Development Projects in the Protected Areas and Forests...
Transcript of Development Projects in the Protected Areas and Forests...
Development Projects in the Protected Areas and Forests, and Impacts on Biodiversity including Initiatives
Workshop on
Capacity Building for Biodiversity8-10 April 2005
Godavari
Batu Uprety
Environment Officer, MFSC-ED
10 April 2005
Project categories
• Point/stationary projects – industries, landfill sites,
hydropower generation, building construction, land
development in specified area etc.
• Linear projects – transmission lines, roads, irrigation
projects etc.
• Scattered activities – proposal related to raw material
collection such as leaf collection of Taxus sp, pine’s
resin tapping, collection of other NTFPs etc.
• EIA and IEE – project specific assessment, difficult to
specify impacts of projects on the environmental which
will be implemented in different parts such as leaf or
bark or root or fruit collection from several forests
Possible Interests in PAs and Forests
• Protected Areas – conserved for biodiversity and
landscape conservation, natural resource based, strict
management regime, after construction easier to
operate and no or little public pressure, nothing to pay
in most cases, no alternative for project, inadequate
knowledge about biodiversity values, appropriate site
etc.
• Forests – biodiversity rich but still needs detail
exploration, nothing to pay, no alternative except
forests, under valuation of forests and its products etc.
• Pressure of infrastructure projects increasing in
protected areas and forests – habitat for biodiversity
Pressures
• Infrastructure projects such as roads, transmission lines, bridges, hydroelectricity generation in protected areas
• Above projects including operation of landfill site, cable cars, collection of forest products, agricultural related activities such as market development, mines, drinking water etc. in forests
Consequences
• Increased effect/impact on biodiversity without knowing their values
• Destruction and fragmentation of habitats
• Use of wild products by the project staff/workers etc.
Few Examples
• Roads in Royal Bardiya National Park, and Royal
Chitwan National Park, Chilime HEP etc.
• Irrigation projects nearby the protected areas, e.g.
Babai, East Rapti (planned but later reformulated)
• Hotels and resorts within the protected areas
• Educational, health, road, irrigation, hydroelectricity
generation and transmission line projects in forests
• Impacts on biodiversity neither identified, predicted and
evaluated nor environmental monitoring in place
• Limited documentation on impacts on biodiversity
What is biodiversity?
ecosystems
conservation
sustainable use
equitable
sharing
species diversity genetic diversity
Everyone’s Concern on Biodiversity
• Biodiversity matters to everyone.
• Biodiversity - enabling factor for sustainable development
as it provides the basis for all human development,
supporting lives and livelihoods
• Its loss impoverishes the environment and reduces its
capacity to support people now and in the future
• Biodiversity supports many lives and livelihoods; it is a
source of income, water, food, medicines, building
materials and leisure opportunities
• Its importance realised as the basis of our very existence,
to be used wisely and sustainably and to be conserved
for current and future generations
• Main threats associated with human activities causing
habitat loss or damage
Functions of BD
Biodiversity provides goods and services for human society:
• Harvestable goods (fish, meat, timber, fruits, genetic material), referred to as production functions;
• Processing and regulation functions responsible for maintaining natural processes and dynamics such as water purification, biological control mechanisms, carbon sequestration, etc.).
• Suitability of areas for certain activities, or carrying capacity functions (suitability for human habitation, nature conservation, etc.).
• Biodiversity is a source of artistic, spiritual, religious, recreational or scientific enrichment, referred to as signification or information functions
Values of BD
Functions of biodiversity represent societal values:
• Economic values: (i) direct income, for example by selling of products; (ii) input in other activities by providing raw materials; (iii) indirect by providing services that would require large investments
• Social values: employment, health, appreciation of the presence of animal and plant life, etc.
• Ecological values, differentiated into (i) future values, saving for unrecognised potential of biodiversity for future uses; and (ii) spatial values, relating to biodiversity on which other biodiversity in other areas depend (e.g. birds depend on feeding areas along their migration routes). Ecological values are often referred to as non-use values
Why Low Priority for BD in Impact Assessment?
• Lack of awareness of biodiversity values and importance;
• Lack of knowledge and guidance on what to include in assessment process as scoping document and TOR are too general;
• Lack of capacity to carry out assessments or lack of knowledge on methods and techniques in collecting baseline information and/or impact identification, prediction and evaluation, selection of mitigation measures and so on;
• Lack of adequate data;
• Use of biodiversity and wildlife as synonymous
• Lack of professional integrity – practices of report copying
• Inadequate or no linkage on baseline information, impacts, environmental protection measures, monitoring and auditing parameters etc.
Article 14 of the Convention on Biodiversity
Urged Parties to:
• Introduce procedures for EIA to avoid or minimise effects, and allow public participation;
• Introduce appropriate arrangements to address impacts of policies and programs on BD;
• Promote notification, exchange of information and consultation activities with other States;
• Notify immediately to potentially affected States in case of possible danger or damage to BD, and initiate actions to prevent or minimise such danger;
• Promote national arrangement for emergency responses to activities that affect BD;
• Encourage international cooperation to supplement national efforts; and
• Examine the issue of liability and redress including restoration and compensation for damage to BD.
Guiding Principles (based on IAIA-EB Section)
• No net loss
• Precautionary principle
• Follow ecosystem approach
• Cumulative impacts/strategic decisions
• Direct and indirect impact of interventions
• Stakeholder participation
• Take a positive planning approach (avoid biodiversity loss or damage; enhance biodiversity where possible or secure opportunities for recovery; compensate for unavoidable loss of biodiversity;)
• consolidate information on biodiversity and monitor effects
• Use knowledge: scientific & local
• Ensure monitoring
Operating Principles
Screening
• Design BD inclusive screening criteria, and develop BD
screening map indicating important ecosystem services
Suggested map categories and their relation to impact
assessment are:
� Protected areas = “no go area”, or full fledged IA always required
� Areas with important ecosystem services (wetlands,
steep slopes etc.) = full fledged IA always required
� Valued ecosystem services (flood storage areas,
groundwater recharge areas etc.) = need for and/or level
of assessment to be determined by preliminary or limited
assessment
� Rest = no IA required from biodiversity perspective
Operating Principles
Screening …
Activities for which impact assessment is required:
• Extractive activities or change of land-use: define
thresholds for level of assessment (surface area).
• Fragmentation, usually related to infrastructure: define
thresholds for level of assessment (length).
• Emissions (pollution): relate level of assessment to the
ecosystem services map
• Change in key processes responsible for the
maintenance of ecosystems
Activities affecting indirect drivers of changes (economic,
socio-political, cultural, institutional) refer to decision-
making on policies and programmes – SEA on a case-by-
case basis.
Operating Principles …
Scoping leads to TOR and defines the issues to be studied
During scoping only qualitative answers can be provided
� Describe the type of project, programme or policy and
possible alternatives (include “no net loss” or
“biodiversity restoration” alternatives);
� Describe the expected direct drivers of change
(biophysical changes in soil, water, air, flora and
fauna) etc.;
� Determine the spatial and temporal scale of influence;
� Describe ecosystems and land-use types potentially
influenced by the identified biophysical changes;
� Determine whether the biophysical changes affect
composition or structure of biodiversity;
Operating Principles …
Scoping ….
� Identify affected ecosystem services, and determine
potential changes in values of these services for each
(group of) stakeholder(s), and highlight any irreversible
or irreplaceable impacts;
� For each alternative, define measures to avoid,
minimize or compensate the expected negative
impacts and/or enhance positive impacts;
� Determine what information is relevant to decision
making; highlight areas of uncertainty and/or gaps in
knowledge;
� Rate the expected impacts for the alternatives
considered. Weigh expected impacts to a reference
situation (baseline).
Operating Principles …
Impact study
• Address biodiversity at all appropriate levels and allow
for enough survey time to take seasonal features into
account
• Take an ecosystems approach and consult with
relevant stakeholders
• Ensure cooperation between different specialists in an
IA team to integrate findings which have bearing on
biodiversity
• If possible, quantify the changes in quality and amount
of biodiversity
• Provide insight in the cause - effects chains and come
to conclusions regarding impacts on biological diversity
Operating Principles …
Impact study …
• Translate biodiversity into ecosystem services, if
possible expressed in monetary terms
• Use National Biodiversity Strategies and Action
Plans for information
Mitigation
• Remedial action - avoidance (or prevention),
mitigation (including restoration and rehabilitation of
sites), and compensation
• Avoidance should have priority and compensation is
a last resort; Look for opportunities to positively
enhance biodiversity
Operating Principles …
Review for decision-making
• Peer review of environmental reports with regard to
biodiversity should be undertaken by specialist
• Depending on the level of confidentiality of public
decision-making, consider involvement of affected groups
and the public at large
Decision-making
• Avoid putting conservation goals opposite to development
goals
• Balance conservation with sustainable use for
economically viable and ecologically sustainable
solutions
• In case of important biodiversity issues, apply the
precautionary principle where information is insufficient
and no net loss principle in case of irreversible losses
Operating Principles …
Monitoring, evaluation and auditing
• Monitor to ensure that mitigation is effectively
implemented, unforeseen negative effects are detected
and addressed, and any negative trends detected
• Make provision for regular auditing of impacts on
biodiversity
• Also make provision for emergency response measures
and/or contingency plans where upset or accident
conditions could threaten biodiversity.
Paris Declaration on BD
• BD is a natural heritage and a vital resource for all
humankind
• BD is being destroyed irreversibly by human activities
• A major effort is needed to discover, understand,
conserve and sustainably use BD
Paris Declaration on BD (January 2005)
Urges countries to:
• Set up interdisciplinary research programs to discover,
understand and predict BD, its status and trend, causes
and consequences etc. for effective science-based
decision for its conservation and sustainable use;
• Integrate BD into criteria considered in all economic and
polity decision as well as environmental management;
• Educate citizens and strengthen public awareness
program;
• Build capacity for BD research and protection;
Establish an international mechanism to:
• Provide scientifically validated information on status,
trends and services of BD;
• Identify priorities for BD conservation; and
• Inform relevant conventions, including CBD & their
Biodiversity Aspects in EIA of a HEP: A Case
Baseline Information
• Number of plant species recorded at intake site (60), intake upstream (35), intake downstream (45), access road (92), alternative approach road (31), powerhouse (29), downstream (37), staff quarters (20)
• Volume to be removed – 195 m3 at intake site, and 119 m3 at access road
• No rare/endangered species at intake site, powerhouse site, but 28 species have ecological values (soil conservation, bio-fertiliser potentials)
• Project area has limited number of protected species
• Mammals not strictly confined to project area
• 19 species of fishes found, 3 species of Asala vulnerable or rare etc.
Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Impacts
• Loss of forest cover at intake, powerhouse sites, and access road to a variable degree
• Loss of nearly 14m3 and 11m3 of forest biomass at intake and access road (53 tress to be felled down)
• Loss of some rare/endangered species
• Increase in illegal felling of trees by laborers
• Invasion of weedy species etc.
Mitigation Measures
• Count, mark and harvest trees and shrubs but keep mother trees intact to promote natural regeneration
• Compensatory plantation in 2.4 ha of land (6000 tree species, @ 2500 saplings/ha) – 3 times the actual loss and manage for 3 yrs
• Operate fuelwood depot to sale forest products of extracted trees, and provide kerosene or LPG
• All disturbed areas should be re-vegetated etc.
Biological Parameters for Monitoring
• Forest Management
• Allocation of funds for plantation, management of
actual loss of forest area, number of felled trees
and utilisation of forest products
• Compensatory plantation of local species
• Condition of local forests
• Forest regeneration in built-up areas and slope
stability
• Condition of compensatory plantation etc.
Gaps on baseline, impacts, mitigation and
monitoring requirements
Step after Study
• Implement environmental protection measures
(benefit augmentation measures and adverse
impacts mitigation measures)
• Conduct monitoring – compliance monitoring is
not related with effectiveness of the mitigation
measures, but impact monitoring addresses it
• Environmental auditing – whether measures are
really effective
• Lessons useful for similar future proposals while
identifying impacts, selecting environmental
measures, selecting monitoring and auditing
parameters and methods etc.
Contribution of Environmental Monitoring
Modi Khola HEP TL• About 35 % of 37 km. long 132 kV TL passed through the forests
• 5m strip maintained in valley and gully for wire stringing
• Biomass given to community users• Only 447 trees cut (750 trees predicted)
• Compensatory plantation in 18 ha• Most tea stalls/restaurants used kerosene for cooking
• About 500 workers involved in peak construction stage but no forest encroached
Piluwakhola Small HEP (3MW)
• Loss of VegetationPredicted Cutting of Trees Recorded Tree Cutting
146 (cbh<30cm dia) 166 (cbh<30cm dia)
• Obstacle for Fish MovementPredicted In Reality
Serious during dry months Serious during dry months
• Displacement/Habitat Loss of WildlifeWildlife Displacement Effect
Predicted In Reality
Not Considered Directly Observed on Headworks
[e.g. Pahare Monkey]
Habitat Loss
Predicted In Reality
During Construction High During Construction
Less impact during operationSource: MOPE/NORAD/IRG workshop, May 2004
Piluwakhola Small HEP
Monitoring
• Daily monitoring done by company staff
• Weekly Meeting held among staffs.
• Monthly progress report collected from contractor
• No monitoring from concerned body as per EPR, 1997
Piluwa Experience
• Loss of Vegetation can be Minimized
• Aquatic Life movement at Downstream to the Headwork is a permanent effect during dry month
26102504880887985Total
85583129056677Other13
14014000Masala 12
81081000Sissoo 11
1020102000Ipil Ipil 10
1410141000Bakaino 9
17110024Chiuri 8
491410313Phaniyar 7
320001022Sal6
6028001220Khaniyo 5
381350317Kalam 4
8617202146Simal 3
70280753Dumri2
10658250235743Khayar 1
Total20012000199919981997SpeciesSN
Kali Gandaki HEP - Tree Removal in HEP Component
Comparative Assessment of Fish diversity at
upstream of KG River
84102130TOTAL
070Mahseer (Tor tor)
2100Catfish
485Garra gotyla
050River catfish
030B. Barila
1040B. Bendelisis
860Barilius barna (minor carps)
151240S. Richardsoni
31560Schizothorax plagiostomus
38720Snow trout
085River carps
4160Copper mahseer
3 August3 MarchSept-Oct, ‘93
Auditing, ‘03Monitoring, ‘98EIA Report ‘96Scientific Name
208.68 ha149.7 haTotal Land Acquired
Approx.
162 ha
required
1.83 ha
-
4.62 ha
0.9 ha
264**
-
Transmission Line
ROW
Sub-station
4.
53.61 ha61.2 haAccess Road3.
10.5 haPower Plant Site2.
(camps
included)148.62 ha
77.1 haDam and Reservoir
Site1.
PermanentPermanent
Remarks
Actual
Monitoring
Prediction
EIAProject FacilitiesSN
Area of Land acquisition for the Project:
Prediction Vs. Actual
** Not included in total
Compliance Status in Civil Contractor
1001442466Total
10110Not complied
3152719Partially
complied
59921637Fully complied
Complian
ce
No. of
clauses
No. of
clauses
No. of
clauses
No. of
clausesStatus
Overall
%
SafetyHealthSocialEnviro
nment
Kali Gandaki HEP ..
Non-compliance
o Photo documentation of pre-construction activity areas
o Information to employees and labour force about safety, security and environment
o No spoils deposit on land without approval
o Use of excavated material
o Stockpiling of top soil
o Control on local purchase of fish
o Flagging of areas to be disturbed
o Protect workers from insects, rats etc,
o Treatment of toxic materials and wastes
o Waste management plan
o Non release of 4m3/s during dry season
Kali Gandaki HEP ..
Outstanding issues
o Riparian release of 4m3/s not maintained
o Reservoir sedimentation and back water studies
o Low effectiveness of siren warning system
o Proper disposal of waste material store at Thulobagarnot disposed yet
o Slope protection works along the access road especially at dam site area
o Plantation of 35 ha agreed between NEA and MFSC not completed yet
o Support programme to Khabar community forests
o Fish trapping and hauling program
o Protection works for Setibeni Sheela
o Housing for remaining Bote families
o Release of additional 2 m3/s during religious days
Kali Gandaki HEP ..
Outstanding issues
o Implementation of micro-credit revolving fund
o Impacts on cremation sites
o Awareness of local residents about the siren warning system
o Aspects related to operational stage monitoring
Lesson Learnt
o Establishment of EMU fruitful
o Provision of international panel of experts helpful
o Priority for hiring/job training to affected families useful
o Implementation of rural electrification program effective
o Need for emphasizing community support program
o Need for developing enforcement mechanism for non-compliance with contract clauses etc.
Initiatives of the Ministry of Forests and Soil
Conservation on Biodiversity and EA
� Implementation of EIA Guidelines for Forestry Sector,
1995
� Nepal Biodiversity Strategy, 2002 and National Wetland
Strategy, 2003
�Guidelines for review of IEE and EIA Reports of the
Forestry Sector, 2003
� Policy decision for the plantation @ 1:25 (i.e., plant 25
saplings for each trees felled, manage for five years and
handover to community groups for future management) in
owns’ cost
� Decision to include aspects about forests, watershed,
natural environment and biodiversity in hydroelectricity
and infrastructure projects before issuing TOR for EA
study
Initiatives of the Ministry of Forests and Soil
Conservation on Biodiversity and EA ..
�Power delegation for the approval of IEE reports to the Department of Forests
�Approval of the IEE Manual for Forestry Sector in June 2004 which focus, inter alia, on biodiversity conservation
�Inclusion of estimated costs required for benefits augmentation, adverse impacts mitigation and environmental monitoring of all forestry sector projects whose EIA has been approved, for example, a project aimed to tap 4,000 mt. of resin from wild pine trees should invest about NRs. 5.9 million for environmental management and biodiversity conservation activities
Initiatives of the Ministry of Forests and Soil
Conservation on Biodiversity and EA ..
� Biodiversity parameters for EA study drafted
� Projects proposed for implementation in forests must require proper assessment of environmental impacts
� Forest areas could be provided based on Forest Act, 1993
� Ongoing study on evaluation of ecological goods and services of forest ecosystem in economic term, and will be completed by mid-July 2005 that will contribute to value biodiversity in future projects requiring IA study
� Environmental monitoring format for forestry projects will be finalised soon
� Government is committed to maintain 40 percent of the total area under forests and for biodiversity conservation
Key IssuesIn general, EA reports lack:
• Proper baseline information, and use of relevant scientific literature
• Consideration of non-protected species
• Clear criteria to assess impact magnitude and significance evaluation
• Consideration of concerns of communities and other biological resource users
• Proper interpretation of results
• Information on indicator/keystone species
• Provisions to restore or create similar type (or large size) of habitat in same or nearby location, before/at the same time of development project
• No sequencing on “avoidance-minimization-compensation” measures