Modern Mining February 2024

EXPERT VIEW

Biodiversity focus in EIA demands specialist skill set

SRK Consulting applies its ecological and botanical expertise beyond EIAs, contributing to efforts in controlling alien plants and optimising biodiversity around the country.

With environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations and protocols becoming increas ingly prescriptive in terms of biodiversity protection, project developers need highly specialised scientific input to develop accurate proposals.

“ T he transformation of land that occurs when projects are developed on greenfield sites invariably means the loss of natural veg etation,” said Rob Gardiner, partner and principal environmental scientist at SRK Consulting. “As biodiversity becomes a greater focus, we have seen regulated requirements getting more complex and demanding.” Gardiner explained that there is particular con cern from the regulator when the natural vegetation in question is located in a Critical Biodiversity Area (CBA). This has also raised the demand for special ists with both ecological and botanical expertise to accurately describe the prevailing conditions, and to recommend what actions must follow. “The EIA protocols are compulsory and cover a number of themes including terrestrial (land based) biodiversity or ecology, fauna and flora,” said Clayton Weatherall-Thomas, a plant ecologist at SRK Consulting. “If an EIA report does not meet the exact ing demands of these protocols, it can be rejected by the regulator; it is therefore important that the environmental assessment practitioner (EAP) and the investigating specialist are very familiar with what is required.” Expertise The report must be clear on exactly what the impact of the development will be on any sensitive features

of the area. The screening tool may also require that the EIA considers specific species, in which case the EAP may have to involve a dedicated specialist who has sufficient prior knowledge. In terms of the 2020 protocols, the specialist also has to be registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP). “The assessment of biodiversity has become more detailed,” said Weatherall-Thomas. “You can’t just claim to be an expert in everything – the authori ties will not accept that. It also means that scientists must spend considerable time on site to gather data by conducting a population census of the various species of plants and animal, he notes. Weatherall-Thomas further notes that special ists must be able to identify the threatened species, understand the ecological requirements for its con tinuing persistence on the site, and determine the relevant mitigation measures that will allow the development to proceed without residual impacts on the species. Due diligence This volume of work on biodiversity inevitably raises the cost of EIAs, which can impact especially on smaller projects by less well-resourced companies or even farmers. The strict protocols can also mean that certain land is deemed unavailable for develop ment; the specified buffer areas around a rare plant

Rob Gardiner, partner and principal environmental scientist at SRK Consulting.

36  MODERN MINING  February 2024