The Offset Design Process
49
BBOP Pilot Project Case Study – Ambatovy Project
Quantifying gains of offset options
The detailed quantification of potential offset
GAINS
has not yet been conducted. Rough estimates of gains
have been prepared based on mapping data and the surface areas that would be protected:
1. Ankerana offset site (see Figure 10): the Ankerana offset has a total surface area of approximately 11,600
ha, consisting of a 4,600 ha core conservation area and a 7,000 ha multiple use buffer area surrounding
the core. The site lies within the area planned for inclusion in the Malagasy protected area system (SAPM).
Consequently, the Project funding is being designed to ensure that any biodiversity offset offers
conservation
ADDITIONALITY
. The field surveys to characterise species, habitats and ecosystems at the
proposed offset site will be conducted in 2009, allowing calculation of the habitat hectares gains. Based on
the preliminary survey conducted during the ESIA, the Project is confident that the
KEY BIODIVERSITY
COMPONENTS
identified at Ambatovy (species, habitats and ecosystem) can be found at Ankerana,
although Ambatovy species assemblages may not all be present at Ankerana. It is important to note that
this issue justifies the conservation of the two on-site azonal forest tracts (the mine area conservation
zones). The forest will form part of the on-site offset component. The on-site offset includes all forest
habitats present on the mine footprint, including two azonal forest areas (one being the Project’s
BENCHMARK
site). Therefore it is acceptable to assume that all key biodiversity components are present in
the on-site offset.
2. On-site azonal habitat conservation sites (see Figure 4): the azonal forest surface area equals 212.33 ha
(26.4% of the total prime quality habitat; the azonal habitat remaining outside the mine footprint is all
pristine).
3. Management of mine area forests (see Figure 3): the Ambatovy offset programme includes the 4,900 ha
conservation zones forest around the mine footprint; the azonal conservation zones noted above are
located within this area. The Project aims to reinforce the legally protected status of these forests to ensure
their continued protection following mine closure. Their current protection is ensured by the mine Forest
Management Plan, since most of the forest areas are within the mine lease where the Project has
exclusive management rights. The Project is also currently discussing with Conservation International the
regional integration of its on-site offset.
4. Mine area / Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor link (see Figure 11): the forest corridor between the mine area
conservation zones forest and the rest of the eastern rain forest corridor is a key component in ensuring
CONNECTIVITY
between these two areas. The corridor concept has been integral to the Project’s species
management strategies (particularly for lemurs). The exact boundaries have not yet been defined, but are
likely to enclose about 2,500 ha. The Project is also currently discussing with CI the regional integration
and protection of this forest corridor to ensure its connection with the relic Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor
and the SAPM protected areas (e.g. Mantadia National Park).
5. Torotorofotsy Ramsar site management (see Figure 11): the total surface area of this site’s watershed is
8,500 ha of which 1,100 ha is wetland. However, results of recent surveys led by Ambatovy indicate that
the ecological integrity of the overall area has been several degraded, resulting in reduced gains for
biodiversity. The true gains will be quantified based on analysis of the survey results.
6.
FOREST CONNECTIVITY
CAZ (see Figure 11): the total area of zonal forest lost to the pipeline right of way will
be reforested (so a gain of 16.5 ha, the first 2 km reforested route being integrated with the mine). The
exact surface area to reforest for the CAZ connection has yet to be determined, but may be around 200 ha.
7. Footprint rehabilitation: the total surface area of the mine footprint will be rehabilitated, of which a majority
will be reforested (approximately 1,336 ha).
