Environmental Assessment
Volume C-3.8
Slurry Pipeline
Visual Aesthetics
Ambatovy Project
73
January 2006
•
the surrounding landscape, including landforms, vegetation and general
level of modification;
•
the slope, vegetation cover and texture of the RoW surface in contrast to
that of the surrounding landscape;
•
the distance between the observer and the impact;
•
viewing orientation, frequency and duration; and
•
viewer perception as to what is attractive or unattractive, and
expectations as to what “should” or should not be seen in this location.
Effects are summarized below for each project phase.
Construction
The existing visual quality of the project area is influenced by historical and current
land uses, including tavy agriculture. However, the remoteness of much of the route
has meant that urban and industrial development occurs along very little of the route,
and even linear access corridors are very limited. Therefore, the presence of the
pipeline route will be a contrast to the surrounding aesthetic conditions.
Landform and vegetation changes will introduce contrasts in form, line, colour
and texture along the RoW. The rough nature of topography along most of the
slurry pipeline route will allow unobstructed views of equipment and
construction activities only within local topographic basins. Dust generated from
these activities, as well as the presence of equipment, staging areas, camps and
construction vehicles, will be observed from within the same valley as the
pipeline is passing through, as well as the basins that are traversed by access
roads to the route, and surrounding high topographic points. However, the entire
length of the LSA has a relatively low population density. Roadways (including
Route National (RN) 2 and access roads and trails close to Torotorofotsy,
Analamazaotra and Mantadia) will be the most sensitive to the temporary visual
impacts.
The greatest visual impacts are expected to occur from construction scars along
steep hillsides that require especially wide construction rights-of-way of up to
100 m. The potential for erosion in high-rainfall seasons poses a risk of
additional aesthetic impacts extending downhill from the route.
Operation
Progressive reclamation of construction staging areas, camps, and the surface of
the pipeline route will substantially reduce visual impacts during the operations
