8.3.1.5.1.
Loss of habitat / eco-systemsThe site supports a variety of habitats that provide shelter, food and habitat for a variety of faunal species. The dense riverine area offers suitable shelter for many species wanting to move through the area or make use of the natural resources on the site. In addition, the closed, rocky and open woodland areas in the south provide habitat and shelter for various faunal species naturally occurring in the area. The grassland areas have largely been farmed and altered by farming activities and is not expected to support as high a species richness as the habitats mentioned previously.
51 The value of the site however lies in the different habitats provided on one site where species can utilize the different resources provided by each habitat. Any conservation effort should therefore include maintaining different habitats to optimize the site for use by faunal species while simultaneously accommodating development activities.
Action: Maintain different habitats on the site. Construction management to prevent disturbance of sensitive areas.
The riverine habitat is an important habitat to maintain in an undisturbed state. Should there be a need to access the riverine area for development and subsequent social purposes, the riverine area must be affected as little as possible e.g. clearing under bush only at a certain points while leaving the rest as is. This approach should however not exclude the eradiation of exotic species, which should be done according to a management plan. The confluence of the tributary and the river is considered especially sensitive based on the general lack of exotic species, the exclusive nature of the area which is suitable for faunal species to move through unobserved and the presence of water which increases the potential of common as well as many scarcer species to remain on the site.
Action: Remove exotic species under a planned programme.
Action: Limited construction access to the sensitive areas.
Action: Confluence area is ecologically particularly significant and must be protected. Connectivity with adjacent areas should be encouraged through species sensitive fencing.
Should development continue on the site without taking into account the sensitive habitats and implementing mitigation measures, the impact will be of moderate to high significance.
8.3.1.5.2.
Loss of important speciesNo important species were specifically recorded. This is however not an indication that important species are not present on the site. The potential occurrence of these species on the site provides an indication that such species will make use of the habitats if the habitats are available and accessible during and after construction.
Should the site be developed without the mitigation measures proposed, it can be expected that common and scarcer species potentially and actually occurring on the site, will either move away from the site (birds and larger mammals species) or trapped and killed by construction activities (smaller species and invertebrates).
Action: Management during the construction period must control
“trapping” and other disturbance activities.
8.3.1.5.3.
Impacts on habitat/rural connectivity – open spaceThe site is bordered to the north and east by rural land, which increases the ecological value and functioning of the development site in the landscape. Aspects that will affect the connectivity of the site and subsequent movement of seeds, pollen and faunal species relates to how open spaces are planned within the site as well as how habitats are allowed to link with the surrounding land. In addition, development structures such as the type of perimeter fence constructed (porous to wildlife) as well as the management of open spaces during and after construction will influence the connectivity of the site during and after construction.
Action: Mitigation measures should be put in place to optimize connectivity on the site.
Should development occur without taking connectivity principles into account, the ecology and ecosystem functioning of the site and immediately surrounding area will significantly be altered and disturbed.
8.3.1.5.4.
Impacts associated with construction activitiesIt can be expected that construction activities will affect the biophysical environment and subsequently the fauna and flora of the area. It is often the construction of services infrastructure that impacts on sensitive habitats during the first phases of construction.
8.3.1.6. Invertebrates
8.3.1.6.1.
Loss of Red data species.
The development may impact negatively in the short, medium and long term on:
Habitat suitable for a small Metisella meninx population,
Habitat moderately suitable for Hadogenes gunningi,
Opistophthalmus pugnax populations,
Populations of Brachionopus pretoriae, as well as Galeosoma hirsutum, Ancylotrypa brevipalpis and other trapdoor spider species on the site; the latter may include Red Data species and other species of special concern that were not encountered during the brief surveys carried out.
Action: The Metisella meninx habitat on the north side of R 104 must be protected and golf construction activities around the feed plant species to be limited.
Action: Maintain the natural vegetation in the identified areas where the high-risk species are located.
53 Figure 12 Position of Township and Golf course in relation to the wetland and sensitive areas – basic layout.
Figure 13 Position of Township & Golf course. – An alternative removing some of the Residential 1 and shifting the Residential 3.
55
8.3.1.6.2.
Significance of impactsThe local and regional significance of impacts on Metisella meninx, Hadogenes gunningi, Opistophthalmus pugnax and Brachionopus pretoriae would be expected to be low if the suggested mitigation measures are followed.
Both local and regional significance of impacts on Galeosoma hirsutum, Ancylotrypa brevipalpis and other rare trapdoor spider species potentially occurring on the site would be much higher, but could be mitigated by careful layout design and rehabilitation of previously disturbed habitat.
This impact issue mainly arises in the south-western part of the development in vegetation group V7 which is a relatively sensitive vegetation and where the habitat for species such as Opistophthalmus pugnax and Uroplectes triangulifer occur. One alternative is that the design / layout that is currently considered by the developer leaves an extensive amount of grassland left undeveloped (~ XX%) by either the residential areas or the manicured fairways. The developer proposes that this should be adequate to maintain the species.
The other alternative is to remove some of the Residential 1 and then shifting the Residential 3 back out of the area away from the sensitive parts. This will cause the loss of some 200 units (~ estimated at R80M) Action: Carry out a more detailed assessment to determine if there first option will conserve sufficient habitat.
Action: The final golf course layout should be done in conjunction with the invertebrate specialist.
8.3.1.7. Impacts of the introduction of alien turf grasses & other golf course issues
Impacts on various bio systems is discussed elsewhere but the specific implications of the golf course on the natural habitat has the potential for significant impacts which are discussed below.
8.3.1.7.1.
Alien grassesThe following Grass types to be used are planned to be the following:
Greens bent grass 1ha Tees and fairways kikuyu 25ha Rough - in play cynoden 12ha Rough – out of play natural veld grasses 35ha
The cynoden areas will surround all kikuyu fairways, ensuring that there is a sufficient “buffer zone” in which to prevent the kikuyu from spreading.
Irrigation design will also be of such nature that if needed only the fairways areas will be irrigated, thus creating a good natural buffer area where the cynoden would dominate.
The out of play rough areas, will include areas rehabilitated to natural veld, as well as undisturbed / untouched areas, and riverine areas.
8.3.1.7.2.
Water usage (See appendix 2.2.3., appendix 4 and annexure 9.1. & 9.2)It is estimated that the golf course (~30ha) will utilize 1010 m3/day annual average with a peak usage in the highest evaporation month (October) of 1350 m3/day. The minimum expected usage will be during low growth period (June) of 524 m3 / day. During the construction period, depending on the number of holes being constructed at any time, the demand could be about double the normal demand. It is intended that this water will be sourced from licensed river abstraction and from registered boreholes.
The actual allocation is currently being reviewed by specialist water engineers Schoeman en Vernote (Appendix 2.2.3.).
Currently there is an existing abstraction permit for an unconfirmed volume of river water and possibly a further permit allocated by the Water Court Judgements of the 1949 & 1950. The total borehole capacity is estimated at between 946m3/day and 1347 m3/day depending on the pumped duty cycle. The ground water recharge in the area is estimated at between 3424 m3/day and 5137 m3/day. Even the lower values exceeds the water demand of the golf course.
Action: Water availability form legal sources to be confirmed.
Action: Water usage to be measured and monitored within the permit allocation.
8.3.1.7.3.
Fertilizer contaminationDue to the location of this proposed golf course in the floodplain there is a significant risk that nutrification pollution could occur if ameliorative
measures are not taken. The design & management must limit the fertilizer application to specific required dosages and not allow excessive fertilization. These dose levels must be determined and the water systems monitored (analysed) regularly to ensure no pollution occurs.
Action: Use of slow release fertilizers dosed according to a “needs”
determination
Action: Routine sampling & analysis of both ground water & surface water from identified sample points to be carried out at an agreed frequency.