How the Ambatovy Project is Applying the BBOP Principles
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BBOP Pilot Project Case Study – Ambatovy Project
The present unfettered community exploitation of resources may reflect a lack of community empowerment
and choice. Hence, the changes envisioned by the Project (sustainable, participatory forest use) may
ultimately be viewed by local communities as a positive transformation relative to the current situation.
The same concept applies to the Ankerana offset site where the Project believes that the pre-project
socioeconomic conditions should not be, and ultimately cannot be, maintained. While this change can also not
be offset, the Project believes the change to sustainable use of natural resources will ultimately be to the
benefit of both local communities and biodiversity.
5. Landscape context:
The spatial spread of the Project has driven the integration of planned conservation activities with regional
and landscape-level environmental and social initiatives. At the mine, the landscape approach currently
consists of maintaining forest connectivity between the on-site azonal habitat conservation zones (and
rehabilitated areas as these progress) and the surrounding forests. Moreover, forest connectivity between the
mine area and the Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor will be maintained through landscape-level designs and
interventions in line with the Durban Vision to increase the surface areas of protected areas in Madagascar;
the development of this programme is at an early stage and aims to be conducted in collaboration with
Conservation International. At Ankerana, the offset design is based on a phased and spatially concentric,
landscape-level approach. Long-term community needs have been identified and participative zoning has
been completed.
6. Stakeholder participation:
The Project is committed to stakeholder
PARTICIPATION
and has made significant progress with local
communities and NGOs. Examples include interaction during the integration of the Ambatovy Project offset
programme with national, regional and local plans and community involvement at the heart of the zoning
project at the proposed Ankera offset site. In the latter example, a functional, participatory forest zoning
process is being implemented by the community with assistance from the Forest Services and the help of
local NGOs. This will result in areas identified for multiple-use at the periphery of the offset site being
transferred to the community as stipulated by Malagasy law and promoted in the regional plan.
7. Equity:
While the Ambatovy Project is committed to BBOP Principles 6 and 7, insufficient data are currently available
to apply the latter strictly. As data become available, the Project will develop its cost-benefit model and
analysis using key elements of the
BBOP BIODIVERSITY OFFSET COST-BENEFIT HANDBOOK
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and in consultation
with stakeholders. The Project is currently in the process of establishing a strategy to implement the socio-
environmental action programme, including assessing natural resources usages by the local communities at
the Ankerana and mine sites, further to which dollar value of the losses will be determined and compensation
options identified and provided.
8. Long-term outcomes:
The Ambatovy offset programme for the mine region, comprising on-site azonal habitat conservation,
community-based forest management, forest connectivity of mine area, Ramsar wetland management, forest
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