ENVIRONMENTAL REHABILITATION/ RESTORATION

This unit aims to address the latent impacts of development, in other words those impacts which could not be avoided or mitigated during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Once again, it has mainly relevance to construction related activities such as mining and infrastructure development. This unit concerns itself with the implementation of existing rehabilitation plans as developed during the EIA process or assists with the development and/ or implementation of such plans.

Globally biodiversity is under threat due to habitat loss and/ fragmentation thereof. The habitat loss or fragmentation can be due to either transformation or alien invasive species. To counter/ reduce this habitat loss, already transformed areas should be optimised for alternative land uses, thereby reducing the need to additional transform pristine or intact landscapes.

Based on the location of a transformed area, the unit develops rehabilitation plans which either
involves:

  1. Other land uses – agriculture, development, industry or a combination thereof
  2. Biodiversity enhancement – edge effects, seed island, species migration/ colonisation
  3. Restoration

The main objective is to facilitate the development of heterogeneous productive areas, which
provides a sustainable, self-reliant landscape for current and future generations while improving
ecological functioning and services in the surrounding landscape.

Unit Manager: Dr Lenie Venter
Company Resource Level: Associate
Email: lenie.ve@eiaa.co.za

Dr Lenie Venter is a registered scientific professional in the field of botanical science. She obtained her Doctorate degree in Botany and has professional development qualifications in Project management, Agricultural business and GLOBAL G.A.P. certification. She has extensive experience in agriculture, forestry and nursery development. She serves as a council member of the Land Rehabilitation Society of South Africa.