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When a development is likely to impact on the
environment, the condition of the environment on the
proposed development site needs to be determined.
This may include an in-depth study, particular if
the environment is sensitive, or contains threatened
plants or animals. This requires specialist input on
the vegetation, fauna, and ecological aspects of the
site. The ecological baseline assessment determines
the ecological characteristics of a particular site,
and using this baseline information, impacts can be
assessed. It also places the site in a regional or
national context, and by referring to various
guideline documents and reports, can make
recommendations on areas that need to be protected,
and ecologically less sensitive sites that could be
developed. In many cases an important and useful
outcome is an ecological sensitivity map.
Alternatively, goals for rehabilitation can be
identified, and a rehabilitation plan, based on the
ecological study, can be developed.
CES has undertaken several such studies, many of
which now form the basis of long term monitoring
projects in for developments. We can assist you
where such studies are required.
EXPERTISE
Over the
last decade, CES has undertaken a large number of
EIAs and other studies which required ecological
baseline assessments.
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Richards Bay Minerals, Eastern Shores of St
Lucia - Ecological baseline assessments for
vegetation, geohydrology, climate and soils,
wetlands, etc, which contributed to the EIA
study.
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BHP/Billeton Tigen project, Mozambique -
Ecological studies for the EIA were carried
out in areas of unexplored territory in
north-east Mozambique, leading to scientific
discovery of new species and communities and
assessing the impacts for the EIA.
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Angola - Basline ecological assessment in
the Cuango Area to assess impacts of diamond
mining.
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Coega Development Corporation, Port
Elizabeth - Baseline studies on the endemic
plant species of Coega Kop, source of the
stone for Ngqura (Coega) Harbour.
CES thus
has the experience and expertise to undertake
baseline ecological studies and assessments in a wide range
of areas to contribute to ecological management
studies or EIAs.
Back to
CES Expertise
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