Environmental Assessment
Volume C-4.4
Slurry Pipeline
Natural Habitats and Biodiversity
Ambatovy Project
145
January 2006
4.4
NATURAL HABITATS AND BIODIVERSITY
4.4.1
Introduction
This section of the Environmental Assessment (EA) provides an evaluation of
potential effects of the proposed Ambatovy Project (the project) on natural
habitats and biodiversity in the slurry pipeline study area. The assessment is
intrinsically linked to the flora, wildlife and fish components. In compliance
with the Terms of Reference (Volume H, Appendix 1), site-specific data were
collected to address the following elements of natural habitats and biodiversity:
•
describe the current level of disturbance and biodiversity of each natural
terrestrial and aquatic community type within the study area;
•
describe each community type’s sensitivity to disturbance and ability to
be restored;
•
determine the status (distribution and abundance) of each community
type;
•
describe landscape characteristics of the study area such as habitat
connectivity and fragmentation;
•
discuss the mitigation and compensatory mechanisms to be used to
reduce/offset losses to natural community types;
•
discuss if the project has the potential to enhance biodiversity;
•
assess residual impacts for both the operations and post-closure phases
of the project to natural community types and biodiversity; and
•
provide details on natural habitat and biodiversity monitoring and
management that include participation of local residents.
This section of the EA presents the following information:
•
description of the study area used to collect baseline data and evaluate
project-related impacts on natural habitats and biodiversity;
•
summary of the baseline data collected and current conditions. The
summary focuses on information that is most pertinent to assessing
predicted impacts. A complete description of the baseline methods,
analysis, and results is located in Volume J (Appendix 4.1);
•
assessment of project-related impacts on natural habitats and
biodiversity, including issue scoping, assessment methods, mitigations,
predicted residual impacts, and an outline of proposed monitoring
activities; and
