2011
AMBATOVY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
18
Environmental Performance
Biodiversity
The main anticipated impacts on biodiversity from our
activities are related to forest clearance at the mine
(approximately 1,800 ha) and along a two kilometre strip
of forest along the initial portion of the pipeline. Prior to
construction, the mine area forest was threatened by human
impacts such as agricultural clearing, illegal timber harvesting
and hunting. The plant and tailings sites, located on modified
coastal scrubland, have relatively low levels of biodiversity.
Nevertheless, impacts on all sites have been taken into
account in order to develop Ambatovy’s comprehensive
biodiversity program, which applies to all sites. Its strategy is
founded on the following core objectives:
3
No net loss of biodiversity and, preferably, a net gain.
3
No species loss and no net reduction in the population
of any endangered species.
3
Minimize impacts on flora, fauna and aquatic
resources.
3
Increase conservation of critical habitats.
3
Ensure priority habitat viability by maintaining or
increasing ecosystem connectivity.
3
Integrate biodiversity activities with other regional
initiatives on biodiversity.
In order to achieve these objectives, Ambatovy applies
a mitigation hierarchy, as required by IFC Performance
Standard 6 and the BBOP Standard on Biodiversity Offsets.
According to these principles, biodiversity losses must
first be avoided, minimized or restored as far as possible
before offsetting any residual losses through establishment
of ecologically comparable conservation areas. Additional
conservation actions may further compensate for the impacts
on biodiversity.
Avoidance
Ambatovy was designed as far as possible to avoid impacts
on biodiversity. An example is the diversion of the pipeline
route around forest patches and the breeding sites of critically
endangered Mantella frogs.
Minimization
Impacts are minimized wherever possible. Ambatovy has
developed a system of paced directional clearing to ensure
that fauna are able to migrate freely to adjacent refuge areas
and allowing time to salvage remaining fauna and relocate
rare plants.
Restoration
Ambatovy will conduct progressive reclamation of the mine
footprint that is compatible with the historical ecology of the
landscape.
Offsetting
Ambatovy’s multifaceted biodiversity offsets program
comprises a series of ecologically comparable conservation
areas both on-site and off-site to achieve a net increase in
protected and conserved critical habitats.
Compensation
Additional conservation actions will provide further
compensation for residual losses.
Following these principles has resulted in a comprehensive
approach to ensure that our impacts, as well as some that
existed prior to our involvement, are controlled through
cooperation with local communities and the Government of
Madagascar. The program has several focal areas, including
flora, fauna, offsets and aquatic and marine ecosystems.
Each area has specific actions for the construction, operations
and mine closure phases. In addition, we have specific
management plans for the mine, tailings, pipeline and plant
that include biodiversity elements as well as a separate
overall Biodiversity Management Plan that governs all our
programming in this area.
Fauna Management Program
Lemurs
The goal of the lemur management program is to maintain
population viability in the mine area. During 2011, the program
focused on:
3
Ecological monitoring, particularly after clearing
activities.
3
Paced directional clearing, which encourages the
movement of lemurs into conservation forest or buffer
areas.
3
Salvaging animals that were isolated from connected
forest habitat during the clearing process.
3
Supporting regional conservation initiatives.
3
Promoting engagement with the national/international
primate conservation community through support
and participation in workshops and international
conferences.
