1. Frontpiece Response to the Proposed Site of the new Building
Northern site: Cape Flats
Sand Fynbos
This is a response by myself, a members of the BCB Department, on learning that the new Life Science building was to be sited within natural and relatively disturbance-free natural habitat within the UWC estate. This presentation has been developed to indicate both the sensitivity and the vulnerability of this particular type of vegetation, known as Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, and there is little enough of it and virtually none of it has any formal protection. My arguments are, based on my belief that we have alternatives on campus and in reality the decision to site the new Life Science Development was not known to most of the academic community until literally a few days after effective decision making could not be altered. Further, most academics were unaware that the university would NOT need to undertake an environmental impact assessment (EIA). I question UWC's advice from its legal advisors that an EIA is not needed. Already one building, the School of Government has taken a slice out of critically-endangered natural vegetation occurring on the campus, but the impact is very minor compared to the proposed development shown to myself and Prof. Lincoln Raitt on 2nd August 2006 by Vice Rector Prof Stan Ridge, the Dean of Science Jan van Bever Donker and Mr Larry Pokpas. I have responded to this development by indicating how the loss of a unique and endangered habitat leading to a possible local loss of yet more species is preventable. In the absence of documents to verify the issue, I have used by memory of the meeting for the preparation of this presentation. This document was forwarded to Senior UWC management with a request for electronic documents to correct any information found to be erroneous in this presentation. Senior management failed to confirm any problems or to provide any additional documents.
Prepared by Richard Knight
BCB Department
Photos:
Tessa Oliver

2. Cape Flats: Part of World’s smallest Floral Kingdom
Cape Flats and Lowlands are part of the Cape Floral Kingdom and is smaller and more threatened than any of the other Kingdoms.
Cape Floral Region – one of 34 Global Biodiversity Hotspots and first non-tropical one to be recognised
The Cape Flats is part of the Lowlands of the Cape Floral Region, which is the smallest and most unique and threatened of the World’s six Floral Kingdoms. This 4% of the World’s surface contains considerably more than plants species, and almost 70% of which are restricted to the area (endemic) (Goldblatt and Manning 2000). The Cape Floral Region is one of the World’s 34 Biodiversity Hotspots and was the first hotspot to be recognized outside of the tropics. This status focussed international attention and investment in ensuring that its conservation is balanced given the inevitable development needs of a young democratic nation like South Africa.

3. Cape Flats NR: Centre of the Cape Lowlands
Dune
Strandveld
Sand
Fynbos
Cape Flats: human impacted, little remaining natural vegetation
Map shows Ecotone between two vegetation
The Cape Flats Nature Reserve, eighth most important site: due to size & floristics
Ecotone
The Cape Flats is an extremely low-lying sandy stretch of land between the Cape Peninsular and the Boland Mountains that form part of the escarpment. As part of Cape Town with its burgeoning population pressure it is hugely impacted by human activity from deliberate introduction of invasive species through to meeting development needs and consequently very little natural vegetation and habitat exists. The map on the right/above shows the major remnants still occurring around Cape Town. The Cape Flats Nature Reserve is part of this Lowlands and comprises a little over one-quarter of the University of Western Cape’s estate. In 1997 the South African Botanical Society undertook a study to identify the core remaining sites to develop a conservation plan for the Cape Lowlands (and selecting the attachments, top right it can be downloaded from this presentation). In the assessment of the best known sites the Cape Flats Nature Reserve was identified as the eighth priority site due to its plant species richness, their uniqueness and the size of relatively intact habitat. This situation is further enhanced since the reserve straddles two vegetation types, namely Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and Cape Flats Sand Fynbos – a situation referred to as an Ecotone.

4. Cape Flats Dune Strandveld
Broad-leafed shrubs
Calcareous sand substrate
50% transformed in Cape Town
Much disturbed (sand-mining)
False Bay/Blaauwberg
Meets the 10% IUCN conservation target
The Cape Flats Dune Strandveld vegetation is mostly comprised of broad-leafed shrubs such as wild olives and occurs on the calcareous sands (high pH). Around Cape Town and about 50% of this vegetation has been irreversible transformed through development and what remains is disturbed by sand-mining and past deliberate planting of invasive species, most notably Australian Acacias to stabilize the mobile dunes. This vegetation is divided into two main complexes, in the south running inland from False Bay and in north along the West Coast, Blaauwberg area going inland in a north east direction. In terms of conservation targets 10% is protected in someway and therefore meets IUCN recommendations. This vegetation has taxonomic affinities to the subtropical vegetation along the south and east coasts of South Africa.
Related to Sub-tropical Thicket of the east coast

5. Cape Flats world highest species extinction rates!
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos
Protea, fine-leafed and restio plants
High species richness
Deep, leached acid sands
> 75% transformed in Cape Town
Highly disturbed (invasives, mining)
One percent conserved
The Cape Flats Sand Fynbos vegetation is mostly comprised of the broad-leafed protea and fine-leafed ericoid plants plus the restios (Cape Reeds). It is characterised by both a high local site species richness and a high diversity across sites. It occurs on the older, deep and leached sands that have become acidic (low pH). As can be seen from the reconstruction map of its distribution it is mostly within the developed parts of the City and only a maximum of 25% remains, but of this, a large amount is disturbed, being sensitive to eutrophication (nutrient addition), invasive species and sand mining. Consequently it is easily invaded by alien species, most notably annual grasses. It is estimate only about 5% remains in reasonable condition and only 1% has protection. Essentially this is our second rarest vegetation type, in the Cape Floral Region, and this together with Renosterveld makes the Cape Flats possessing the world’s highest rate of plant extinction.
Cape Flats world highest species extinction rates!
One percent conserved

6. Natural Vegetation: Area/Condition
3 ha
7 ha
Sand Fynbos
Dune Strandveld
42 ha Natural
vegetation
Cape Flats Nature Reserve 1998
23 ha
6 ha
The Cape Flats Nature Reserve together with natural vegetation is approximately 42 hectares of which 29 ha is Cape Flats Dune Strandveld (69%) and of this 23 ha can be considered in fairly good conditional (80%)– although it is getting very dense and a bit senescent. In contrast of the 13 ha of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos most of it seems to have had fairly considerable past disturbance that is still discernable (10 ha), 3 ha of which is very heavily disturbed. Only 3 ha of the Sand Fynbos can be considered in good condition and is the site where the proposed building is to be located. There is fairly discernable line separating Cape Flats Dune Strandveld from Cape Flats Sand Fynbos.

7. Dune Strandveld – Heavily Disturbed/Restoring
Indicators of Disturbance
Cape Flats Nature Reserve 2002
More Bare
Ground
A closer examination of the disturbed Cape Flats Dune Strandveld vegetation (6ha) shows considerably more bare ground and annual plants – notable annual grasses. This situation is slowly improving with time but it needs to be periodically checked for invasive woody species invasions.
Annual Plants

8. Dune Strandveld –Slightly Disturbed/Original Site
Original Reserve
Least disturbed
Cape Flats Nature Reserve 2002
Reserve Extension
Some restoration
The majority 23 ha (69%) of the Cape Flats Dune Strandveld can be considered to be in reasonable condition – despite being quite heavily disturbed in the past. It can be considered to have been successfully restored considering there is evidence of construction within the area outside of the old reserve boundary. Area enclosed within the old reserve boundary is the most mature and has a virtually closed canopy cover. This suggests that Cape Flats Dune Strandveld can be restored relatively successfully.

9. Sand Fynbos: Light and moderate disturbance
Area excavated
for building
fill
Cape Flats Nature Reserve 2002
Gum Trees draw
of surface moisture
In the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos an area slightly more than 1 ha was excavated for fill when building UWC central campus (Freedom Square), while this area is disturbed it has essentially formed a new habitat (wetland) rather than Cape Flats Sand Fynbos. The photograph clearly show quite a lot of bare ground over most of the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and considering that this has not been burnt for a considerable time suggests past disturbance. Barrie Low (personal communication) suggested the area was ploughed and Prof Du Plessis has also mentioned that it was quite densely invaded with invasives, most notably acacia’s which are nitrogen fixers and would have elevated nutrient status. Both of these disturbance either in isolation or combination would have negatively impacted on the habitat. To the east there is clear zone with lower vegetation cover and this is the likely impact of the row of gum trees. It is assumed that there is a local drying of top soil moisture levels, but also gums are known to inhibit other plant species growing close to them. This is termed allopathy and with low rainfall this will impact on any restoration efforts.
Fairly disturbance
Invasives &
Ploughing

10. Cape Flats Dune Strandveld : Light disturbance
Low Disturbance
Species Rich
High turnovers
Cape Flats Nature Reserve 2002
The northern part of the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (2 ha) is the least disturbed, and the northern part is in the best condition, where it is difficult to detect any major disturbance – the handle section of the Panhandle was burnt fairly recently and the recovery is somewhat slower than might have be anticipated, but with time this will become less obvious. This was obviously a very hot burn, fairly early in the summer season and would account for the slowish recovery together with its naturally low nutrient status. On the other side of the pedestrian cross from the old senate building is slightly disturbed ecotone area, but this is restorable (I do not think it was ploughed) and could add another 1 ha of natural vegetation, but more importantly act as a corridor. Due to the different disturbance regimes the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos area is very different to each other (diverse). It should be bourn in mind that Sandplain Fynbos (in contrast to the Dune Thicket) has a higher turnover of species over very small areas. The implication is that species have subtle edaphic adaptations that have likely been amplified by disturbance patterns. On average under moderate sampling there is only 25% similar species between plots within the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, whereas within the Cape Flats Dune Strandveld there is 75% similarity of species if sampled in the undisturbed areas. This makes the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos the most vulnerable habitat we have in the Reserve and if we were to sample over different seasons and years it would amplify these effects. Nevertheless both Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and Cape Flats Sand Fynbos contain extremely rare and threatened flora, and the reserve endemic Euphorbia marlothii actually occurs in the Cape Flats Dune Strandveld.
Hot Fire:
slowish recovery

11. Cape Flats Dune Strandveld : Light disturbance
Fence/Main Road
Cape Flats Nature Reserve 2002
Invasives
Buildings
Unfortunately all around the perimeter of the Dog's Leg are disturbances such as invasive wood species on the western side, a very large area of bulldozed, former Cape Flats Dune Strandveld (which is an ideal building site), a fence and road with storm water inputs on the northern side and buildings on the eastern side.
Area
Highly human modified

12. Cape Flats Sand Fynbos: Light disturbance
Proposed Site
Cape Flats Nature Reserve 2002
Alternative Site
It appeared that the combination of the new building foot print and a new ring-road in front of it that the entire northern Cape Flats Sand Fynbos site will be built upon. This site is possibly the most sensitive and rare ecosystems we have on the UWC campus. The disturbance can be mitigated by relocating and re-orientating the building some 100 m away. This will still provide significant presence on Modderdam road.

13. Proposed New Development & Infrastructure
New Entrance
Concerned
over
congested
entrance
New Ring road
Keep
Existing
Road
System
Proposed Site
In discussion with Senior Management, the decision to develop this northern part of the reserve was based on providing a new entrance to the university, a proposed ring road that would more effectively connects the various buildings on campus. This new entrance is only some 300m away from an entrance discarded some years ago because it bottlenecked the traffic. Almost certainly the new entrance would need a traffic circle to keep vehicles moving, since the former T junction caused immense traffic congestion, when the University was only about half its present size. What is not clear to me is whether this new entrance will mean closing-off of the current entrance, but certainly the ring road would need to be four lanes (as the current access entrance is and this still has periodic congestion). Since this plan was to accommodate growth to a ceiling of students, there are concerns that the proposed new entrance will not adequately address traffic flow and specialist consultants should be employed.
To minimize impact on the natural vegetation the proposed new building and the ring road in front of it should not be considered. We further propose that the new building be sited in the disturbed site and existing access roads be upgraded. Access from the University avenue could be north of the current Goldfields Centre.
Our preferred plan would be to maintain the existing entrance, upgrade the existing University Avenue and use the existing road on the right hand-side of the old Senate building for access and move the building with re-orientation on the higher disturbed land around the senate building.
Upgrade road
Alternative Site

14. Landscaping around the development
The university has put emphasis that the new Life Science building should be statement in architectural and environmental consideration with the intention to have a green roof etc and this statement is to be proudly displayed along Modderdam road. Consequently its location should proactively engage other stakeholders to pursue more complementary land use in the vicinity of the university campus. In the current planning of the building it has effectively compromised the conservation status of a unique flora and in so doing will probably contribute to local extinction of yet more species. Rather than a statement of sustainable development it represents a wasteful disregard for the natural environment in the pursuit of a somewhat egoistical goal of the university marketing itself. The artist impression of the new building, while reasonably attractive, appear to be more suitable for an airport terminal building rather to be complementary to the existing campus architecture. Again without being supplied with the necessary information, despite it being offered and a request for it being made I have had to substitute a building with a similar modern style (lots of glass and an extended roof, although the above is very rectangular whereas the proposed building had more curves and six floors). It had a ring road and I assume a pedestrian route in front. – The amount of concrete around the building suggested that a rather sterile environment would result as depicted above.

15. Natural Vegetation around the development
We are proposing that the Building is set further back and in so doing conserve the last piece of undisturbed Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and that the access roads are behind or to the side of the building. This would make a stronger statement of sustainable design and conservation of natural resources. Fire prevention could be secured by planting of succulent plants around the immediate building infrastructure. Although a matter of personal preference the modern architecture appears to me to be enhanced by a large expanse of natural vegetation in front of it and provides a much more contemporary total package with lowered costs of grounds maintenance (water and labour).

16. 8 km radius and only two other reasonable habitats
Closest sites with Sandplain Fynbos all threatened ? X
Cape Town
9km
8km
Few and distant heighbours X ?
Closest 2 sites lost or under threat and are Dune Thicket
One of the central issues is that natural vegetation at UWC remains is an incredibly isolated pocket of natural vegetation and the two closest sites of natural vegetation are almost 8 km away and one of these site is presently being developed and the other is a formal reserve which may have some of it de-proclaimed for development. Both of these sites have Cape Flats Dune Strandveld vegetation. The closest Cape Flats Sand Fynbos vegetation is some 9 km away and is threatened in a variety of ways, development and disturbance (Eskom has brushcut one of the sites as fire-prevention method under its power-lines).

17. Botanical Society: Assessment of core sites 1997
Cape Flats NR: rated 8th most important
Had the 8th most number of species
Most isolated and last viable site in the central Cape Flats area
Only one of two sites to have a transition between veg. types
Other Consideration…
The Botanical Society’s assessment of remaining natural remnants of habitat in the City of Cape Town ranked the Cape Flats NR (using a species complementarity criteria) as eighth richest in total species richness. The conservation status of Cape Flats NR would be elevated further if one considered its isolated position, the somewhat larger Cape Flats Sand Fynbos representation together with its degree of isolation increases its conservation value further. Currently only Blouberg and Rondevlei have pronounced ecotypes. Generally the importance of ecotones for conservation planning has been elevated subsequent to the preparation of the Botanical Society's report since they permit the potential roles of species to adapt and relocate under changing environmental conditions and they almost always contain the highest number of species.

18. Events since Botanical Society site ratings
#1 Milnerton RC been developed – small part reserved
#3 Macassar – sand mining/human pressure
#4 Kenilworth RC under threat of still more housing development
#7 N1-N7 brushcut by Eskom due to fire risks
#8 Cape Flats NR: development ? ?
The Botanical Society’s Core Site for Cape Town have been compromised by a number of activities. All but two sites considered to be more important than Cape Flats Nature Reserve have been compromised by building development. To illustrate there has been housing development at (Milnerton - #1 site), sand mining and human pressure at Macassar (#3 site), current and propose development at Kenilworth Race Course (#4 site), and brushcutting at the N1-N7 interchange(#7 site). Consequently Rondebosch Common is comparatively safe, but a high human use is impacting it and Rondevlei which is now the most secure representative. The proposed development of new Life Science at the identified site therefore severely compromises the status of Cape Flats Sandplain Fynbos conservation within the City of Cape Town. Since the site has a high water table it represents a "seasonal wetland" as identified by the national Water Act. Essentially this is an irreplaceable site with respect to biodiversity.
Only Rondebosch Com. & Rondevlei safe

19. The BCB request: Our new building is shifted 80 m
UWC 150 ha Estate
Custodian of 42 ha of natural habitat heritage
34 ha vacant disturbed space to develop
In conclusion the University has a 150 ha estate and is custodian of at least 42 ha natural vegetation and appears to have 34 ha of disturbed vacant land. There has been no serious effort to consider the natural vegetation in its planning process, despite possessing strategically critical and irreplaceable habitats that conserve the last remaining vegetation of the Cape Flats region. As far as can be assessed there has been no consultation in the planning within the University community let alone amongst the broader community. The university has felt that it is not obliged to undertake an Environmental Assessment Impact and given this autocratic approach, why should neighbouring landowners listen to the wishes of the university in development of their land around the campus (senior management wanted complementary development). Further, it appears that its mind is made up on the issue to develop this site and there is no way it wishes to compromise of relocating 100 m away. This presentation indicates that a viable alternative solution can be presented, but since its holistic planning has largely remained unknown to the community, we have no idea what are all of the proposed developments for the campus, but certainly it appears to mean the removal of a lot of existing and fairly modern buildings as well. For a university with a fairly liberal reputation, this lack of transparency and respect for conservation is deeply disturbing and exposes its mission statement of respect for culture and the environment as rather hollow.
A small step to the left…

20. Extinction is for Keeps!
Postscript
Postscript: The presentation was prepared based on information known in August During 2006/2007 The University of the Western Cape undertook an Environmental Impact Assessment and have announced this to be a voluntary procedure. After a fairly lengthy discourse where the initial Basic Assessment Report was referred back for additional information a Record of Decision providing the University permission to develop this site was granted subject to some conditions. These conditions include that an area of almost 3ha was added to the Cape Flats Nature Reserve or CFNR (and fenced), a search and rescue operation of the site was undertaken, top soil to a depth of 20 cm be relocated to "rehabilitate" the degraded additional land being added to the CFNR and finally landscaping (where appropriate) is to use indigenous local species from the Cape Flats Nature Reserve. Only one week was allowed for the search and rescue, the vegetation has been cleared and a start with the building been made.
Extinction is for Keeps!