WITHERS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS (Pty) Ltd.

Transcription

1 WITHERS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS Tel: Fax: Mount Albert Street P.O.Box STELLENBOSCH 7600 UNIEDAL 7612 ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING IMPACT ASSESSMENTS AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ABRIDGED CURRICULUM VITAE OF AUBREY WITHERS Aubrey Withers Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in Matriculated at Victoria Park High School, Port Elizabeth in Obtained a BSc (Hons) (Geology) degree from the University of Port Elizabeth in Aubrey is a registered natural scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions. He is also a member of the following professional bodies: the Geological Society of South Africa International Association for Impact Assessments of South Africa. Groundwater Division of the Geological Society of South Africa 1. PROFESSIONAL HISTORY to Present: Director of Withers Environmental Consultants (Pty) Ltd. Responsibilities encompass: the administration of the company and liaison with clients and government and local authorities; supervising staff with environmental planning projects and environmental impacts assessments of various sizes (Basic Assessments through to full EIAs). the management of all projects from their inception to conclusion, including all applications and reports, public participation facilitation, writing of environmental management plans and implementing them as the appointed environmental control officer; undertake audits of built projects. Aubrey has been involved with more some 200 projects since the inception of his company. He has also undertaken the review of 15 projects for the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, encompassing some technically challenging legal and planning issues within the Western Cape. Given Aubrey s strong geological background with coastal processes (sedimentology), he has undertaken a number of regional coastal planning projects and detailed coastal based development projects, such as policy planning for the Western Cape Province, SAN Parks, and Municipalities; forward planning for spatial development frameworks (structure plans) for coastal Municipalities; dune stabilisation and rehabilitation; and erosion setback assessments for specific coastal development projects. Some of the projects undertaken are listed below to 1999: Director of Dennis Moss Partnership Inc. As a director of the environmental division of the multi-disciplinary practise, comprising town planning, architecture and landscape architecture, Aubrey was responsible for the day to day running of the environmental practise, which comprised environmental coastal planning in terms of a bioregional planning approach. The ethos of the company was founded in applying an integrated approach to its planning and implementation of its projects. 1

2 to 1989: Director of Gemini Group The Gemini Group was based in Knysna on the Garden Route and comprised a construction development company. Aubrey was responsible for the management of the construction building, walling and paving teams and for quality control in the concrete factory, which manufactures all concrete components for the construction and building industries to 1984: Senior Geologist with Johannesburg Consolidated Investments Aubrey joined a subsidiary company of JCI known as Spectral Africa (Pty) Ltd. and was responsible for the interpretation of all the remote sensing (satellite and thermal infrared linescanner imagery, and aerial photography) projects undertaken for JCI, other mining houses and consulting engineering companies. Some 60% of the work carried out by Spectral Africa was of a geotechnical nature, i.e. siting new roads, water pipelines, large dams and stability of foundations (buildings, bridges, dams etc.). The remaining 40% of the work was confined to the geological exploration of minerals and groundwater exploration and development to 1980: Geologist with Newmont Minerals SA (Pty) Ltd. Aubrey was responsible for the field exploration of uranium in the Karoo whilst based in Beaufort West. This encompassed regional and detailed geological mapping, defining specific target areas for uranium and the drilling of anomalies to 1978: Lecturer at Port Elizabeth Technikon Aubrey was appointed as a junior lecturer whilst undertaking his BSc Hons degree in the Civil and Building Department. Aubrey has a practical and positive approach to environmental planning, by firstly undertaking an environmental opportunities and constraints evaluation of the applicable development sites, which has had resounding success in guiding planners, engineers and architects to achieve a balance between development and conservation, and in the successful implementation of the planning projects. Aubrey has an in depth knowledge of coastal processes, coastal planning and the rehabilitation of disturbed coastal areas. He has also played a major role in drafting spatial coastal zone policy for the Western Cape Government for the whole of the coastline under their jurisdiction for promoting sustainable development. Aubrey has also assisted many local authorities and government departments with the review of development applications and environmental management systems of approved developments. It is Aubrey s integrated approach to environmental planning that has won him acclaim amongst environmental managers for the practical way in which conservation of important habitats have been realised. His vision for the conservation of large tracks of natural veld and the reintroduction of historic game species has led to the formation of large conservancies amongst private land owners, with the resultant efficient functioning of natural ecosystems. The conservation of these large tracks of naturally vegetated areas has led to the improvement of biodiversity on a regional level. Aubrey has also planned and monitored the building of many access roads to rural developments and inaccessible drilling sites for water and minerals exploration through natural areas and has also undertaken the alignment and construction of specific 4X4 trails on various properties. One of the first authorised 4X4 trails in terms of the regulations of the Environment Conservation Act was undertaken by him in the Cederberg region. 2

3 2. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE GAINED IN THE FIELDS OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL PLANNING The practice has extensive experience in the application of bioregional planning principles for ensuring long term sustainable planning practices. Withers Environmental has been part of many multi-disciplinary planning teams in the compilation of Planning Frameworks, both on a regional and local level, during the past 18 years. Some of these commissions include: Environmental planning along the Nahoon-Orient Beach coastline, East London (1990); A preliminary environmental evaluation and comment on future land use: Wilderness-Mossel Bay coastline (1991); Environmental Planning and Management along the Hermanus coastline (1991); The role of UNESCO s Man and the Biosphere Programme in the formulation of planning policy for the greater Cape Metropolitan Area with special reference to the eastern edge (Gordons Bay- Somerset West-Strand-Stellenbosch-Franschhoek-Paarl-Wellington) (1992); The consideration of environmental criteria in the preparation of a Master Plan and a proposed Management Plan for the Buffeljachts Coastal Holiday Resort (including the rehabilitation of the frontal dune system) (1992); Structure Plan for the Kleinriviersvlei and Klein River (1993); Environmental evaluation of Public access to the seashore of the West Coast between Bokpunt and Olifants River mouth (1993/94); Towards an Intergrated Strategic Management Plan for the Klein River catchment area: a strategic development plan (1994); Bulshoek Dam Structure Plan (1994); Theewaterskloof Dam and Environs Structure Plan (1996); A Development Framework Policy for the Breede River between Malgas and Swellendam (1996); Proposed (Cape) West Coast Biosphere Reserve: the merits for establishing a Biosphere Reserve between the Berg River and the northern boundary of the Cape Metropolitan area (1996); Cederberg and Environs Spatial Development Framework (1998); Coastal Policy for the Western Cape Province (1999); Waenhuiskrans-Arniston Spatial Development Plan (Draft) (2001); Kleinmond Spatial Plan (Draft) (2001). 3. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE GAINED FROM LARGE SCALE RESORT, HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS Apart from the above planning experience, the practice has undertaken many environmental impact assessments and management plans of housing developments, coastal and inland resorts, golf estates and resorts; water pipelines and new alignments of roads, bulk water supplies for irrigation and town supplies; new cemeteries, industrial processes (timber treatment plants), bottled water plants, etc. The practice has also supervised the development of such projects as the ECO in accordance with their approved associated environmental management systems (plans). Some of these commissions include the following projects: Reins Nature Reserve EIA and EMS for the development of resort housing and conference facilities, near Gourits River Mouth (1996); Telkom Radio Communication Centre, Yzerfontein (1998/99); De Zalze Golf Estate EIA and EMS comprising 500 houses, golf course and hotel estate, near Stellenbosch (1999); EMS for the Knysna Elephant Park and Harkerville Private Nature Reserve (2000); Cederberg 4X4Trail, Kromrivier (2000); Wijnland Plaza EIA and EMS for a regional shopping mall and garage just outside Paarl. Although all the approvals were obtained, this mall was not built (2001); EIA and EMS for the Swartstomp Resort Housing on Theewaterskloof Dam (2002); 3

4 Bella Rosa residential and commercial centre in Bellville EIA and EMS (2003); Langezandt Fishermans Village EIA and EMS near Struisbaai, where Phase 1 is currently being development and comprises 250 houses (2003); Keurbooms Whale and Nature Reserve EIA and EMS for the development of 32 resort houses (2003); Verlorenvlei Coastal Game and Nature Reserve EIA and EMS for a resort housing and guest house development on 6 000ha between Verloernvlei and the sea on the West Coast (2004); Gamka Private Wilderness Reserve (2005/6); Sixteen Mile Beach Development at Yzerfontein (2005/06); Candlewood Coastal Resort, Keurboomstrand, Plettenberg Bay (2006/07); Jacobsbaai Coastal Residential area, Saldanha Bay (2005/07); Aan de Weber Residential Estate, Stellenbosch ( ); Welgedaan Residential Estate, Saldanha Bay (2006/07); Gloria Cove Resort, Theewaterskloof, Villiersdorp (2005/07); Preekstoel Residential Resort, Still Bay (2005-?); Stellenbosch Wine & Country Estate, Stellenbosch (2005-?); Klamputs Hills Residential Estate, Stellenbosch (2005-?); Parklands Industrial Park, Vredenburg (2007-?); Amoi Farm Residential Estate, Stellenbosch (2007-?) Cape Tainers Industrial Park, Klapmuts, Stellenbosch (2007-?); Salmosvlei Residential Estate, Paarl (2007-?); Haasendal Residential Apartments, Brackenfell (2007); Melhoutboom Lodge, Zuurberg, Eastern Cape (2007-?); Eden Residential and Agricultural Development, Philadelphia, Cape Town (2007-?); Lekkerbly Residential Estate, Stellenbosch (2007-?); Longlands Commercial Development, Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch (2007-?); Overberg Gateway Industrial Park, Bortivier ( ); Bella Riva Golf Estate, Fisantekraal Durbanville (2007-?); Eskom s new Stanford Sub-Station and Overhead Power Lines, Stanford, Hermanus ( ); Klipland Residential Estate, Paarl (2008); 4. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE GAINED IN THE FIELDS OF BULK WATER SUPPLY The practice has extensive experience in the provision of civil engineering services, notably the environmental suitability alignment of services infrastructure such as roads, water pipelines, electricity servitudes and reservoirs. Withers Environmental has been part of many multi-disciplinary professional teams in the provision of such services, both on a regional and local level, during the past 19 years. Some of the more recent water pipeline and reservoir projects include: Vogelfontein Mineral water bottling plant and pipeline, Cederberg (2000); Groundwater development for Bredasdorp, Napier and Struisbaai and the alignment of the bulk water pipeline to the respective reservoirs, including the compilation of an EMP and site supervision (2000); The bulk water supply for the Koo Valley Irrigation Scheme, including the compilation and supervision of the drilling, pipeline alignment and installation (2001); Ashton-Montagu Bulk Water Supply Pipeline, EMP and site supervision (2002); Parmalat Mineral Water Bottling Plant and EMP (2003); Hannasbaai Bulk Water Supply Pipeline and Reservoir, EMP and site supervision (2005); Ocean View Heights Bulk Water Supply from boreholes and their associated pipelines to the reservoir, EMP (2005); WBK Phase 1 water pipeline upgrade and application for exemption (Checklist) (2005). Paradyskloof Golf Estate, including bulk water supply pipelines and treated effluent return pipeline for irrigation (2006); Bredasdorp-Arniston Bulk Water Pipeline EIA and EMP construction supervision (2006); 4

5 Gamka Private Wilderness Reserve and bulk water supply from stream and pipeline alignment and EMP (2006); Bezaansklip Reservoir Basic Assessment process and EMP and construction supervision (2006). 5. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE GAINED IN THE FIELDS OF COASTAL PROCESSES As a geologist, Aubrey Withers has had extensive experience in coastal processes and coastal sedimentary processes, along the western, southern and eastern coastlines of South Africa. The following coastal projects have been undertaken: Rehabilitation of the frontal dune system and alignment of boardwalks over the frontal dunes to the beach, Buffeljachts Coastal Holiday Resort (1992); Erosion Stability of the and Building Setback for the coastal escarpment on Erven 1632 and 1633, Sedgefield (2003); Dune Rehabilitation Programme, Pringle Bay, South Africa (2005/06); Erosion Stability of the Romansbaai coastal foreland scarp, Gansbaai (2006); Dune stability of the Lilene Island Lodge, Vilanculos, Mozambique ( ); Biodiversity impact and erosion stability of the frontal dunes on the farm Grootvlei, Lambert s Bay West Coast (2008); A.W. WITHERS WITHERS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS November 2008 Aubrey Withers CV.doc 5