Summary
Two proposed or existing protected areas and a Ramsar site are located
near the pipeline route: the Torotorofotsy Ramsar site, the Ankeniheny–
Zahamena Corridor and Mantadia National Park. The right-of-way
avoids the national park, but crosses the Ramsar site and the forest
corridor. The routing of the pipeline has been aligned with a proposed
infrastructure right-of-way, which will be excluded from the future
protected area of the corridor. The Torotorofotsy Ramsar site contains
the largest and most intact natural marsh in eastern Madagascar.
However, the marsh is not pristine, with about 40% disturbed by either
slash-and-burn (tavy) agriculture, eucalyptus plantations or rice paddies.
The Ankeniheny–Zahamena forest corridor is planned to accommodate
both biodiversity protection (75%) and multiple-use areas (25%).
Mantadia National Park is representative of the humid tropical forests of
eastern Madagascar, characterized by high levels of biodiversity and
endemicity.
Regional
conservation
planning
Slurry pipeline route
January 2006
Ambatovy Project — 20
