Environmental Assessment
Volume B-4.2
Mine
Fauna
Ambatovy Project
210
January 2006
Residual Impact Classification
Residual impacts and environmental consequences of direct habitat loss as a
result of construction and operation of the Ambatovy Project are presented in
Table 4.2-4. High environmental consequences were predicted for azonal,
transitional and ephemeral pond habitats as a result of site clearing. These
consequences were anticipated because >20% of these habitats within the LSA
will be lost, and the effects are irreversible.
After mitigation, moderate environmental consequences as a result of site
clearing are forecast for locally endemic faunal populations and those species
only observed in azonal and transitional habitats in the LSA (Volume J,
Appendix 2.2). At a regional level, the project is committed to supporting
compensatory conservation of offsite azonal habitat. This commitment,
including consideration of ongoing forest loss in Madagascar, is discussed more
in the Cumulative Effects section (Volume G, Section 3.2), but is predicted to
result in a overall positive impact in the long-term, if the mitigation is successful.
Table 4.2-4 Residual Impact Classification for Impacts Related to Direct Habitat
Loss
Component
Direction
Magnitude
Geographic
Extent
Duration
Reversibility
Frequency
Environmental
Consequence
Issue: Site Clearing
azonal
negative
high
local
long-term
irreversible
low
high
transitional
negative
high
local
long-term
irreversible
low
high
zonal
negative
low
local
long-term
reversible
low
low
marsh
neutral
negligible
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
marsh edge
neutral
negligible
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
ephemeral ponds
negative
high
local
long-term
irreversible
low
high
streams
negative
high
local
long-term
reversible
low
high
local endemic
species
negative
moderate
local
long-term
reversible
low
moderate
species only in
azonal,
transitional and
ephemeral pond
habitats
negative
moderate
local
long-term
reversible
low
moderate
other species
negative
low
local
long-term
reversible
low
low
Issue: Change in Water Flows
habitats
negative
low to
moderate
local
long-term
reversible
moderate
low to moderate
Conversely, low environmental consequences associated with site clearing are
predicted for zonal habitats. These consequences were primarily driven by low
