Services

Unearth Consulting takes on a range of environmental governing processes within South Africa in unity with the requirements of guidelines stipulated by the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (Act 107 of 1998, as amended), as well as supplementary environmental legislation. The services we offer include Scoping Assessments, Site Sensitivity Verifications, Basic Assessments, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), Applications for Environmental Authorization Amendments, compilation of Environmental Management Plans (EMPrs), applications for EMPr amendments, compilation of Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMPs), compilation of Operational Environmental Management Plans (OEMPs) and applications for the correction of illegal activities under Section 24G of NEMA. The specific areas Unearth Consulting offers management of includes renewable energy facilities (wind and solar), transmission lines, electrical infrastructure and commercial, housing and resort developments.

Avifaunal Monitoring and Assessment Services

Unearth Consulting offers a comprehensive range of specialist avifaunal services, including Avifaunal Impact Assessments, Avifaunal Monitoring, Avifaunal Feasibility Studies, Avifaunal Specialist Reports and nest surveys. The avifaunal work is led by our in-house specialist, Justin Nicolau. We have a network of project managers and expert avifaunal observers, that allow us to facilitate and conduct avifaunal monitoring on small to large-scale projects across South Africa. Our avifaunal monitoring, assessments and reporting are performed in accordance with the Species Environmental Assessment Guideline (SANBI, 2022), the protocol for the specialist assessment and minimum report content requirements for environmental impacts on terrestrial plant species (GN No. 1150 of 30 October 2020, as amended), best practice guidelines for avian monitoring and impact mitigation at proposed wind energy development sites in southern Africa (Jenkins et al 2015), Verreauxs’ Eagle and Wind Farms: Guidelines for impact assessment, monitoring, and mitigation (Ralston-Paton and Murgatroyd, 2021), Black Harriers and Wind Energy: Guidelines for impact assessment, monitoring, and mitigation (Simmons et al. 2020), and Cape Vulture and Wind Farms: Guidelines for impact assessment, monitoring, and mitigation (Pfeiffer M and Ralston-Paton, 2018).

The avifaunal specialist monitoring and assessment services Unearth Consulting provides includes (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Project feasibility and pre-feasibility surveys and assessments and reconnaissance studies.
  • Scoping Surveys.
  • Raptor Nest Surveys.
  • Wetland Surveys.
  • Site Sensitivity Verification Reporting.
  • Pre-application Avifaunal Monitoring Plans.
  • Avifaunal Compliance Statements.
  • Avifaunal Impact Assessments.
  • Pre-Construction Avifaunal Monitoring and Impact Assessment for Renewable Energy Facilities (Wind & Solar).
  • Post-Construction Avifaunal Monitoring for Wind Energy Facilities.