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Ndumo-Gezisa 132kV Overhead Power Line
AVIFAUNAL SPECIALIST REPORT
AUGUST 2014
With specialist input from:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Eskom Holdings (SOC) Limited plans to construct a new 132kV powerline between the
proposed Ndumo substation near Makhane’s Drift and the proposed Gezisa substation near
Manguzi in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province. The site falls within the Maputaland-Pondoland
Centre of Endemism, which is a “biodiversity hotspot”. There are numerous microhabitats
available to birds, and the entire area is regarded as highly sensitive in terms of avifauna.
There are numerous protected areas, including Tembe Elephant Park and Ndumo Game
Reserve, as well as two Important Bird Areas (IBA) in the broader area.
The South African Bird Atlas Project data (SABAP1) recorded a total of 46 Red Data species,
comprising 1 Endangered, 16 Vulnerable and 29 Near-threatened. The White Stork, which is
not listed, but is protected internationally through the Bonn Convention on Migratory
species, was also recorded. It was found that 26 of the 46 red-listed species recorded in
SABAP1 had been recorded by SABAP2. Following a site visit to 3 of the proposed corridors,
and examination of all available data, the following species were identified as Focal Species
for this study: Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed
Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Flamingo, Black-bellied Bustard, Secretarybird, African
Crowned Eagle, White-headed Vulture, Martial Eagle, African Fish-Eagle, Bateleur, African
March Harrier, Southern-banded Snake-eagle, Collared Pratincole, Rosy-throated Longclaw,
Pink-throated Twinspot, African Broadbill, Neergard’s Sunbird, and Rudd’s Apalis.
In general terms, the impacts that could be associated with a project of this nature include:
collision of birds with the overhead cables; electrocution; destruction of habitat; and
disturbance of birds. Collisions posses the biggest potential risk to avifauna, while habitat
destruction is also expected to be an important impact of this project.
Various sensitivity zones were identified, associated with protected areas, including: sand
forest, wetlands and rivers. Avifaunal input in to the Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
(in the form of a site “walk down”) is recommended in order to, “fine tune” the sensitivity
zones, and to identify the exact spans of line for marking to mitigate for bird collisions, once
the route is chosen and the tower positions have been pegged. Provided that the high risk
sections of line are mitigated in the form of marking, the impact of collision should be
contained. During this “walk down” breeding/nesting sites and roost sites must be
identified, so that the correct mitigating actions can be implemented prior to construction, in
order to reduce the impacts of habitat destruction and disturbance on sensitive species.
Electrocutions can be successfully mitigated by ensuring that a bird-friendly monopole
structure is used. It was concluded that the proposed project can be built provided that the
various mitigation measures recommended in this report are implemented. From an
avifaunal perspective, it was found that corridors 3P and 3a are the preferred options out of
several options considered.
AUGUST 2014 UPDATE TO ORIGINAL EWT REPORT
The Avifaunal Specialist Draft Report Revision 00, dated May 2013 was compiled by the
specialist, Andrew Pearson, whilst in the employment of the Endangered Wildlife Trust
(EWT) (details of original report below). In July 2014, Arcus Consultancy Services Ltd.
(Arcus) was approached by Zitholele Consulting to amend the May 2013 Avifaunal report, as
the original author (Andrew Pearson) was no longer employed by the EWT but was now an
employee with Arcus. The amendments to the original report are required because of
comments received by various Interested and Affected Parties (IAP), and due to an
additional Corridor alternative (Corridor 3P- preferred) being identified, which was not
originally assessed, as well as the removal of Corridors 1 and 2. This report shows the
necessary amendments based on the changes described above. Arcus made no changes to
the reporting template or methods used by EWT. Quality control revision was only carried
out on those sections of work that were added to, or updated by Arcus in the finalisation of
this report, and not on the entire report which was previously reviewed by EWT. Updates to
GIS mapping (Figures 1, 2, 16 and 17) were made by the EWT and reviewed by Arcus.
Signed: ANDREW PEARSON in his capacity as Avifaunal Specialist with Arcus Consultancy
Services Ltd.
Date: 8th August 2014
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: ORIGINAL REPORT
Specialist Investigator
The Natural Scientific Professions Act of 2003 aims to “Provide for the establishment of the
South African Council of Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) and for the registration of
professional, candidate and certified natural scientists; and to provide for matters connected
therewith.”
“Only a registered person may practice in a consulting capacity” – Natural Scientific
Professions Act of 2003 (20(1)-pg 14)
Investigator: Andrew Pearson (Pri.Sci.Nat)
Qualification: BSc (hons) Conservation Ecology
Affiliation: South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions
Registration number: 400423/11
Fields of Expertise: Ecological Science
Registration: Professional Member
Andrew Pearson is employed by Arcus Consultancy Services Ltd, as a specialist investigator
for conducting avifaunal specific specialist reports. Andrew has a Four Year BSc in
Conservation Ecology, certificates in Environmental Law, as well as six years’ experience in
the environmental management field. The findings, results, observations, conclusions and
recommendations given in this report are based on the author’s best scientific and
professional knowledge as well as available information.
Declaration of Independence
All specialist investigators specified above declare that:
We act as independent specialists for this project.
We consider ourselves bound by the rules and ethics of the South African Council for
Natural Scientific Professions.
We do not have any personal or financial interest in the project except for financial
compensation for specialist investigations completed in a professional capacity as
specified by the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010.
We will not be affected by the outcome of the environmental process, of which this
report forms part of.
We do not have any influence over the decisions made by the governing authorities.
We do not object to or endorse the proposed developments, but aim to present facts
and our best scientific and professional opinion with regard to the impacts of the
development.
We undertake to disclose to the relevant authorities any information that has or may
have the potential to influence its decision or the objectivity of any report, plan, or
document required in terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations,
2010.
Should we consider ourselves to be in conflict with any of the above declarations, we
shall formally submit a Notice of Withdrawal to all relevant parties and formally
register as an Interested and Affected Party.
Terms and Liabilities
This report is based on a short term investigation using the available information and
data related to the site to be affected. No long term investigation or monitoring was
conducted.
The Precautionary Principle has been applied throughout this investigation.
The specialist investigator, and Arcus/Endangered Wildlife Trust, for whom he/she
works, does not accept any responsibility for the conclusions, suggestions,
limitations and recommendations made in good faith, based on the information
presented to them, obtained from these assessments or requests made to them for
the purposes of this assessment.
Additional information may become known or available during a later stage of the
process for which no allowance could have been made at the time of this report.
The specialist investigator withholds the right to amend this report,
recommendations and conclusions at any stage should additional information
become available.
Information, recommendations and conclusions in this report cannot be applied to
any other area without proper investigation.
This report and all of the information contained herein remain the intellectual
property of the Arcus/Endangered Wildlife Trust.
This report, in its entirety or any portion thereof, may not be altered in any manner
or form or for any purpose without the specific and written consent of the specialist
investigator as specified above.
Acceptance of this report, in any physical or digital form, serves to confirm
acknowledgment of these terms and liabilities.
Signed on the 8th August 2014by Andrew Pearson.
ANDREW PEARSON
INTRODUCTION
The proponent for this project is Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, KwaZulu-Natal Operating
Unit (hereafter referred to as Eskom), which plans to construct a new 132kV powerline
between the proposed Ndumo substation near Makhane’s Drift and the proposed Gezisa
substation near Manguzi in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province. The area is bordered by several
nature reserves with the Tembe Elephant Reserve on the northern most past of the
boundary, the Greater St Lucia Wetland reserve along the eastern boundary and Ndumo
game reserve on the North western boundary. The P522 road traverses the centre of the
study area. Authorization will be sought for a 500m corridor; however the final servitude
will be 36m wide. During construction of the power line access roads will be established and
tracks will also be used during the operational phase for maintenance vehicles to obtain
access to the power line servitude. Additionally, bush clearing will be undertaken along the
centre line of the power line of 4m wide to enable stringing, and an area of 40m X 40m
cleared at tower / pylon locations. Similarly all access roads and tracks will be cleared of
vegetation for 4m wide.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) was subsequently appointed as an avifaunal specialist
for the project and a site visit was conducted from the 8th to the 11th of April, 2013. The
report was then updated and finalised, following several changes to the corridor
alternatives, by Arcus Consultancy Services Ltd. (Arcus) in August 2014. The avifaunal
study used a set methodology (discussed elsewhere) as well as various data sets. The focal
species for the study were determined, and then, by looking at the focal species which could
occur in the area, as well as assessing the availability of bird micro habitats, the possible
impacts of the development were then assessed and rated according to a set of pre-
determined criteria. In general terms, the impacts that could be associated with a project of
this nature include: The collision of birds with the overhead cables; electrocution;
destruction of habitat; and disturbance of birds.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
The following terms of reference were utilized for this study:
Describe the current state of avifauna in the study area, outlining important
characteristics which may be influenced by the proposed infrastructure or which may
influence the proposed infrastructure during construction and operation.
Identify Red List species potentially affected by the proposed power lines and
substation.
Identify potential impacts (positive and negative, including cumulative impacts if
relevant) of the proposed development on avifauna during construction and
operation.
Rate the significance of the impacts.
Identify mitigation measures for enhancing benefits and avoiding or mitigating
negative impacts and risks.
Identify information gaps, limitations and additional information required
Ranking and identification of most and least suitable alternatives for the proposed
project.
Identify and address any other aspects related to avifauna in the study area that
should be incorporated into the reports.
METHODOLOGY
In predicting the impacts of a proposed power line on birds, a combination of science, field
experience and common sense is required. More specifically the methodology used to
predict impacts in the current study was as follows:
The various data sets discussed below under “sources of information” were collected
and examined.
The data was examined to determine the location and abundance of power line
sensitive Red List species as well as non-Red List power line sensitive species in the
study area.
A desk top examination, using Google Earth imagery was done to compare
alternatives.
The area was visited, and thoroughly traversed, to obtain a first-hand perspective of
the proposed routes and birdlife, and to determine which bird micro-habitats are
present and relevant to the study. This involved driving the study area, taking
photographs, and walking certain accessible areas, to see as much as possible of the
proposed routes for the power line.
The impacts of the proposed power line on birds were predicted on the basis of
experience in gathering and analysing data on wildlife impacts with power lines
throughout southern Africa since 1996 (see van Rooyen & Ledger 1999 for an
overview of methodology), supplemented with first hand data
Recommended mitigation measures for significant impacts were proposed.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
The study made use of the following data sources:
Bird distribution data of the Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP – Harrison,
Allan, Underhill, Herremans, Tree, Parker & Brown, 1997) obtained from the Avian
Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town, in order to ascertain which species
occur in the study area.
The Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2 data for certain pentads in the study area
was examined.
The conservation status of relevant all bird species was then determined with the use
of The Eskom Red Data book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland
(Barnes, 2000).
Data from the Co-ordinated Avifaunal Road count project (CAR – Young, Harrison,
Navarro, Anderson & Colahan, 2003) was consulted to determine whether any CAR
routes exist in the study area.
Data from the Co-ordinated Waterbird Count (CWAC) project was also consulted to
determine whether any CWAC sites exist in the study area (Taylor, Navarro, Wren-
Sargent, Harrison & Kieswetter, 1999).
The Important Bird Areas of southern Africa (IBA) project data (Barnes 1998) was
consulted to determine its relevance to this project.
A classification of the vegetation types in the study area was obtained from Mucina
and Rutherford (2006).
Information on the micro-habitat level was obtained through visiting the area on two
separate occasions and obtaining a firsthand perspective.
Electronic 1:50 000 maps were obtained from the Surveyor General.
Satellite Imagery of the area was studied using Google Earth ©2013.
Personal conversation was conducted with Catharine Hanekom, District Ecologist
North East for KZN Wildlife, based at Tembe Elephant Park.
Bird lists for Ndumo Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Park were obtained from
KZN Wildlife.
LIMITATIONS & ASSUMPTIONS
This study made the assumption that the above sources of information are reliable. The
following factors may potentially detract from the accuracy of the predicted results:
The SABAP-1 data covers the period 1986-1997. Bird distribution patterns
fluctuate continuously according to availability of food and nesting substrate.
(For a full discussion of potential inaccuracies in SABAP data, see Harrison,
Allan, Underhill, Herremans, Tree, Parker & Brown, 1997).
The site visit was conducted in autumn over which time various species may
not have been present in the study area. No long term monitoring was
conducted.
Google Earth Imagery may not always reflect the true situation on the
ground, as some images may be outdated.
Predictions in this study are based on experience of these and similar species
in different parts of South Africa. Bird behaviour cannot be reduced to
formulas that will hold true under all circumstances.
It was not possible to access the entire length of all alternatives, i.e. a
walkthrough of each route was not conducted.
Nest searches were not conducted.
The preferred Corridor 3P (Alternative A1) was not proposed at the time of
the site visit (April 2013), and therefore certain sections of this routing were
not observed whilst on site.
DESCRIPTION OF AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
The site is situated within the Maputaland-Pondoland Centre of Endemism, which was
recently awarded ‘biodiversity hotspot’ status by Conservation International (Mittermeier et
al, 2004). This greater region is has a diverse array of biomes and is a biogeographical
transition zone between the tropics to the north and the subtropics to the south. Several
bird species occur here at their southernmost or northernmost range limits (Geldenhuys and
MacDevette 1989, van Wyk 1996) and most of the endemic species in the region are
associated with sand forests (van Wyk 1996, van Rensburg et al. 2000).
Vegetation and Land Use
While this report is an avifaunal specialist report, vegetation and micro habitats are very
important in determining avifaunal abundances and likelihood of occurrences. Therefore,
two maps have been produced below (FIGURES 1 and 2) showing the vegetation
classification of the broader area (Mucina & Rutherford, 2006), as well as the land use
(CSIR, 2009).
FIGURE 1 shows that the majority of the study area is covered by “Tembe Sandy Bushveld”
(which falls within the greater Savanna Biome) as well as “Maputaland Coastal Belt” with
the latter lying to the east of the former. Numerous patches of the Critically Endangered
“Sand Forest” are scattered within the bushveld region while “Subtropical Freshwater
Wetlands” and “Maputaland Wooded Grassland” is associated with the coastal plain.
Elements of “Western Maputaland Clay Bushveld”, “Western Maputaland Sandy Bushveld”,
“Makatini Clay Thicket”, and “Subtropical Alluvial Vegetation” are present in the west of the
study site, with the latter associated with the Pongola River. “Subtropical Salt Pans” are also
present in Ndumo Game Reserve. From this discussion and the map, it is clear that the
vegetation types, and thus micro-habitats are extremely diverse and numerous.
FIGURE 2 below shows that the dominant land cover/uses in the area are “Forest and
Woodland”, “Degraded: forest and woodland”, “Thicket & bushland (etc)”, “Wetlands” and
“Unimproved grassland” with the latter predominant in the east. “Cultivated: temporary -
semi-commercial/subsistence dryland” is present especially near to human settlements.
These land use types were confirmed during the site visit to the study area. However, the
map does not show the presence of numerous Forestry activities in the east of the study
area, observed during the site visit, as these may be recent activities.
FIGURE 1: Vegetation map (Mucina & Rutherford 2006) indicating the route alternatives as well as rivers, CWAC sites and formal protected areas.
FIGURE 2: Land Cover (CSIR, 2009) Map indicating the power line alternatives, Rivers and protected areas.
Bird micro habitats
In addition to the description of vegetation, it is important to understand the habitats
available to birds at a smaller spatial scale, i.e. micro habitats. Micro habitats are shaped by
factors other than vegetation, such as topography, land use, food sources and man-made
factors. Investigation of this study area revealed the presence of the following bird micro
habitats.
Sand Forest:
Sand Forest occurs in a broad and highly fragmented belt in South Africa from False Bay
Park (Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) in the south to the national border with Mozambique
(Tembe Elephant Park and Ndumo Game Reserve). The main distribution of this forest is in
Maputaland, where still reasonably extensive patches of this forest can be encountered.
Sand forests are associated with old sand dunes and are characterised by a low canopy
height and dense, scrubby understory. Bird specials to be found in the sand forests of
northern KwaZulu-Natal include African Broadbill, Woodward's Batis, Eastern Nicator,
Crested Guineafowl, Neergard's Sunbird, Plain-backed Sunbird, and Pink-throated Twinspot.
Grey Sunbird, Square-tailed Drongo, Dark-backed Weaver, Livingstone’s Turaco, Olive
Sunbird, Collared Sunbird, Trumpeter Hornbill, Yellow-bellied Greenbul and Brown Scrub-
robin may be relatively numerous in this habitat type. Large raptors such as the African
Crowned-Eagle and Southern Banded Snake-eagle may also favour this micro-habitat.
This already localised habitat is critically endangered due to its vulnerability and economic
pressure, especially outside the protected areas. An unknown portion was lost through
clearing for subsistence agriculture and grazing. Uncontrolled extraction of wood for fuel
and woodcraft is a problem as is the high density of elephants in Tembe Elephant Park—the
best preserved portion of the sand forest in South Africa (Mucina & Rutherford, 2006).
FIGURE 3: Sand Forest canopy observed from a viewing platform in the Tembe Elephant
Park.
Natural Bushveld/Woodland:
Large areas of undisturbed bushveld and woodlands are present in the broader area
associated primarily with the “Bushveld” vegetation types described above. The most
undisturbed areas are within the protected areas (Tembe and Ndumo) and in the more
northerly areas of the study site. “Bushveld” is a term loosely applied to smaller-tree
woodland, comprised of mixed trees and bushes, with the substrate often being well
grassed. Plant species present are related to soil type, but usually include both broad-leafed
and thorn trees. This habitat type will be utilized by numerous raptors including Bateleur,
Martial Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Brown Snake-Eagle, Booted Eagle, African Harrier-Hawk,
Wahlberg’s Eagle as well as occasionally White-backed and Lappet-Faced Vultures.
FIGURE 4: Natural “bushveld” observed in the study area.
Disturbed Bushveld/Woodland:
Large areas of disturbed bushveld and woodlands are present, primarily outside of the
protected areas and around human settlements, where bush clearing and uncontrolled
extraction of wood for fuel and woodcraft is ongoing. All of the species mentioned to
possibly occur in undisturbed bushveld, may well be present in the disturbed areas as well,
although this is far less likely.
Grasslands:
Extensive open grassland areas are present in the east of the study area, primarily
associated with the following vegetation types (Mucina & Rutherford 2006): “Subtropical
Freshwater Wetlands “, “Maputaland Coastal Belt” and “Maputaland Wooded Grassland”. In
fact, the “wetland” areas visited during the site visit were mostly dry, and are likely to only
be seasonally inundated with water. However, when they do not have water, they form
large open areas of grasslands, often with scattered palm trees (FIGURE 5). Grasslands may
represent a significant foraging and/or hunting area for many bird species, and although
much of the grassland areas seem to be disturbed to some degree (FIGURE 6), there may
well be patches in the area that attract sensitive species. In general terms these open
grassland areas could attract the Denham’s Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, Africa Openbill
and Collared Pratincole (both especially near water), Secretarybird and White Stork. Open
Grassland may also be a favourite foraging area for game birds such as francolins and
Guineafowl, as well as being hunting and foraging habitat for raptors such as African Marsh-
Harrier, Steppe Buzzard, Lanner Falcon, Amur Falcon and Black-shouldered Kite, because of
both the presence and accessibility of prey. Interestingly, the moist, grazed grasslands in
the communal lands (“communal rangelands”) may support all three Longclaw species,
namely Cape, Yellow-throated and Rosy-throated.
FIGURE 5: Relatively undisturbed grasslands with scattered palms in the east of the study
area.
FIGURE 6: Short, grazed grasslands provide habitat for Longclaw and Pipit species.
Wetlands:
“Subtropical Freshwater Wetlands” are associated with the Futi River in the north central
region of the study area, as well as in the east, as discussed above. These wetlands may
well be seasonal and only occasionally inundated with water. There is also a large flood
plain in the west associated with the “Subtropical Alluvial Vegetation” vegetation type
(Mucina & Rutherford 2006) along the Pongola River. Freshwater Lakes and Subtropical Salt
Pans are also found in the west and northwest. Pans and lakes in the study area may
especially attract Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans,
Saddle-billed Stork, African Marsh-Harrier, Pel’s Fishing-Owl, Yellow-billed Stork, Collared
Pratincole, Caspian Tern and African Jacana as well as a variety of other water birds.
Various waterfowl, such as White-faced Duck, African Pygmy-Goose, Yellow-billed Duck and
Egyptian geese, may frequent these areas and are vulnerable to collision with power lines.
Fish eating raptors like the African Fish Eagle and Osprey may also be present. These areas
will be very important for assorted water bird species, and construction of the new power
line in close proximity to these areas should be avoided.
FIGURE 7: The southern end of a freshwater lake, near to the Pongolo River floodplain, in
the west of the study area. Note that it is utilized by both livestock and threatened bird
species (see Pink-backed Pelican circled).
Rivers or drainage lines:
The largest and most prominent River in the Study area is the Pongolo River (FIGURE 8) in
the west with its tributary the Ngwavuma River. The Futi River runs north in to Mozambique
through the North East of Tembe National Park. Rivers in their true form represent
important habitat for many species, including Wooly-necked Stork, Saddle-billed Stork,
Yellow-billed Stork, as well as Ducks, Geese and a variety of other water birds. The wooded
riparian habitat (FIGURE 9) alongside the Pongola River may hold Pel’s Fishing Owl and
White-backed Night-Heron, as well as providing habitat for various species such as the
Hamerkop, African Darter, various cormorants, kingfishers, bee-eaters, robin-chats and
numerous smaller species. Rivers also represent feeding areas for fish eating raptors such
as the African Fish Eagle and Osprey. Quite backwaters and streams in the study area may
provide refuge for the African Finfoot. Sandbanks associated with large rivers provide
habitat for various wading species including, Lapwings, Plovers, Stilts, and Sandpipers.
Rivers and drainage lines also represent important flight paths for many species.
FIGURE 8: The large Pongolo River is flanked by tall woodland and forest.
FIGURE 9: Riparian Woodland associated with the Pongolo River.
Arable and/or cultivated lands:
Arable or cultivated lands can represent a significant feeding areas for many bird species in
any landscape for the following reasons: through opening up the soil surface, land
preparation makes many insects, seeds, bulbs and other food sources readily accessible to
birds and other predators; the crop or pasture plants cultivated are often eaten themselves
by birds, or attract insects which are in turn eaten by birds; during the dry season arable
lands often represent the only green or attractive food sources in an otherwise dry
landscape. Arable lands exist in this study area (FIGURES 10 and 11), mainly in the form of
maize or “mielie” fields. Relevant bird species that may be attracted to these areas include
most importantly the Blue Crane, Grey-crowned Crane, Southern Bald Ibis, Denham’s
Bustard and White Stork.
FIGURE 10: Small scale agriculture observed in the west of the study area, with a
freshwater lake in the back-ground.
FIGURE 11: Small scale agriculture observed south of Tembe Elephant Park.
Forestry/Stands of Alien Trees:
Small forestry plantations are present in the rural settlement areas, while some larger scale
forestry operations were observed in the east of the study site, as one heads towards
Manguzi. This habitat will mostly be important to physically smaller bird species, which are
less likely to interact directly with the proposed power lines. They may, however, provide
perching, roosting and nesting habitat for various raptor species, as well as larger birds
such as francolins, Guineafowl, Herons and Hadeda Ibises. Although stands of Eucalyptus
are strictly speaking invader species, these stands have become important refuges for
certain species of raptors including Long Crested Eagle and Steppe Buzzard, while Black
Sparrowhawk and Ovambo Sparrowhawk in particular are two species that use these trees
for roosting and breeding purposes. Large Eucalyptus trees are also used by the migratory
Lesser Kestrels for roosting purposes.
FIGURE 12: A new stand of recently planted trees in the foreground, and a more established
plantation in the background. This larger scale forestry was observed in the east of the
study area.
Rural Homesteads:
Rural communities are scattered throughout the study area, outside of the reserves,
especially along main roads and to the south of Tembe Elephant Park. These areas all have
mixed levels of disturbance, with some having varying elements of grassland, bushveld and
plantations present. In the natural areas surrounding homesteads, many of the species
associated with the microhabitats mentioned above, may well be present. Cattle are
widespread in these areas, often grazing on open fields that double as soccer pitches
(FIGURE 13). Cattle Egret and Hadeda Ibis are almost always present, as are doves, robin-
chats, drongos, shrikes and various others.
FIGURE 13: On open patch of grassland, used as a soccer-field and surrounded by disturbed
bushveld, is traversed by a herd of cattle in the rural homesteads in the south of the study
area.
TABLE 1 below shows the micro habitats that each Red List bird species (recorded in
SABAP1 data) typically frequents in the study area. It must be stressed that birds can and
will, by virtue of their mobility, utilise almost any areas in a landscape from time to time.
However, the analysis in TABLE 1 represents each species’ most preferred or normal
habitats. These locations are where most of the birds of that species will spend most of their
time – so logically that is where impacts on those species will be most significant.
RELEVANT BIRD POPULATIONS
Southern African Bird Atlas Project 1 (Harrison et al, 1997)
This data was collected over an 11 year period between 1986 and 1997. Although it is now
quite old, it remains the best long term data set on bird distribution and abundance
available to us at present. This data was collected on the basis of quarter degree squares,
which is also a relatively large spatial scale. The species recorded in the relevant quarter
degree squares could have been recorded anywhere within these squares and not
necessarily on the exact site of the proposed developments. It does however provide a good
indication of what could be found in the study area. Table 1 below summarises data for Red
List species recorded in the quarter degree squares 2632CD, 2632DC, 2732AB and 2732BA
(Barnes, 2000)1.
TABLE 1: Red List species recorded in the quarter degree squares covering the study area
(Harrison et al, 1997).
Species Cons. status
Report rate (%) Preferred micro habitat
2632C
D 2632D
C 2732AB
2732BA
Total species 388 231 256 196
Number of cards submitted
183 41 65 48
Saddle-billed Stork EN 36 2 - 13 Rivers, Lakes, Wetlands
Cape Vulture VU 3 - - - Grassland, Savanna, Hills and Ridges
White-backed Vulture VU 12 - - - Savanna woodland, Bushveld
Lappet-faced Vulture VU 3 - - - Open woodland
White-headed Vulture VU 14 - 2 - Broad-leaved woodland
Martial Eagle VU 21 7 2 2 Savanna, woodlands, semi-arid shrubland
Tawny Eagle VU 6 - 2 - Savanna, woodlands
Bateleur VU 66 10 31 2 Woodlands
Southern Banded Snake-Eagle
VU 5 2 9 2 Lowland forest, Sand forest, Plantation margins
African Marsh-Harrier VU 14 7 - 19 Wetlands, grasslands
Pel’s Fishing-Owl VU 4 - - - Dense Riparian Forest, Swamp and Lake margins.
Southern Ground-Hornbill VU 1 - - - Savanna, Woodland, Grassland
Denham’s Bustard VU - 5 - 29 Grassland, shrublands, cultivated lands
White-backed Night-Heron VU 1 - - - Quite waters with overhanging vegetation.
African Finfoot VU 6 - - - Slow-flowing streams
Corn Crake VU - 2 - - Rank grassland adjacent to wetlands and marshes.
Pink-backed Pelican VU 22 - 5 - Lakes and estuaries
Great White Pelican NT 32 2 6 - Lakes and estuaries
Black Stork NT 5 - - - Rivers and Kloofs
Woolly-necked Stork NT 63 20 51 23 Rivers, Wetlands, Coastal mudflats
African Openbill NT 45 - 8 - Rivers, Wetlands, Floodplains
Marabou Stork NT 10 - - - Savanna, Grassland
Yellow-billed Stork NT 59 2 2 4 Rivers, Lakes, Estuaries
Greater Flamingo NT 10 - - - Shallow lakes, Salt Pans, Estuaries
Lesser Flamingo NT 11 - - - Shallow lakes, Salt Pans, Estuaries
Secretarybird NT 2 7 - 6 Grassland, arable lands
African Pygmy-Goose NT 13 10 9 21 Permanent waters with water-lilies
Lesser Jacana NT 6 - - 4 Wetlands, River floodplains
1 Arcus is aware of the latest Red Data Book Revision (Taylor, 2014) which is in press. A decision was made to
continue with Barnes 2000 when describing Red-Listed species to ensure continuity with the original report. However, the revised statuses (Taylor, 2014) of the focal species for the study (described below) were considered when determining the impact significance of the updated proposed corridors, and were deemed not to alter the specialist original ratings and findings.
Black-bellied Bustard NT 26 27 25 54 Open Grassland
Greater Painted-snipe NT 6 2 - - Wetlands with exposed mud
Collared Pratincole NT 2 5 - 31 Wetland margins
Black-winged Lapwing NT - - - 4 Short grasslands
Caspian Tern NT 11 - 2 - Wetlands and Large Dams
Half-collared Kingfisher NT 1 - 2 - Coastal lagoons, Wooded streams
Ayres Hawk-Eagle NT 1 - - - Dense woodland and forest edges
African Crowned Eagle NT 15 7 40 - Forest, Dense Woodland
Lanner Falcon NT 1 5 - - Open grassland, woodland
Rudd’s Apalis NT 20 2 22 2 Coastal dune forest, Acacia Woodland
African Broadbill NT 13 27 58 - Evergreen and Sand Forests
Woodward's Batis NT 1 2 11 - Dune Forest, Sand Forest
Rosy-throated Longclaw NT - 2 - 25 Damp grasslands adjoining lakes and vleis
Black-throated Wattle-eye NT 8 - 2 - Riparian forest.
Red-billed Oxpecker NT 2 - - - Open woodland
Neergard’s Sunbird NT 5 2 20 - Sand Forest
Pink-throated Twinspot NT 17 32 54 6 Woodland and Sand Forest
Lemon-breasted Canary NT 2 - - 6 Woodland and bushveld with Lala Palms.
White Stork Bonn 7 - - 4 Grassland, arable lands, wetland, dams
CR = Critically Endangered; EN = Endangered; V = Vulnerable; NT = Near-threatened; Bonn = Protected Internationally under the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species. Report rates are essentially percentages of the number of times a species was recorded in the square, divided by the number of times that square was counted. It is important to note that these species were recorded in the entire quarter degree square in each case and may not actually have been recorded on the proposed site for this study.
Across all squares a total of 46 Red Data species were recorded, comprising 1 Endangered,
16 Vulnerable and 29 Near-threatened. The white Stork, which is not listed, but is protected
internationally through the Bonn Convention on Migratory species, was also recorded.
Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2
SABAP 2 data was examined for the pentads (which are roughly 8km x 8km squares, and
are smaller than the QDS’s used in SABAP1) in the study area which had been counted
more than twice. Table 2 below shows report rates as of 7th August 2014, based on the
number of cards submitted, for the relevant red data species identified in Table 1, as well as
additional species deemed relevant to the study by the specialist.
TABLE 2: Relevant species recorded by SABAP2 in selected pentads, as of 7th August 2014.
Pentad Report Rate (%)
2700_3215 2655_3215 2655_3225 2700_3225 2655_3230 2700_3220
No Cards 7 4 8 26 9 4
Total Species 149 129 94 211 135 107
Saddle-billed Stork - - - - 11.1 -
Martial Eagle - - - 11.5 - 25
Bateleur - - 12.5 26.9 33.3 -
Southern Banded Snake-
Eagle - - - 7.7 - -
African Marsh-Harrier - - - 3.9 22.2 -
White-backed Night-
Heron - 25 - - - -
African Finfoot 28.6 25 - - - -
Pink-backed Pelican 28.6 incidental - - - -
Great White Pelican - 25 - - - -
Woolly-necked Stork - - - 53.9 22.2 -
African Openbill - 25 - - - -
Yellow-billed Stork 14.3 25 - - 22.2 -
Secretarybird 14.3 - - - - -
African Pygmy-Goose 14.3 - - - - -
Black-bellied Bustard - - - 26.9 44.4 -
Collared Pratincole - - - 3.9 - -
African Crowned Eagle - - - 7.7 11.1 -
Rudd’s Apalis - - 12.5 30.8 22.2 -
African Broadbill - - - 15.4 - -
Woodward's Batis - - - 19.2 - 50
Rosy-throated Longclaw - - - - 11.1 -
Black-throated Wattle-
eye - 25 - - - -
Red-billed Oxpecker - - - 42.3 77.8 -
Pink-throated Twinspot - - 12.5 42.3 44.4 50
Neergards Sunbird - - - - - 50
Plain-backed Sunbird - - - 19.2 11.1 50
Long-crested Eagle 14.3 25 - - - -
African Harrier-hawk 14.3 25 - 34.6 33.3 -
Black Chested Snake-
Eagle 14.3 25 12.5 11.5 11.1 -
African Fish-Eagle 42.9 25 12.5 15.4 66.7 -
Data from pentad 2700_3235 (2 cards only) was also reviewed, with the only additional
relevant information being a single record of Lemon-breasted Canary. Interestingly, 20 of
the relevant species identified in the SABAP 1 data (i.e. Table 1), have not been recorded in
the SABAP 2 data for all the pentads examined. This however, does not necessarily mean
that these species do not occur here, or that they have moved from the area, post SABAP1,
but may merely be due to the lower counting effort of the pentads, or selective micro
habitat counting by the SABAP2 field counters. Bateleur, African Finfoot, Woolly-necked
Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Black-bellied Bustard, Rudd’s Apalis and Pink-throated Twinspot
are the only Red-List (Barnes, 2000) species showing relatively high abundance across
more than one pentad.
Coordinated Avifaunal Road-count (CAR) data
There are no CAR routes in the vicinity of the proposed project.
Coordinated Waterbird count (CWAC) data
There are no CWAC sites within the immediate site, or traversed by any of the alternatives.
However, three CWAC sites present in the broader area (two within Ndumo Game Reserve
and one to the south of the study area) were considered. Avifaunal data from these sites is
useful in providing a better understanding of the species present in the broader vicinity of
the study site, and they are therefore discussed below.
Ndumo Game Reserve: Banzi Pan
Banzi Pan, located in the Ndumo Game Reserve, a declared RAMSAR site, is linked to the
Usuthu River System. Recent changes in the river course have resulted in this system
changing from a pan system to a narrow linear river system. The site is no longer counted
by boat and instead it is now surveyed on foot. Waterfowl recorded in high numbers here
were White-faced Duck, Fulvous Duck, Spur-winged Goose, Egyptian Goose and African
Pygmy-Goose. Species recorded regularly included African Fish-Eagle, Black Crake, African
Jacana, Pied Kingfisher, Water Thick-knee, Goliath Heron, Reed Cormorant, Great Egret,
Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Yellow-billed Stork and African Openbill. An additional three
Stork species have been observed here namely, Saddle-billed, Black and Woolly-necked
Storks as well as both flamingo species, Lesser Jacana and Great White Pelican.
Ndumo Game Reserve: Nyamithi Pan
A large open expanse of water in the Ndumo Game Reserve, flanked by tall forest and
woodland. There are breeding colonies of Yellow-billed Storks and Pink-backed Pelicans
here, while African Skimmer and Marabou Stork have been recorded on one occasion each.
Osprey and African Fish-Eagle are present, as are the following relevant species: Caspian
Tern, Great White Pelican, Goliath Heron, African Openbill, and Saddle - billed Stork,
Woolly-necked Stork, Greater Flamingo and African Pygmy-Goose. Numerous other more
common waterbirds are also present.
FIGURE 14: A Giraffe drinks from the banks of the Nyamithi Pan, in the Ndumo Game
Reserve.
Ngutshana Pan
This is a non-perennial vegetated freshwater pan lying immediately west of a cashew nut
plantation. It is surrounded by settlement and has small subsistence crops planted
immediately on its high water mark. It is relatively poorly counted with only 8 cards
(counts) submitted, which possibly explains why data for only 15 species has been recorded
by the CWAC project here. White-faced Duck, Cattle Egret and White-breasted Cormorant
are the species recorded in the highest numbers here, while African Pygmy-Goose has also
been seen here.
Important Bird Areas (IBA’s)
The study area falls between two IBA’s, the Kosi Bay System to the east and Ndumo Game
Reserve to the north west. In order to further understand the avifauna present in the
broader area, these two sites are examined below using information from BirdLife
International (2013). It is also important to note that there may well be extensive
movement of birds (particularly water birds) between these two sites.
Kosi Bay System (SA053/ZA039)
The Kosi Bay system is situated in a warm, humid, subtropical climate 470 km north-east of
Durban; Mozambique borders it in the north and the Indian Ocean in the east. The system
is composed of four interconnected, roughly circular, fresh to brackish lakes (Makhawulani,
Mpungwini, Nhlange and aManzimnyama), a broad channel leading to an estuary that opens
to the Indian Ocean, and three extensive areas of swamp. Numerous sandy mud banks,
emergent at low tide, occur in the lower part of the system. The wetland shows complex
patterns and interactions in thermal properties, salinity and nutrient levels through the
various lakes. The main vegetation-types include marshes, sedge-beds, submerged plants
(in lakes, pans and streams), swamps and other aquatic communities dominated by reed
Phragmites, sedge Cladium and the fern Achrostichum. The swampy vegetation is
surrounded by undulating grassland, among which palms Phoenix are interspersed. The
surrounding woodland includes trees of Syzygium, Acacia, Trichilia, Albizia and Dialium.
Only 85 of the 296 bird species that have been recorded at Kosi Bay are estuary-associated.
The system is important for various species of migratory and nomadic birds. The avifauna is
prolific and diverse, largely as a result of the undisturbed condition of the marginal
vegetation along the water’s edge. Greater and Lesser Flamingo’s are almost always
present, and the open water occasionally supports Caspian Tern as well as Great White and
Pink-backed Pelicans. It is assumed that Kosi Bay acts as a staging post for migrating
waders as part of the east coast flyway. The swamp-forest and associated overhanging
vegetation supports several rare, localized and specialized bird species, including White-
backed Night Heron, African Finfoot and Pel’s Fishing-Owl. The larger riverine trees are
suitable for Bat Hawk and Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, which probably breed there. The
sand forest supports Pink-throated Twinspot and Rudd’s Apalis two restricted-range species.
The forests are home to Brown Scrub-robin, Chorister Robin-chat, Woodward’s’ Batis and
Black-bellied Starling. Additional IBA trigger species include Mangrove Kingfisher, Olive
Bush-shrike, Grey Cuckooshrike, Gorgeous Bush-shrike, Grey Sunbird and White-throated
Robin-chat.
Ndumo Game Reserve (SA052/ZA038)
Ndumo Game Reserve nestles at the eastern foot of the Lebombo Mountains, at the junction
of the Pongola and Usuthu flood-plain systems. The Pongola River runs through the reserve,
from south to north, while the Usuthu River forms the northern border (which is also the
international border with Mozambique). The topography is very flat, with a few small hills.
There are two major semi-permanent flood-plain pans (i.e. Nyamithi and Banzi Pans- see
above) and many smaller permanent and ephemeral pans within the reserve.
The rivers, flood-plains, pans, dams and vleis are important for many wetland birds, and
species including Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Woolly-necked Stork, African
Openbill, Saddle-billed Stork, Grey Crowned Crane, Lesser Flamingo, Rufous-bellied Heron,
White-backed Night-Heron Lesser Jacana and Black Coucal. The riverine forest holds Pel’s
Fishing-Owl and African Finfoot. This reserve is one of the few in KwaZulu-Natal that holds
most of its original complement of raptors, including, Lizard Buzzard, Bateleur and Southern
Banded Snake-eagle. The sand forest holds Neergard’s Sunbird (80–120 breeding pairs) and
Pink-throated Twinspot. Other important species include Brown-headed Parrot, Olive Bush-
shrike, Rudd’s Apalis, Grey Cuckooshrike, Plain-backed Sunbird, Black-bellied Starling and
White-throated Robin-chat.
FIGURE 15: A Lizard Buzzard perched on electrical infrastructure, observed during the site
visit.
Focal Species List
Determining the focal species for this study, i.e. the most important species to be
considered, is a four step process. Firstly, the micro-habitats available on site were
identified. An analysis of the above existing avifaunal data represents the second step, i.e.
which species occur historically in the area at significant abundances. The third step is to
identify those species which have a high likelihood of being present on, and/or utilizing, the
site, based on the above two steps and are more likely to be impacted upon by the power-
line and associated development. This step called on the vast experience of the EWT in
evaluating and investigating electrical infrastructure impacts on birds (these impacts are
discussed in more detail below). In general, large, heavy flying birds are more vulnerable to
collision with over-head powerlines, while perching Raptors are more vulnerable to
electrocution. Furthermore, in this particular study, the impacts of disturbance and habitat
destruction are likely to be high due to the high diversity of natural microhabitats and large
number of smaller endemic birds, restricted to the Maputaland area .The fourth and final
step was to consider the species conservation status or other reasons for protecting the
species. This involved primarily consulting the Red List bird species (Barnes 2000).
The resultant list of ‘focal species’ for this study is as follows: Great White Pelican,
Pink-backed Pelican, Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Woolly-necked
Stork, Lesser Flamingo, Black-bellied Bustard, Secretarybird, African Crowned
Eagle, White-headed Vulture, Martial Eagle, African Fish-Eagle, Bateleur, African
March Harrier, Southern-banded Snake-eagle, Collared Pratincole , Rosy-throated
Longclaw, Pink-throated Twinspot, African Broadbill, Neergard’s Sunbird, and
Rudd’s Apalis.
In many cases, these species serve as surrogates for other similar species (as mitigation
will be effective for both), examples being Yellow-billed for Black Stork, Martial Eagle for
Tawny Eagle, Lesser Flamingo for Greater Flamingo and Neergard’s’ Sunbird for other small
Sand Forest species such as Plain-backed Sunbird and Woodward’s Batis. Assorted more
common species will also be relevant to this study, but it is believed that the above focal
species will to a large extent serve as surrogates for these in terms of impact assessment
and management.
ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS2
General description of impacts of power lines on birds
Because of its’ size and prominence, electrical infrastructure constitutes an important
interface between wildlife and man. Negative interactions between wildlife and electricity
structures take many forms, but two common problems in southern Africa are electrocution
of birds (and other animals) and birds colliding with power lines (Ledger 1983; Verdoorn
1996; Kruger 1999; Van Rooyen 1999; Van Rooyen 2000). Other problems are electrical
faults caused by bird excreta when roosting or breeding on electricity infrastructure, (Van
Rooyen & Taylor 1999) and disturbance and habitat destruction during construction and
maintenance activities.
Electrocutions
Electrocution of birds on overhead lines is an important cause of unnatural mortality of
raptors and storks. It has attracted plenty of attention in Europe, USA and South Africa
(APLIC 1994; van Rooyen & Ledger 1999). Electrocution refers to the scenario where a bird
is perched or attempts to perch on the electrical structure and causes an electrical short
circuit by physically bridging the air gap between live components and/or live and earthed
components (van Rooyen 2004). Electrocution is possible on a 132kV power line, especially
where large raptors and vultures feature prevalently. Fortunately, it is unlikely that vultures
will occur in the study area but numerous large eagles and buzzards may be present, so the
impact of electrocution is likely to be of Low Significance across all alternatives for
the proposed power line, including the preferred alternative (Corridor 3P), if the proposed
mitigations are implemented.
Collisions
Collisions are the biggest single threat posed by over-head power lines to birds in southern
Africa (van Rooyen 2004). In general, large lines with earth wires that are not always visible
to birds can have the largest impact in terms of collisions. Most heavily impacted upon are
korhaans, bustards, storks, cranes and various species of water birds. These species are
mostly heavy-bodied birds with limited manoeuvrability, which makes it difficult for them to
take the necessary evasive action to avoid colliding with power lines (van Rooyen 2004,
Anderson 2001). Unfortunately, many of the collision sensitive species are considered
2 The significance of the impacts discussed were rated according to a set of criteria (APPENDIX 2) supplied by
Zitholele Consulting, using Impact Rating Tables (APPENDIX 1). The ratings are applicable to all corridor alternatives.
threatened in southern Africa. The Red Data species vulnerable to power line collisions are
generally long living, slow reproducing species under natural conditions. Some require very
specific conditions for breeding, resulting in very few successful breeding attempts, or
breeding might be restricted to very small areas. These species have not evolved to cope
with high adult mortality, with the results that consistent high adult mortality over an
extensive period could have a serious effect on a population’s ability to sustain itself in the
long or even medium term. Many of the anthropogenic threats to these species are non-
discriminatory as far as age is concerned (e.g. habitat destruction, disturbance and power
lines) and therefore contribute to adult mortality, and it is not known what the cumulative
effect of these impacts could be over the long term. Collision of certain large flying bird
species such as Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican, and Saddle - billed Stork, Yellow-
billed Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Flamingo, Black-bellied Bustard and Secretarybird
with the proposed lines is a distinct possibility, and this impact is predicted to be of
Moderate Significance across all alternatives including the preferred alternative
(Corridor 3P), after mitigation.
Habitat destruction
During the construction phase and maintenance of substations and power lines some habitat
destruction and alteration inevitably takes place. This happens with the construction of
access roads, and the clearing of servitudes, as well as clearing vegetation at the substation
site. Servitudes have to be cleared of excess vegetation at regular intervals in order to
allow access to the line for maintenance, to prevent vegetation from intruding into the
legally prescribed clearance gap between the ground and the conductors and to minimize
the risk of fire under the line which can result in electrical flashovers. These activities have
an impact on birds breeding, foraging and roosting in or in close proximity of the servitude
through modification of habitat. Habitat destruction along all alternatives including
the preferred alternative (Corridor 3P) is anticipated to be of Moderate to high
significance in this study area.
Disturbance
Similarly, the above mentioned construction and maintenance activities impact on birds
through disturbance, particularly during bird breeding activities. Disturbance to birds
along all alternatives including the preferred alternative (Corridor 3P) is
anticipated to be of Low to Moderate Significance if mitigation is implemented.
MITIGATIONS
Potential mitigations for the identified impacts are shown in TABLES 3 and 4 below.
TABLE 3: Potential mitigations for the identified impacts- Construction Phase
Impact Mitigation
Habitat destruction Strict control should be maintained over all
activities during construction, in particular
heavy machinery and vehicle movements,
and staff. It is difficult to mitigate properly for
this as some habitat destruction is inevitable.
It is important to ensure that the construction
Environmental Management Plan incorporates
guidelines as to how best to minimize this
impact.
Disturbance Strict control should be maintained over all
activities during construction. It is difficult to
mitigate properly for this as some disturbance
is inevitable. During Construction, if any
of the “Focal Species” identified in this
report are observed to be roosting
and/or breeding in the vicinity (within
500m of the power line), the Avifaunal
Specialist is to be contacted for further
instruction.
TABLE 4: Potential mitigations for the identified impacts- Operational Phase
Impact Mitigation
Collision Mark the relevant sections of line with
appropriate marking devices. These sections
of line, and the exact spans, should be
finalised by a “walk down” as part of the
Environmental Management Programme
(EMP) phase, once power-line routes are
finalised and pylon positions are pegged.
Electrocution It is highly recommended that the steel
monopole design be used and that this
incorporates the standard bird perch. If this is
the case then most raptors and birds of high
electrocution risk will perch well above the
conductors and out of harm’s way. In addition
it is critical that all clearances between live
and earth components are greater than 1.8
meters. If this is the case then the impact of
bird electrocution will be very minimal.
Disturbance during routine
maintenance.
No nests may be removed, without first
consulting the EWT’s Wildlife and Energy
Program (WEP). During maintenance, if any
of the “Focal Species” identified in this
report are observed to be roosting
and/or breeding in the vicinity, the
avifaunal specialist is to be contacted for
further instruction.
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
As discussed elsewhere, the site falls within the Maputaland-Pondoland Centre of
Endemism, which is a “biodiversity hotspot”. The site has high sensitivity in terms of
avifauna, based on the occurrence of a number of listed species and endemics in the study
area, as well as the various micro-habitats available to avifauna. However, there are areas
associated with certain landscape elements that will be more sensitive than others. Three
sensitivity zones are therefore identified, and depicted in the maps (FIGURES 16 and 17)
below.
High Sensitivity
This zone includes Formal Protected Areas, a 200m buffer around Rivers and all Sand Forest
patches buffered by 100m. Within these areas, it is recommended that construction of the
power line be avoided, if possible, and any line that is built in these zones may require
collision mitigation in the form of bird flight diverters (“flappers”).
High-Medium Sensitivity
This zone includes all wetlands buffered by 100m. The exact sensitivity of these zones will
still need to be ground truthed, as many of these wetlands my now be disturbed/degraded
to some extent. However, the majority and especially those associated with the Pongolo
River, appear to be very important for avifauna, and it is recommended that construction of
the power line be avoided where possible. Any line that is built in these zones may require
collision mitigation in the form of bird flight diverters.
Medium Sensitivity.
All remaining zones not described above. It is likely that these areas have a medium
sensitivity, and at this stage, some of the more natural undisturbed grassland patches may
require mitigation in the form of line marking, but this will be confirmed during a site walk
through in the EMP phase of the process. Construction of line is preferred in these zones,
especially where the new line can follow existing infrastructure (e.g. roads and medium
voltage power lines).
FIGURE 16: Sensitive zones in the west of the study area, associated with sand forest, protected areas, rivers and wetlands.
FIGURE 17: Sensitive zones in the east of the study area, associated with sand forest, protected areas, rivers and wetlands.
COMPARRISON OF ALTERNATIVES
For this project, three potential corridors were initially considered: Corridor 1 was a
northern corridor bordering Mozambique; Corridor 2 a central route in a straight line
connecting the two proposed substations; and Corridor 3 south of Tembe Elephant Reserve
along the P522 road and consisting of four options, 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d. Following initial
analysis (which included public consultation) of these corridors, Corridors 1, 2 and 3d were
subsequently ruled out, and a preferred Corridor (Corridor 3P) was added for consideration
in the analysis below.
Alternative A1 – Corridor 3P
Approximately 44.7 km in length.
This corridor traverses from the Ndumo substation in an east-southeasterly direction
towards the proposed Pongola River crossing at Makhane’s Drift.
This corridor will cross the Pongola River approximately 100m to the south of the
existing high level pedestrian bridge (at which Corridors 3b and 3c are proposed to
cross) over the Pongola River.
Once across the Pongola River, the corridor runs parallel to the southwest of the
gravel District Road D1861 until its junction with the P522 tar road. Thereafter, the
corridor runs parallel to the P522 road in an easterly direction and to the south of the
P522 road.
2.4 km from to the west of the junction of the P522 road with the R22 road the
corridor veers away and to the south of the P522 road up to a distance of 0.9 km in
order to traverse around the Phelandaba township area, and then traverses back
towards the P522 road and crosses over it where after which it runs parallel to the
P522 road to the north for approximately 5.5 km
The final 3.7 km turns away from the P522 road in a northeasterly direction to the
Gezisa substation.
In Summary:
o The corridor passes to the south of Tembe Elephant Park.
o The corridor passes through some Sand Forest patches, although these have
already been fragmented by the existing road and power lines.
o A high proportion of the corridor length runs in close proximity to existing
linear infrastructure (e.g. roads/power lines etc.) and relatively disturbed
areas (e.g. towns/villages/arable land etc.).
o Areas of high conservation value (e.g. parks, reserves, elephant reserve etc.)
have been avoided where possible.
Alternative A2 - Corridor 3a
Approximately 48 km in length.
Initially runs south from Ndumo substation for approximately 3 km and then follows
P522 tar road as well as existing electrical infrastructure for the majority of its
length.
Passes through some Sand Forest patches, although these have already been
fragmented by the existing road and power lines.
Runs along the southern boundary of Tembe Elephant Park.
Sections of this corridor follow the same route as that of 3P described above.
Alternative A3 - Corridor 3b
Approximately 48 km in length.
Initially runs east from Ndumo Substation, crossing the Pongolo River in the vicinity
of a foot bridge.
Runs approximately 1 km to the south of the P522 tar road for the majority of its
length.
Passes close to the northern boundary of Sileza Nature Reserve.
Alternative A4 – Corridor 3c
Approximately 46 km in length.
From Ndumo substation, this option follows the exact routing as 3b for approximately
30 km. It then crosses over the P522 road, and runs to the north of this road.
In order to rank these alternatives TABLE 5 was compiled and the corridors given a rating
on a scale of 0 to 5, with 0 being NO GO, 1 being the least preferred and 5 being the most
highly preferred option.
TABLE 5: Preference rating for the three power line route alternatives.
Corridor Preference Rating
3P 4
3a 4
3b 3
3c 3
As can be seen from the discussions and table above, corridors 3P and 3a are preferred
while corridors 3b and 3c, although not preferred, are possibly acceptable from an avifaunal
perspective but will require extensive mitigations, and additional closer investigation.
CONCLUSION
The site falls within the Maputaland-Pondoland Centre of Endemism, which is a “biodiversity
hotspot”. There are numerous microhabitats available to birds, and the entire area is
regarded as highly sensitive in terms of avifauna. There are numerous protected areas as
well as two IBA’s in the broader area. It is highly likely that a large number of water birds
and collision prone species such as Storks and Pelicans move between Ndumo Game
Reserve and the Kosi Bay systems to the east. From an avifaunal perspective, the preferred
corridor options for this project are either Corridor 3P or Corridor 3a, if the recommended
mitigations of this report are implemented.
The impacts that could be associated with a project of this nature include collision of birds
with the overhead cables; electrocution; destruction of habitat; and disturbance of birds.
The impact rating exercise found that after mitigation, collision will have a Low-Moderate
Environmental Significance; and both electrocution and Disturbance a Low Environmental
Significance. Habitat destruction was found to be moderately significant for all alternatives.
Destruction and fragmentation of certain habitat types such as Sand Forest, is the main
concern. In fact Wilson et al (2007) found that the number of individual birds recorded in
Sand Forest patches, decreased significantly with increasing isolation of the patch.
Avifaunal input in to the EMP (in the form of a site “walk down”) is recommended in order
to, “fine tune” the sensitivity zones, and to identify the exact spans of line for marking to
mitigate for bird collisions, once the route is chosen and the tower positions have been
pegged. Provided that the high risk sections of line are mitigated in the form of marking, the
impact of collision should be contained. During this “walk down” breeding/nesting sites and
roost sites must be identified, so that the correct mitigating actions can be implemented
prior to construction, in order to reduce the impacts of habitat destruction and disturbance
on sensitive species. Electrocutions can be successfully mitigated by ensuring that a bird-
friendly monopole structure (with clearance distances between live and earth components of
at least 1.8 m but preferably 2 m) is used, as discussed elsewhere in the report.
REFERENCES
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APPENDIX 1: Impact Tables
IMPACT TABLE 1
Environmental Parameter Large, heavy flying birds (e.g. Pelicans, Storks, Flamingoes and Bustards)
Issue/Impact/Environmental Effect/Nature
Collisions of birds with the earth wires
Pre-mitigation impact rating Post mitigation impact rating
Scale 4 4
Duration 4 4
Magnitude 4 4
Probability 4 3
Significance Points (SP) rating 3.2 2.4
Environmental Significance Moderate to High Low to Moderate
Mitigation measures Line routing is critical to mitigate for this and as such the power line route should avoid crossing any highly sensitive microhabitats, for example wetland, dams, rivers, etc. It is best practice to follow any existing lines as electrical infrastructure grouped together generally mitigates for the impact of collision by making the lines more visible. Mark the identified sections (as per sensitivity map below) of line with anti collision marking devices on the earth wire to increase the visibility of the line and reduce likelihood of collisions. Marking devices should be spaced 10m apart. The sections of line that pose a concern and require marking should be finalised in a site “walkthrough” by an avifaunal specialist once final route is decided and towers/pylons pegged.
IMPACT TABLE 2
Environmental Parameter Large raptors and vultures (e.g. African Crowned Eagle and Martial Eagle) and possibly Storks
Issue/Impact/Environmental Effect/Nature
Electrocution of birds on the power lines and in the substations
Pre-mitigation impact rating Post mitigation impact rating
Scale 4 4
Duration 4 4
Magnitude 4 4
Probability 3 2
Significance Points (SP) rating 2.4 1.6
Environmental Significance Low to Moderate Low
Mitigation measures A bird friendly tower structure must be used (an example of which is shown in Appendix 3 below). It is highly recommended that the steel monopole design be used and that this incorporate the standard bird perch. If this is the case then most raptors and birds of high electrocution risk will perch well above the conductors and out of harm’s way. In addition it is critical that all clearances between live and earth components are at least greater than 1.8 meters, and preferable greater than 2 m, as this is the dimension of the largest birds wing span (e.g. Martial Eagle, Pelicans and Storks). If this is the case then the impact of bird electrocution will be very minimal. Electrocutions in the proposed substation yard should not affect the sensitive bird species as they are unlikely to use the substation yards for perching or roosting. Should this become an issue the impact can be mitigated reactively using a range of insulation devices that exist and are approved by ESKOM.
IMPACT TABLE 3
Environmental Parameter Various Bird Species (especially Sand Forest specials)
Issue/Impact/Environmental Effect/Nature
Destruction of habitat used by relevant bird species.
Pre-mitigation impact rating Post mitigation impact rating
Scale 3 3
Duration 5 5
Magnitude 4 2
Probability 5 5
Significance Points (SP) rating 4 3.33
Environmental Significance High Moderate
Mitigation measures Strict control should be maintained over all activities during construction, in particular heavy machinery and vehicle movements, and staff. It is difficult to mitigate properly for this as some habitat destruction is inevitable. Route selection is vital, and the shortest route passing through the least sensitive habitats should be chosen if possible.
IMPACT TABLE 4
Environmental Parameter Various bird species, especially breeding or nesting birds
Issue/Impact/Environmental Effect/Nature
Disturbance relevant bird species during construction and maintenance.
Pre-mitigation impact rating Post mitigation impact rating
Scale 2 2
Duration 3 2
Magnitude 4 3
Probability 4 3
Significance Points (SP) rating 2.40 1.40
Environmental Significance Moderate to Low Low
Mitigation measures Strict control should be maintained over all activities during construction and maintenance, in particular heavy machinery and vehicle movements, and staff. It is difficult to mitigate properly for this as some disturbance is inevitable. If any of the Red-listed species identified in this report are observed to be roosting and/or breeding in the vicinity, the avifaunal specialist is to be contacted for further instruction
APPENDIX 2: Significance Rating Criteria (as supplied by Zitholele Consulting)
Probability: 5 – Definite/don’t know 4 – Highly probable 3 – Medium probability 2 – Low probability 1 – Improbable 0 – None
Duration: 5 – Permanent 4 - Long-term (ceases with the operational life) 3 - Medium-term (5-15 years) 2 - Short-term (0-5 years) 1 – Immediate
Scale: 5 – International 4 – National 3 – Regional (>5km) 2 – Local (<5km) 1 – Site only 0 – None
Magnitude: 5 - Very high/don’t know 4 – High 3 – Moderate 2 – Low 1 – Minor
Rank Description
5 Very High Environmental Significance
4 High Environmental Significance
3 Moderate Environmental Significance
2 Low Environmental Significance
1 Very Low Environmental Significance
APPENDIX 3: Example of a “bird friendly steel monopole tower structure” as supplied by
EWT.