipes 3.2

146 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 3.2

147 Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis 3.2

148 Common Quail Coturnix coturnix 3.2

149 African Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus 3.2

150 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 3.2



9 ANNEX 3. LIST OF REPTILES List of reptiles which are likely to occur at the proposed Mamathwane Compilation Yard site. Habitat notes and distribution records are based on Branch (1988) and Alexander and Marais (2007), while conservation status is from the IUCN Red Lists 2012.

Scientific Name Common Name Distribution Status Habitat Likelihood Tortoises and Terrapins:

Geochelone pardalis Leopard Tortoise Widespread Not Evaluated

Varied: not restricted to montane grassland, also occurring in fynbos, valley bushveld, and arid & mesic savannah

High

Psammobates oculiferus

Kalahari Tent Tortoise Endemic Not

Evaluated Arid savannah, scrub desert High

Snakes:

Lamprophis capensis Brown House Snake Widespread Not Evaluated

Common in highveld grassland & arid karroid regions, but found everywhere & tolerant of urban sprawl

High

Lycophidion capense Common Wolf Snake Widespread Not

Evaluated Lowland forest and fynbos to moist savanna, grassland and karoo scrub High

Pseudaspis cana Mole Snake Widespread Not Evaluated

Sandy scrubland in SW Cape, highveld grassland & mountainous & desert regions High

Dipsina multimaculata

Dwarf Beaked Snake Endemic Not

Evaluated Rocky, sandy areas. Cape karroid areas. High

Psammophis trinasalis

Kalahari Sand Snake Widespread Not

Evaluated Mainly Kalahari thornveld but may also occur in savanna and grassland High

Dasypeltis scabra Common/Rhombic Egg Eater Widespread LC Absent only from true desert & closed-

canopy forest High

Xenocalamus bicolor Bicoloured Quill-snounted Snake Not Evaluated

Alluvial Sand in moist or arid savanna and karoo scrub Low

Dispholidus typus Boomslang Widespread Not Evaluated Widespread arboreal species High

Naja nivea Cape Cobra Widespread Not Evaluated

Arid karroid regions, particularly along river courses, entering well drained open areas along the southern coast

High

Bitis arietans Puff Adder Widespread LC Absent only from desert & mnt tops High

Bitis caudalis Horned Adder Widespread Not Evaluated Sandy regions, throughout Karoo High

Worm Lizards

Zygaspis quadrifrons Kalahari Round-headed Worm Lizard

Not Evaluated Sandy scrub and bushveld High

Monopeltis infuscata Dusky Spade-snouted Worm Lizard

Widespread Dry and moist savannah High

Lizard and Skinks:



Acontias gracilicauda namaquensis

Thin-tailed Legless Skink Endemic Not

Evaluated Valley bushveld, grassland entering sandy regions Low

Typhlosaurus lineatus Striped Blind Legless Skink Widespread Not

Evaluated Kalahari sands High

Mabuya capensis Cape Skink Widespread Not Evaluated

Very varied: arid karroid veld, moist coastal bush, montane grassland, etc High

Mabuya spilogaster Kalahari Tree Skink Widespread Not Evaluated Arid Savannah High

Mabuya striata Striped Skink Widespread Not Evaluated

Varied, except desert areas, succulent karoo and fynbos High

Ichnotropis squamulosa

Common Rough-scaled Lizard Widespread Not

Evaluated Arid and mesic savannah Medium

Heliobolus lugubris Bushveld Lizard Widespread Not Evaluated Arid and mesic savannah High

Nucras intertexta Spotted Sandveld Lizard Widespread Not

Evaluated Arid savanna usually on kalahari sand Medium

Pedioplanis lineoocellata Spotted Sand Lizard Endemic Not

Evaluated Very varied: karroid veld, valley bushveld & arid & mesic savannah High

Pedioplanis namaquensis

Namaqua Sand Lizard Widespread Not

Evaluated Karroid veld High

Varanus albigularis Rock Monitor Widespread Not Evaluated Savanna and arid karroid areas Low

Agama aculeata Ground Agama Widespread Not Evaluated Semi desert and savanna High

Chameleons:

Chamaeleo dilepis Flap-neck Chameleon Widespread Not

Evaluated Prefers savannah woodland High

Geckos: Chondrodactylus angulifer

Giant Ground Gecko Endemic LC Gravel plains, interdune spaces & sandy

flats High

Colpus wahlbergii Kalahari Ground Gecko Widespread Not

Evaluated Flat sandy plains with scattered vegetation High

Chondrodactylus bibronii

Bibron's Tubercled Gecko Endemic Not

Evaluated Rocky outcrops, cliffs and large trees High

Pachydactylus capensis

Cape Thick-toed Gecko Widespread Not

Evaluated Karroid veld, grassland and mesic savannah High

Ptenopus garrulus Common Barking Gecko Endemic Not

Evaluated

Desert and semi-desert on various soil types, preferring flat stable sandy soils with sparse vegetation cover

High



10 ANNEX 4. LIST OF AMPHIBIANS List of amphibians which are likely to occur at the Mamathwane Compilation Yard site. Habitat notes and distribution records are based on Du Preez and Carruthers (2009), while conservation status is from the IUCN Red Lists 2012.

Scientific Name Common Name Status Habitat Distribution Likelihood

Breviceps adspersus Bushveld Rain Frog Not

Threatened Sandy to sandy loam soils in semi-arid habitats in savanna and grassland

Widespread High

Amietophrynus gutturalis

Guttural Toad Not

Threatened Around open pools, dams, vleis and other semi-permanent or permenent water

Widespread Low

Amietophrynus poweri Western Olive Toad Not

Threatened Around vleis and pans in thornveld savanna

Widespread Low

Vandijkophrynus gariepensis

Karoo Toad Not

Threatened Karoo Scrub Widespread Low

Kassinia senegalensis Bubbling Kassinia Not Threatened

Grassland around vleis and pands Widespread Low

Pyxicephalus adspersus Giant Bullfrog Near

Threatened Breed in shallow margins of rain-filled depressions.

Widespread Low

Xenopus laevis Common Platanna Not

Threatened Any more or less permanent water Widespread Low

Cacosternum boettgeri Common Caco Not

Threatened Marshy areas, vleis and shallow pans Widespread Moderate

Amietia angolensis Common River Frog Not

Threatened Banks of slow-flowing streams or permanent bodies of water

Widespread Low

Tomopterna cryptotis Tremelo Sand Frog Not

Threatened Savanna and grassland Widespread High

Tomopterna tandyi Tandy's Sand Frog Not Threatened

Nama karoo grassland and savanna Widespread High



SHORT CV OF CONSULTANT:

P.O.Box 71 Nieuwoudtville

8180 [email protected]

H: 027 218 1276 C: 082 3326 502

SUMMARY OF EXPERTISE:

SIMON TODD

Profession: Ecological Consultant Specialisation: Plant & Animal Ecology Years of Experience: 15 Years

Skills & Primary Competencies

Research & description of ecological patterns & processes in Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo, Thicket, Arid Grassland and Savannah Ecosystems. Ecological Impacts of land use on biodiversity Vegetation surveys & degradation assessment & mapping Long-term vegetation monitoring Faunal surveys & assessment. GIS & remote sensing

Tertiary Education:

1992-1994 – BSc (Botany & Zoology), University of Cape Town 1995 – BSc Hons, Cum Laude (Zoology) University of Natal 1996-1997- MSc, Cum Laude (Conservation Biology) University of Cape Town

Employment History

1997 – 1999 – Research Scientist (Contract) – South African National Biodiversity Institute 2000-2004 – Specialist Scientist (Contract ) - South African National Biodiversity Institute 2004-2007 – Senior Scientist (Contract) – Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Botany, University of Cape Town



2007 Present – Senior Scientist (Associate) – Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Botany, University of Cape Town.

General Experience & Expertise

Conducted a large number of fauna and flora specialist assessments distributed widely across South Africa. Projects have ranged in extent from <50 ha to more then 50 000 ha. Extensive experience in the field and exceptional level of technical expertise, particularly with regards to GIS capabilities which is essential with regards to producing high-quality sensitivity maps for use in the design of final project layouts. Strong research background which has proved invaluable when working on several ecologically sensitive and potentially controversial sites containing some of the most threatened fauna in South Africa. Published numerous research reports as well as two book chapters and a large number of papers in leading scientific journals dealing primarily with human impacts on the vegetation and ecology of South Africa. Maintain several long-term vegetation monitoring projects distributed across Namaqualand and the karoo. Guest lecturer at two universities and have also served as an external examiner. Reviewed papers for more than 10 international ecological journals. Past chairman and current committee member of the Arid Zone Ecological Forum. SACNASP registered as a Professional Natural Scientist, (Ecology) No. 400425/11.

A selection of recent work is as follows:

Specialist Assessments:

ESKOM 300MW Kleinsee Wind Energy Facility. Fauna Specialist Report For Impact Assessment. Savannah Environmental. 2012.

Karoshoek Solar Valley Development, Near Upington: Fauna & Flora Specialist Impact Assessment Report. Savannah Environmental. 2012.

Project Blue Wind And Solar Energy Facility, Near Kliensee. Fauna Specialist Report For Impact Assessment. Savannah Environmental. 2012.

O’Kiep 3 PV Solar Energy Facility on a Site In O’kiep Near Springbok, Northern Cape Province. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Savannah Environmental 2012.

Photovoltaic Solar Energy Facility on Voëlklip, South of Springbok. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Savannah Environmental 2012.

Namaqua Photovoltaic Solar Energy Facility on a Site North of Kamieskroon. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Savannah Environmental 2012.

Rare Earth Separation Plant Near Vredendal, Western Cape Province. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Savannah Environmental 2012.

Inca Graafwater Photovoltaic Solar Energy Facility, Graafwater, Western Cape Province. Faunal Ecology Specialist Report for Impact Assessment. Savannah Environmental 2012.

Aberdeen Solar Facility. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist Report for Savannah Environmental. 2012.

Venetia Solar Facility. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist Report for Savannah Environmental. 2012.



Southern Cross Solar Energy Facility: Southern Farm 425. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist Report for Savannah Environmental. 2012.

Tutwa Solar Energy Facility: Portion 4 of Narries 7. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist Report for Savannah Environmental. 2012.

Karoshoek Grid Integration Infrastructure. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report For Basic Assessment. Specialist Report for Savannah Environmental. 2012.

Valleydora Photovolataic Solar Power Plant, Free State. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report. CSIR, 2012.

Reddersburg Solar Facility - Fauna & Flora Specialist Assessment. CSIR, 2012. Melkvlei Photovolataic Solar Power Plant. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist report

for ERM. 2012. Ruinte Photovolataic Solar Power Plant. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist report for

ERM. 2012. Genoegsaam Solar Park. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist report for ERM. 2012. Genoegsaam Solar Park. Fauna & Flora Specialist EIA Report. Specialist report for ERM. 2012. Graspan Solar Facility. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Impact Assessment. Specialist report for ERM. 2012.

Olyven Kolk Solar Power Plant, Northern Cape: Botanical and Faunal Specialist Assessment. Specialist Report for Environmental Resources Management (ERM). 2011.

Klawer Wind Farm: Ecological and Biodiversity Assessment: Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna & Botanical Specialist Study. Specialist Report for Environmental Resources Management. 2011.

Lambert’s Bay Wind Farm: Ecological and Biodiversity Assessment: Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna & Botanical Specialist Study. Specialist Report for Environmental Resources Management. 2011.

Richtersveld Wind Farm: Ecological and Biodiversity Assessment: Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna & Botanical

Specialist Study. Specialist Report for Environmental Resources Management (ERM). 2011.

Roggeveld Wind Farm: Ecological and Biodiversity Assessment: Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna & Botanical Specialist Study. Specialist Report for Environmental Resources Management (ERM). 2011.

Witberg Wind Farm: Ecological and Biodiversity Assessment: Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna & Botanical Specialist Study. Specialist Report for Environmental Resources Management (ERM). 2011.

Skuitdrift Solar Facility. Fauna & Flora Specialist Report for Basic Assessment. Specialist Report for Cape EAPrac. 2012.

Khoi-Sun Solar Facility. Fauna & Flora Specialist Scoping Report. Specialist Report for Cape EAPrac. 2012. Boesmanland Solar Farm. Fauna & Flora Specialist Scoping Study. Specialist Report for Cape EAPrac. 2012. Bitterfontein Solar Plant - Fauna & Flora Specialist Assessment. Specialist Report for Cape EAPrac. 2012. Beaufort West Solar Facility, Erf 7388 - Fauna & Flora Specialist Assessment. Specialist Report for Cape EAPrac.

2012. Improvements to the Ou Kaapse Weg / Silvermine Road Intersection. Specialist Faunal Study For Basic

Assessment. Khula Environmental Consultants, 2012.

Upgrading of Tourism Facilities at Goegap Nature Reserve. Specialist Ecological Assesment. Van Zyl Environmental Consultants. 2012.

The Proposed Commercial Concentrated Solar Power Tower Facility and Concentrated Photovoltaic Facility at Van Roois Vley Near Upington. Specialist Vegetation Assessment for EIA. WSP Environmental 2012.

Plant Sweeps on Portion 2 of the Farm Demaneng 546, Kuruman District, Northern Cape Province for SA Manganese. 2011.

Research Reports & Peer Reviewed Publications:



Todd, S.W. 2010. Vegetation and Plant Communities Associated with the Tillite and Dolerite Renosterveld Types of the Avontuur Conservation Area, Nieuwoudtville, South Africa. DRYNET.

Todd, S.W., Milton, S.J., Dean, W.R.J. Carrick, P.J. & Meyer, A. 2009. Ecological best Practice Guidelines for the Namakwa District. The Botanical Society of South Africa.

Todd, S.W. 2009. Field-Based Assessment of Degradation in the Namakwa District. Final Report. Mapping Degradation in the Arid Subregions of the BIOTA South Transect. SANBI.

Todd, S.W. 2009. A fence-line in time demonstrates grazing-induced vegetation shifts and dynamics in the semi-arid Succulent Karoo. Ecological Applications, 19: 1897–1908.

Todd, S.W. 2007. Characterisation of Riparian Ecosystems. D14 of The WADE Project. Floodwater Recharge of Alluvial Aquifers in Dryland Environments. GOCE-CT-2003-506680- WADE. Sixth Framework Programme Priority 1.1.6.3 Global Change and Ecosystems.

Todd, S.W. 2006. Gradients in vegetation cover, structure and species richness of Nama-Karoo shrublands in relation to distance from livestock watering points. Journal of Applied Ecology 43: 293-304.

Benito, G., Rohde, R., Seely, M., Külls, C., Dahan, O., Enzel, Y., Todd, S. Botero, B., Morin, E., Grodek, T., Roberts, C. 2010. Management of Alluvial Aquifers in Two Southern African Ephemeral Rivers: Implications for IWRM. Water Resources Management, 24:641–667.

Hahn, B.D., Richardson, F.D., Hoffman, M.T., Roberts, R., Todd, S.W. and Carrick, P.J. 2005. A simulation model of long-term climate, livestock and vegetation interactions on communal rangelands in the semi-arid Succulent Karoo, Namaqualand, South Africa. Ecological Modelling 183, 211–230.

Malgas, R.R., Potts, A.J., Oettlé, N.M., Koelle, B., Todd, S.W., Verboom G.A. & Hoffman M.T.. 2010. Distribution, quantitative morphological variation and preliminary molecular analysis of different growth forms of wild rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) in the northern Cederberg and on the Bokkeveld Plateau. South African Journal of Botany, 76, 72-81.

Mills, A., Fey, M., Donaldson, J.D., Todd, S.W. & Theron, L.J. 2009. Soil infiltrability as a driver of plant cover and species richness in the semi-arid Karoo, South Africa. Plant and Soil 320: 321–332.

Rahlao, J.S., Hoffman M.T., Todd, S.W. & McGrath, K. 2008. Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing. Journal of Arid Environments, 72, 808-819.

Hoffman, M.T. & Todd, S.W. 2010. Using Fixed-Point Photography, Field Surveys, And Gis To Monitor Environmental Change: An Example From Riemvasmaak, South Africa. Chapter In Repeat Photography: Methods And Applications In The Natural Sciences. R.H. Webb, Editor. Island Press.

ecological impact assessment - erm · 3.3 listed and protected plant species ... 3.7.1 impact risk...

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