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Holness, S.; Driver, A.; Todd, S.; Snaddon, K.; Hamer, M.; Raimondo, D.; Daniels, F.
Biodiversity and Ecological Impacts: Landscape Processes, Ecosystems and Species
2016  Book Chapter

Nature of the study area and shale gas development (SGD) impacts: -The study area includes relatively high levels of biodiversity, including highly sensitive and unique ecosystems and -species. -The Karoo is an arid ecosystem characterised by ecological processes that operate over extensive areas. -A major concern is that the extensive linear infrastructure associated with SGD will result in fragmentation of the landscape. -Impacts on species, ecosystems and ecological processes extend well beyond the actual activity or physical footprint. -Impacts on species and ecological processes can have cascading effects. Strategic landscape-level approach to mitigation of impacts: -Mitigation of ecological and biodiversity impacts must take place not only at the site scale but also at the landscape scale. The primary mitigation for SGD is avoiding and securing the EBIS-1 and EBIS-2 areas, which effectively makes EBIS-3 and EBIS-4 areas available for SGD. -EBIS-1 and EBIS-2 areas make up 50% of the study area. -EBIS-1 areas contain extremely sensitive features and are irreplaceable. It is not possible to minimise or offset impacts of SGD in EBIS-1 areas. -Where SGD activities in EBIS-2 areas are unavoidable, the impacts must be minimised and residual impacts must be offset by securing ecologically equivalent sites in EBIS-1 or EBIS-2 areas . -Environmental compliance in EBIS-3 and EBIS-4 areas is still required. -The cumulative and unforeseen impacts of SGD, as well as effectiveness of mitigation, must be monitored.

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