Environmental Assessment
Volume E-4.1
Tailings Facility
Flora
Ambatovy Project
153
January 2006
4.1
FLORA
4.1.1
Introduction
This section of the Environmental Assessment (EA) provides an evaluation of
potential effects of the Ambatovy Project (the project) on flora within the tailings
facility local study area (LSA). In compliance with the Terms of Reference
(Volume H, Appendix 1), site-specific data were collected to address the
following elements as they relate to flora within the project area:
•
map and describe the baseline flora of the study area;
•
inventory the natural plant communities of concern to assess species
endemicity (including local endemics);
•
discuss the mitigation and compensatory mechanisms to be used to
reduce/offset losses to flora and natural community types;
•
assess residual impacts to flora from construction, operation and closure
activities; and
•
provide details on flora monitoring and management that include
participation of stakeholders.
4.1.2
Study Area
The tailings facility LSA is shown in Volume J, Appendix 1.1, Figure 1-17. This
area includes the tailings facility property, the access corridor from the main
highway to the tailings facility, and a 500 m buffer around both of these areas.
4.1.3
Baseline Summary
The following provides a summary of the baseline flora results within the tailings
facility LSA. The summary focuses on those results that are important for
assessing impacts from the project. A complete description of the baseline
methods, analysis and results are located in Volume J (Appendix 1.1).
4.1.3.1 Vegetation Overview
The system of west-east running watersheds identified for the potential tailings
facility is composed of a heterogeneous, secondary vegetation matrix influenced
by an array of human-induced disturbances. The range of habitats within the
tailings area includes:
