Browsing by Author "Sowman, Merle Rozanne"

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    An assessment of recreational carrying capacity at Infanta, South Cape
    (1984) Sowman, Merle Rozanne; Grindley, J R
    A proposal to develop 100 additional residential erven at Infanta, a holiday township on the South Cape coast, prompted this study. Current pressure of human activities imposed on the Infanta coastal and estuarine environment during peak holiday periods is determined from questionnaire analysis and direct observations. Projections of potential recreational demand anticipated at the proposed higher level of development are made. An assessment of recreational carrying capacity indicates in broad terms what levels of use are acceptable for the different recreational activities pursued in the area. At the present population pressure these levels are already attained or exceeded for most activities. Major physical, ecological and social constraints for further township development are identified. The beach and swimming area, as well as ancillary shore facilities for boats, are already inadequate to support current recreational pressure. Increased recreational pressure will result in competition for water space and conflicts between different recreational interest groups will occur. Surveys conducted during this study suggest that particular bait and shellfish organisms (e.g. Alikreukel) are already overexploited. There is also evidence of a decline in the numbers and size of fish caught. At one recreation site, bank erosion and destruction of salt marsh vegetation is indicative of heavy boating and watersports activities. An increased holiday population would result in overcrowding at recreation sites. This would reduce the quality of the recreation experience for both the present holidaymakers and newcomers to the area. It is concluded that both the environmental resources and existing man-made amenities in the area are already stressed by present recreational pressure and cannot support an increased holiday population during peak holiday periods. Increased development will destroy the attributes which attracted development in the first instance. Additional township development which will increase population numbers during peak holiday periods should not be permitted. It is recommended that an evaluation of present recreational pressure, projections of potential recreational demand and an assessment of recreational carrying capacity based on physical, ecological and social constraints should be a routine procedure in the consideration of applications for the extension or establishment of coastal townships.
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    An environmental evaluation procedure for coastal township and resort development proposals in South Africa
    (1994) Sowman, Merle Rozanne; Fuggle, Richard Francis
    Most coastal nations recognise the environmental, economic and educational value of their coastal zones. Consequently, they have developed integrated management programmes and employ a variety of strategies, in particular, Environmental Impact Assessment, to promote the sustainable use and development of these resource- rich areas. In South Africa, the absence of a formal, holistic and systematic procedure for evaluating proposals that affect the coastal environment is identified as one of the main causes of coastal degradation. The Integrated Environmental Management Procedure, developed in 1992, provides a generic framework within which the planning and evaluation of proposals, significantly affecting the environment can be made. Further development of more detailed procedures, practical guidelines and tools for specific activities or in particular environments, is now urgently required. The central aim of this dissertation is to develop an environmental evaluation procedure for coastal township and resort development proposals, consistent with the principles of Integrated Environmental Management, and appropriate to the conditions in a developing country, such as South Africa. The proposed procedure addresses key weaknesses inherent in most Environmental Impact Assessment systems in developing countries and incorporates and builds upon relevant Coastal Zone Management strategies operative in South Africa. Furthermore, it seeks to unpack and clarify the Environmental Impact Assessment concept by identifying its underlying principles, clarifying procedural requirements and making operational the processes which characterise it. To assist with implementation, a variety of tools and a series of practical guidelines have been developed. The key features of the procedure were derived from an extensive literature review, an examination of the environmental evaluation and coastal management systems operating in South Africa, a questionnaire survey amongst coastal managers, and from case study material. Action research informed ideas for making operational the processes of scoping and public participation. Particular attention was given to identifying and developing appropriate methods and guidelines for identifying impacts, determining impact significance, involving the public, assessing recreational carrying capacity, clarifying trade-offs amongst alternatives, marrying expert opinion and local experiential knowledge and incorporating subjective value judgements into the assessment and decision-making processes. It is submitted that the employment of this procedure to all proposals affecting the coastal zone and the establishment of the proposed institutional mechanisms for its implementation, will streamline and enhance existing coastal management efforts and give direction to the further development and implementation of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management programme for South Africa.