Ecosystem Guidelines for Environmental Assessment

COASTAL
fairly viable, but unless they have good connectivity (within a few hundred metres) they will have far
fewer mammals and birds.
Birds are more affected by patch size than by patch isolation. Since many of the plants are
resprouters they can persist for centuries without pollinators.
What broad spatial guidelines can be given with respect to
the best approach to development and disturbance
In the West Coast and Namaqualand regions, avoid all rocky outcrops and coastal dunes (this has
important implications for quarrying and mining).
Ideally, natural corridors should be kept intact along north-south as well as coast-inland gradients.
This can mean retaining habitat corridors between or even within large mining developments.
In general, avoid impacting on any wetland areas or riverine fringes. Estuarine systems are
particularly important.
In Dune Fynbos, nodal development is better as it makes it easier to maintain appropriate burning
patterns. Fire is not necessary or desirable in Dune Thicket.
In Dune Thicket and Dune Fynbos, retain corridors of intact natural vegetation (at least 20 m wide)
to allow for movement of birds and animals between areas of undisturbed or contiguous habitat.
Unbroken linear development is therefore not appropriate in these systems.
Avoid developments that sever linkages between inland-trending Mainland (Valley) Thicket types and
Dune Thicket along the coast, especially in the Southern Cape.
Coastal development policy in the Western Cape discourages ribbon development.
NICK HELME
STRANDVELD, DUNE THICKET & DUNE FYNBOS : 35