Environmental Assessment
Volume B-4.5
Mine
Protected Areas
Ambatovy Project
299
January 2006
4.5
PROTECTED AREAS
4.5.1
Introduction
This section presents the Environmental Assessment for the effects of the mine
on existing and planned protected areas. As per the Ambatovy Project Terms of
Reference, the potential impacts of the mine on the ecological integrity and
economic sustainability (e.g., tourism) of protected areas within the regional
study area are evaluated.
4.5.2
Study Area
For protected areas, two study areas are used: a Local Study Area (LSA) that will
encompass the area likely to be directly impacted by the Ambatovy Project
(the project), and a Regional Study Area (RSA) that includes the area subject to
indirect effects of populations who move into the area to work at the mine.
The mine LSA for protected areas is the same as the terrestrial study area
presented in Volume A, Section 7, Figure 7.2-1. It includes the mine and water
intake pipeline disturbance areas, plus a 500 m buffer around those areas in all
directions. The LSA also includes the Torotorofotsy Wetlands and the basin
within 500 m of these wetlands. The mine RSA includes all areas within 100 km
of the mine site.
4.5.3
Baseline Summary
The Torotorofotsy Ramsar Site is located partly within the mine LSA (Volume J,
Section 6.1, Figure 6.1-1). Torotorofotsy is the largest and most intact natural
marsh in eastern Madagascar. Ramsar sites are not protected until specific
legislation is enacted by the state of Madagascar; however, Ramsar sites are
wetlands of recognized international importance, which have been designated
based on their significance in terms of ecology, botany, zoology, limnology or
hydrology. Generally, it is expected under the Ramsar Convention that Ramsar
sites will receive some kind of protected status incorporating the “wise use”
concept (Ramsar Secretariat 2004). The Torotorofotsy Wetlands are presently
used for ecotourism, small-scale hunting and plant harvesting, and (at the
perimeter of the wetlands) rice farming, small-scale sustainable forestry
(eucalyptus trees) and human habitation; 83% of the Ramsar site is within the
mine LSA and has been classified as to land use. Under baseline conditions,
40% of the portion of this Ramsar site that is in the LSA has been disturbed by
either slash-and-burn (tavy) agriculture, eucalyptus plantations or use as rice
paddies.
