The Offset Design Process
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BBOP Pilot Project Case Study – Ambatovy Project
14 community members have been hired as park rangers at the mine site to protect the mine forests.
A public awareness programme is underway to raise community understanding of their natural heritage
and their role in its protection.
Reinforcement of the local forestry service’s capacity to protect forests (and their fauna and flora) around
the mine footprint; the work at the Torotorofotsy wetland will also improve the forest service’s capacity
there.
Over 50 local expert biologists have been hired (on a project-by-project basis) to bring their knowledge to
the Project’s activities and to promote the development and use of Malagasy skills).
7.3.4.5 Offsetable nature of residual impacts
The Project is ensuring that its residual impacts are
OFFSETABLE
by focusing on the avoidance of species,
habitat and ecosystem loss and checking that the particular biodiversity components affected can be found in
the surrounding area and beyond, so that their populations will not be unduly affected by the Project and will
benefit viably from the offset activities. The Project has ensured that species of concern (SOC) were present
outside of the mine footprint and is using taxa-specific management programs to define the relevant
conservation management activities:
The Flora Management Programme aims to ensure that SOC – flora species that were only identified on
the mine footprint during the ESIA baseline – are not lost. These species remain listed as SOC until viable
populations are located outside the mine’s footprint in protected areas. Surveys and viability assessments
are being conducted by experts in flora taxonomy and ecology from Missouri Botanical Garden –
Madagascar.
The Lemur Management Programme aims to confirm that the mine’s construction and operation activities
are not leading to a long-term reduction in the viability of priority species’ populations present in the mine
area. The programme focuses on IUCN EN and CR species, but includes all 16 species as a
BEST
PRACTICE
measure due to the unique nature of lemurs. The programme includes two principal phases, a
short-term three year assessment (covering the 2007 – 2010 construction phase) to begin identifying any
trends in lemur groups and populations in the footprint and receiving areas located in the conservation
forests. The second phase (from 2010 to end of the mine’s life), aims to identify any long-term viability
trends and to develop appropriate mitigation measures, such as off-site relocation programs, recruitment
boosting (e.g. captive breeding and release), reduction of slash and burn activities and strict control of
hunting (bushmeat).
The Mantella Management Programme aims to ensure that there are no measurable adverse impacts on
the ability of the mine area forests to support the established
Mantella aurantiaca
(IUCN CR) and
Mantella
crocea
populations (IUCN EN). Any reduction in their population sizes is also to be avoided. The
programme was implemented in November 2007, although the species are located in areas that will not be
mined for 10 years or more. The Project is defining populations present on the footprint and in the
conservation zones and comparing them to regional population sizes. Various mitigation measures are
possible including footprint reduction or shifting (i.e., modifying the footprint to avoid breeding areas),
relocation (based on successful trials) and increasing population recruitment.
The Fish Management Programme aims to avoid the extinction of fish species and to maintain population
viability at pre-Project levels. Endemicity assessments have been conducted as the species present were
only previously described to the genus level. Mitigation measures will be applied accordingly and may
include, for example, the creation of conservation streams and relocation.
