Terrestrial Biodiversity

Biodiversity encompasses different ecosystems, landscapes, communities, populations and genes as well as the ecological and evolutionary processes that allow these elements of biodiversity to persist over time. Careful planning is required to ensure that these elements are considered in decision making both at a strategic and site-specific level. While our primary focus in on strategic-level assessments, we also partner with a range of specialists to inform site-specific development planning.

• Services Offered:

  • • Plant surveys and vegetation mapping.
  • • Desktop biodiversity assessments and sensitivity mapping.
  • • Assessing impacts to biodiversity from planned developments / activities.
  • • Developing biodiversity offset plans to address significant residual impacts from planned developments( Biodiversity Offsets ).
  • • Development of biodiversity sector plans.
  • • Interpreting conservation plans to inform local and regional planning.
  • • Identifying high conservation value areas based on international guidelines.
  • • Development of management plans for important species and habitats.
  • • Undertaking audits to review and report on management effectiveness.
  • • Mapping and assessing invasive alien plant infestations.

• Selected Project Involvement:

  • • Biodiversity Assessment for the proposed Somkhele Mine expansion – Tendele Coal Mining / GCS
  • • Desktop mapping and environmental sensitivity assessment for the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone – Thorn-Ex / RBIDZ
  • • Development of Biodiversity Sector Plans (BSPs) for the Ugu, Amajuba & Umzinyathi District Municipalities – Developed in association with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
  • • Development of an Environmental Frameworks (EMFs): Specialist biodiversity assessments for the Msunduzi, uMshwathi and Ugu District Municipalities
  • • Specialist biodiversity assessment for the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone:  Phase 2A - RBIDZ
  • • Development of a draft Metropolitan Open Space System for the Msunduzi Municipality – SRK Consulting
  • • Exploring the opportunity to pilot a conservation banking scheme in the eThekwini Municipality – CEPF / eThekwini Municipality
  • • Invasive alien plant survey and prioritization of reserves and open spaces for alien plant control operations – eThekwini Municipality

• Recent Presentations:

  • • 2014:  Invasive alien plant survey and prioritization for eThekweni Municipality – eThekwini Municipality.
  • • 2010: Conservation planning in EMFs: Msunduzi Municipality. IAIA-SA Regional Meeting.
  • • 2009: Protecting biodiversity within our local Municipality. Environmental Leadership Summit, Pietermaritzburg.
  • • 2009: Msunduzi Municipality Fine Scale Conservation Plan – Making the most of species data. Biodiversity Planning Forum.