Blue Hills development threatens birds – study
BLUE HILLS - An updated version of the Grass Owl Sensitivity Survey for the proposed development on the corner of the R55 and Summit Road in Blue Hills has been released.
Lukas Niemand of Pachnoda Consulting conducted the study for Landscape Architects and Environmental Assessment Practitioners after a follow-up site visit on 8 November last year. The first visit was on 21 May last year.
As reported in Midrand Reporter (Red data species habitat threatened, week-ending 21 November 2013), the property close to the proposed development site – which is home to a breeding pair of African grass owls – was burnt in a veld fire. The owls have since returned, and Niemand has evaluated how development would impact the owls’ nesting area.
African grass owls’ survival is a concern as they are categorised as “vulnerable” in the National Red Data Book of Birds.
Niemand said the land for the proposed development did not provide suitable conditions for the species to breed or roost, although he acknowledged that two drainage lines along the west and south of the study site were suitable landscapes for the owls. He recorded that a pair of African grass owls inhabited a part of the property to the west of the study site.
Niemand said, “A pertinent fact remains that the area holds a resident pair of African grass owls. Please note that at first glance the proposed development appears not to intrude onto the area where these owls prefer to breed or roost, and one must acknowledge the possible and likely indirect and cumulative impacts associated with the development – especially changes to downstream users. It is highly possible that the anticipated increase in hard surfaces [due to the nature of the development] could affect the floristic structure of the existing breeding habitat [due to an increase in run-off during precipitation events].”
Chairperson of the Greater Kyalami Conservancy Kristin Kallesen also raised a concern that as the owls were down-slope from the development, there was potential that storm water run-off from the development would impact them negatively.
Niemand highly recommended a detailed study of the birds in the region during the wet season to identify potential breeding in the habitat and a storm water and flood model to predict the rate of unnatural surface run-off into the drainage lines due to the proposed development.
