Ecosystem Guidelines for Environmental Assessment

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INTRODUCTION Susie Brownlie Purpose of the guidelines These ecosystem-specific guidelines have been prepared to assist all stakeholders in the Western Cape who are involved in land-use planning and environmental assessment to take biodiversity concerns into consideration. The guidelines aim to answer key questions about biodiversity that should be asked by a planner, environmental assessment practitioner and/or landowner embarking on a plan, project or activity, whether urban, industrial, agricultural or recreational. The guidelines should also add value to the deliberations of decision-makers on the environmental implications of development or land-use change. The guidelines deal separately with each of the following groups of Western Cape ecosystems: 1. Coastal ecosystems 2. Lowland fynbos ecosystems 3. Midland and mountain fynbos ecosystems 4. Renosterveld ecosystems 5. Succulent karoo ecosystems 6. Mainland thicket ecosystems 7. Freshwater ecosystems 8. Spatial components of ecological processes The guidelines adopt a broad landscape approach to biodiversity assessment, i.e. they aim to ensure that the ecological function of a site is considered within its landscape and regional context. These guidelines represent a first attempt at reducing the complexity and value of Western Cape ecosystems to a set of basic but reliable pointers that will guide responsible and appropriately informed planning and decision-making about biodiversity in the province. The earlier in the planning process these guidelines are used, the better. Ideally, their use should inform a plan or project, as described in the next section. Planning and the development of project proposals should strive to work within the opportunities and constraints of ecosystems, and to avoid potentially significant negative impacts. By so doing, the need for complex, costly and time-consuming environmental assessment could be minimized, and ecologically sustainable development, one of the main pillars of sustainable development, is more likely to be achieved. The drafting process The guidelines are the product of an inclusive process initiated by the Fynbos Forum in 2002. They draw on the experience and expertise of biodiversity specialists, environmental assessment practitioners and the Western Cape environmental and conservation authorities. COLIN PATERSON-JONES 10 : INTRODUCTION
Undeveloped ecosystems can provide important direct benefits for people and the economy, as exemplified by the Flower Valley Conservation Trust.
Page 1: ECOSYSTEM GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMEN
Page 4 and 5: CHARL DE VILLIERS (EDITOR) Conserva
Page 6 and 7: CONTENTS 7 : 8 : 10 : 14 : 22 : 24
Page 8 and 9: “Environmental Assessment provide
Page 10 and 11: PREFACE Charl de Villiers These gui
Page 14 and 15: The drafting process, which was co-
Page 16 and 17: INCLUDING BIODIVERSITY CONSIDERATIO
Page 18 and 19: UNEP's voluntary guidelines on biod
Page 20 and 21: Breede River valley: CAPE and SKEP
Page 22 and 23: STEP 4: WHEN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS AR
Page 24 and 25: A NOTE ON FIRE All fynbos types req
Page 26 and 27: COASTAL ESTUARIES COASTAL ECOSYSTEM
Page 28 and 29: COASTAL non-linear manner over wide
Page 30 and 31: COASTAL SANDY BEACHES & DUNE SYSTEM
Page 32 and 33: COASTAL What are the “bottom line
Page 34 and 35: COASTAL INCORPORATING WEST AND SOUT
Page 36 and 37: COASTAL Strandveld is also increasi
Page 38 and 39: What are the critical things to mai
Page 40 and 41: LOWLAND FYNBOS INCORPORATING SAND F
Page 42 and 43: LOWLAND FYNBOS Veld clearance for r
Page 44 and 45: NICK HELME LOWLAND FYNBOS Leipoldtv
Page 46 and 47: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN INCORPORATING AL
Page 48 and 49: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN Altered fire reg
Page 50 and 51: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN What are the cri
Page 52 and 53: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN will move in fro
Page 54 and 55: RENOSTERVELD INCORPORATING COAST &
Page 56 and 57: RENOSTERVELD Urban expansion is a p
Page 58 and 59: RENOSTERVELD What, if any, reliable
Page 60 and 61: SUCCULENT KAROO INCORPORATING VYGIE
Page 62 and 63:
SUCCULENT KAROO Quarrying for grani
Page 64 and 65:
MAINLAND THICKET INCORPORATING THIC
Page 66 and 67:
MAINLAND THICKET appear to recover
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MAINLAND THICKET What are the criti
Page 70 and 71:
FRESHWATER FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS: W
Page 72 and 73:
FRESHWATER What are the key issues,
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FRESHWATER exotic garden escapees i
Page 76 and 77:
FRESHWATER INCORPORATING MINOR DRAI
Page 78 and 79:
FRESHWATER Introduction to the syst
Page 80 and 81:
SCEPS SPATIAL COMPONENTS OF ECOLOGI
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JAN VLOK SCEPS Quartz patches can s
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SCEPS those characterised by mosaic
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TABLE 4: EXAMPLES OF SPATIAL COMPON
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SCEPS ecosystems (e.g. Granite Fynb
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REFERENCES & RESOURCES There is a w
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APPENDIX 1 SOUTH AFRICAN VEGETATION
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APPENDIX 2 RECOMMENDED TERMS OF REF
Page 96:
SALDANHA CAPE TOWN VANRHYNSDORP CER
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