INCEPTION REPORT - Department of Agriculture and ...

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uThukela DM ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK features and attributes based on their intrinsic sensitivity to development pressure or resilience to change. The table to follow presents the possible guide for the weighting exercise. Table 5: Guide for Weighting Environmental Features Weighting Description Sensitivity -1 0 +1 +2 The inherent feature status and sensitivity is already significantly degraded. Any significant environmental development change will not influence the current status. The inherent feature status and sensitivity will not be influenced by any significant environmental – development change. Environmental – development change will influence the current status of the feature, either negatively or positively. Environmental – development change will significantly influence the feature, either negatively or positively. Low / poor Undetermined High Very high Following the sensitivity analysis, the weighted features will be assimilated in the GIS to prepare Environmental Constraint Zones (ECZs) that reflect the desired state of the UTDM environment. The draft Desired State of the Environment Report will be work-shopped with the PMT and PSC and will be submitted to the members for review prior to lodging the document in the public domain for comments. Deliverable: Desired State of the Environment Report & updated GIS depicting Environmental Constraint Zones 6.2.6 Management Zones (HOW DO WE GET THERE?) The ECZs will provide the platform and framework for the identification of the Management Zones, where specific categories of homogenous sensitive features will be consolidated and integrated to demarcate the Management Zones. Management zones will highlight environmentally significant areas in UTDM, inform decisionmaking regarding proposed activities in these zones, and set management requirements for developments that are proposed in these demarcates areas. The Management Zones will also clearly reflect those environmental elements that served as the trigger for the UTDM EMF. Deliverable: EMF Report & GIS Draft Inception Report (June 2012) Page 20
uThukela DM ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 6.2.7 Strategic Environmental Management Plan (HOW DO WE GET THERE?) The Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) will link management parameters and guidelines to each of the Management Zones. These guidelines will be based on (amongst others): The outcomes of PPP; Detailed specialist assessments and sensitivity analysis, Measures aimed at reaching the desired state and supporting the environmental vision for UTDM; Existing policies, statutory provisions and guidelines relevant to the features incorporated into the Management Zone; Environmental best practices and mitigation measures aimed at safeguarding the environmental features and attributes associated with the Management Zone; and Measures that strive to overcome constraints and optimise opportunities; The functionality of the Management Zones (reflection of sensitivity) and concomitant management guidelines (based on opportunities and constraints) will include: 1. Indicating which listed developments, activities and land-uses could be excluded from a certain area (excluded from obtaining an environmental authorisation); 2. Indicating developments, activities and land-uses which may significantly adversely affect the environment which will require environmental authorisation; 3. Indicating developments, activities and land-uses that are undesirable in the area or part of the area; and 4. Making recommendations with regards to the type of assessment that would be required for additionally identified developments and land-uses. The SEMP introduces a risk-adverse approach to decision-making. In this regard, it will not be prescriptive in terms of land use and will not indicate which land uses must occur in which zones. Instead, the SEMP will indicate specific minimum environmental requirements, through management parameters, which have to be met satisfactorily before approval of a development application should be considered. Similarly, the SEMP will indicate the level of environmental assessment expected and required in the Management Zones. An example of this application is shown in Figure 6, which will be emulated in the UTDM EMF. Draft Inception Report (June 2012) Page 21
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