Executive Summary
10
BBOP Pilot Project Case Study – Ambatovy Project
The processing plant occupies 2.6 km
2
of the Toamasina industrial zone. The associated tailings
system of 14 km
2
will be located in a highly degraded agricultural matrix. An existing pier at the
harbour will be extended by over 300 m to accommodate the Project’s logistical needs. The
processing plant, tailings and pier extension have been assessed in the Environmental and Social
Impact Assessment (ESIA) to have negligible residual impacts on biodiversity.
As the Project is developing the ESIA is being revisited to ensure that no residual impact to
biodiversity is being neglected. Any further residual impacts identified will be accounted for in the
biodiversity offset calculation.
Description of
offset
The Ambatovy offsets programme is multifaceted with many components. The Ambatovy Project is
committed to achieve positive conservation outcomes through designing and implementing its
multifaceted programme, that includes:
1.
Ankerana offset:
establishing an 11,600 ha endangered forest off-site offset, with similar abiotic
and biotic conditions to those found at the mine site and ensuring long term protection through
legal arrangements and community consensus.
2.
Azonal forest sites:
establishing two on-site (mine) azonal forest habitats conservation areas
that occur partially over the mine footprint and ensuring long term protection through legal and
managerial commitments.
3.
Mine area conservation forest:
establishing a 4,900 ha conservation forest area around the
footprint and ensuring long term conservation as part of the priority species management
programme and maintenance of the ecological services for the local communities.
4.
Analamay-Mantadia forest corridor:
spearheading the establishment of a forest corridor
between the mine area forests and the nearby Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor and securing
long term landscape level connectivity for the protection of mine area biodiversity through
partnerships with government, NGOs and local communities.
5.
Torotorofotsy Ramsar:
supporting the site management plan design and implementation in
conjunction with government and local NGOs and ensuring permanency of legal and managerial
commitments with its partnerships.
6.
Pipeline right of way reforestation:
enhancing forest connectivity in targeted areas of the
Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor through expanded reforestation activities along the slurry
pipeline right of way and conducting targeted reforestation in partnership with government and
local NGOs.
7.
Mine footprint replacement forest:
creating a replacement, multifunctional forest on the
footprint during progressive reclamation with an established, integrated managerial structure by
mine closure.
While the design and implementation of the several components of the Ambatovy offset programme
has progressed, the predicted conservation outcomes from these various offset components have
not yet been fully calculated. Meanwhile, Ambatovy has focused on its proposed Ankerana offset as
the most significant component of its offset. However, the high degree of social sensitivity around
Ankerana has led the project to undertake community involvement before the planned biodiversity
assessment at the site. The impact of the first pipeline section will be included in the offset
calculation for the mine site. The second section of pipeline will be offset by reforestation not only of
the pipeline footprint but also of broader areas with the aim of reconnecting the forest corridor.
Links to further
information
and
