Environmental Assessment
Volume B-5.3
Mine
Land Use
Ambatovy Project
358
January 2006
5.3
LAND USE
5.3.1
Introduction
This section presents the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the effects of the
mine on land use. As per the Ambatovy Project (the project) terms of reference,
land use has been mapped in the mine local study area (LSA) and changes in land
use areas predicted in comparison to baseline levels. The implications of
changes in land use for people are discussed in the context of socioeconomic
effects in Volume B, Section 5.1.
5.3.2
Study Area
The mine land use LSA is the same as the terrestrial LSA shown in Volume A,
Section 7.2, Figure 7.2-1. This area includes the Ambatovy and Analamay mine
footprint areas, the Torotorofotsy Wetlands, and the corridor for the Mangoro
water intake pipeline and mine access road.
5.3.3
Baseline Summary
Lands in the LSA include intact and degraded zonal forest, intact and degraded
azonal forests and scrublands, areas of herbaceous vegetation, eucalyptus
plantations, woodlots, rice paddies and villages (Volume K, Appendix 3.1,
Section 3.3). In the immediate area of the mine site, the most prominent land use
activity since 1960 has been mining exploration. In the surrounding areas, lands
are largely forested, providing opportunities for small-scale forestry and
gathering of non-timber forest products. Along the water intake corridor from
the Mangoro River, the predominant land uses are woodlots, plantations, rice
paddies and grazing areas; several villages are located within this corridor. In the
area of the Torotorofotsy Wetlands, which has been declared a Ramsar site
(Volume B, Section 4.5), there is also land use activity, including rice paddies,
woodlots and plantations.
Under baseline conditions, land use within the LSA is gradually transforming the
vegetation cover of the landscape. It is estimated that the current rate of
deforestation (removal of primary forest and increases in degraded forest, cleared
areas and plantations) is about 1% per year. Additional details concerning
regional deforestation rates are provided in Volume K, Section 3.1.
