Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Investigation in EIA: significance, methods, issues and concerns. Maria Lourdes Quiatchon-Moreno Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Forestry Campus, College, Laguna 4031 EIA Review Committee Email: mqmoreno@yahoo.com Contact No. 09295534995

The role of flora and fauna investigations in Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) is to provide sufficient data to allow a complete identification,

prediction and evaluation of potential impacts of proposed developments upon

that flora and fauna. This is to ensure that that potential impacts, where

identified, are avoided or reduced if at all possible. Use of standard

methodologies should enable impacts to be quantified and impact predictions to

be reviewed in a systematic way. This paper shall detail common methods being

used in baseline flora and fauna assessment as well as the issues and concerns

observed during the Environmental Impact Assessment Review. Hierarchy for

mitigation are likewise discussed. Recommendations based on observations and

findings during the review process are forwarded.

Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Investigation in EIA: significance, methods, issues and concerns

The Philippines is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world.Its biological wealth, represented by its flora and fauna, is enormous and has an extraordinarily high rate of endemicity . (DENR-PAWB, GIZ, Silliman University 2001). In fact, the country has 576 species of birds, 195 (34%) of which are endemic, 174 mammalian species, 111 (64%) of which are endemic, and 258 reptilian and amphibian species, 214 (73%) of which are endemic (DENR-PAWB 2009, Conservation International 2006 as cited in Lasco et al. 2013;Oliver and Heany, 1997 in Maala 2001)).

Flora and fauna are the plant and animal life of a region in a period of time.

That may sound simple, but the ecosystem created by the interdependence of these two life forms is not simple at all. The very air we breathe and the food we eat, the medicines that cure us, and the water that keeps us alive would not exist were it not for flora and fauna. All things in an ecosystem are interdependent and should be conserved (Wilkinson 2011).

Conservation of biodiversity is among the ten major strategies adopted in the

Philippine Strategy for Sustainable Development, which aims to achieve economic growth without depleting the stock on natural resources and degrading the environment. Towards this end, the government establishes the Integrated Protected Area System. Also, DAO 2012-07- Institutionalizing and implementing reforms in the Philippine Mining sector, section 4 of which specifies the areas closed for mining application and all pending mining applications in the identified areas shall be denied upon the effectivity of the Executive Order.

The role of flora and fauna investigations in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to provide sufficient data to allow a complete identification, prediction and evaluation of potential impacts of proposed developments upon that flora and fauna. This is to ensure that that potential impacts, where identified, are avoided or reduced if at all possible. Use of standard methodologies should enable impacts to be quantified and impact predictions to be reviewed in a systematic way so as to lead to a good development plan. Methodology for Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Assessment.

Desk-based evaluation of all relevant information. This is done through review of existing literatures and databases and site-specific information for the study area (as defined by project development area). A list of potentially threatened flora and fauna species should be made, a land cover/vegetation map should be secured and the area of the proposed development project be overlayed so as to determine the direct impact areas for flora and fauna. This will be used to delineate and stratify sampling sites for flora and fauna assessment.

Baseline Studies. An important first stage in gaining an understanding of how the system might be changed by the proposed project is to take a “snap-shot” of the existing conditions – the baseline environment. The baseline

survey provides the necessary information on the site-specific environmental setting of the project, and should include information about the components of biodiversity (ecosystems and species, in particular) that may be affected. Baseline studies establish a foundation for impact prediction, for monitoring predicted impacts and for evaluating the success of mitigation measures.

Things to consider in the baseline survey:

Site characterization. This should include the location of the study area and the different vegetation/habitat types.

Survey methods. It is advisable to adopt standard survey methodologies,

which are widely accepted so that baseline information gathered could be easily verified and results of different studies compared. The details of the baseline surveys including the methodologies, adopted, locations, time, frequency and duration of surveys should be stated clearly in the EIA report for reference. A combination of the different methods are being used:

Transects. Transects are usually used to survey changes in vegetation along an environmental gradient, from a source of impact or through different habitats.The Line Transect method is to count the plant species and their abundance that touch the transect line. Belt transect was done by was done by laying a transect line with 50m length and 10m width on each side of the transect line. All the trees within the belt transect with diameters greater than 5cm at breast height will be identified, measured for diameter at breast height, and counted

Quadrats. This are used to define sample area within the study site. The locations of the quadrat chosen should be representative to various vegetation types present within the study area and usually several quadrats are sampled to obtain more representative results. Plant species inside the quadrats are identified, density, frequency and relative cover estimated. This allows for the computation of the Importance Value Index of species present in the area.

Transect count This is used to survey birds in large open areas of relatively uniform habitat. All birds seen or heard on either sides of the transects are identified and counted up to a distance where birds are still detectable or within a fixed distance from the observer.

Mistnets. This is used to capture bats and birds. Nets were placed in travel lanes of bats at dusk and tended constantly. Any captured bats must be removed individually upon entangled and placed in temporary holding devices (e.g. cloth bags). The same is done with birds but only at dawn. Trapping. Box traps with appropriate bait is an effective means for trapping small terrestrial mammals unharmed. Pitfall traps (i.e., a container placed below the ground with the opening flush or just below the ground surface) could also be used to trap small mammals (e.g. shrews) when the animals fall through the opening into the container.

Active searching. An effective way to survey amphibians and reptiles is by active searching, particularly during the daytime. This method is applicable for both nocturnal and diurnal species.

Sampling effort. The baseline survey aims at collecting ecological data

through sampling. The actual sampling effort would generally depend on the physical size of the site, diversity of the habitats, flora and fauna and availability of existing ecological baseline information. The environmental consultants should determine the appropriate amount of sampling effort based on their professional judgement and actual site situations. In all cases, they have to ensure that there is adequate samples to be able to gather data representative of the population of the area.

Duration of the survey. The duration of an ecological baseline survey should be long enough for gathering the necessary baseline data. Generally, the duration of an ecological baseline survey should be commensurate with the scale of the proposed development, the diversity of habitats within the study area and the diversity of flora and fauna within the study area.

Identification of Important species, endemicity and its conservation status. These species should be in the priority list for propagation and use in the rehabilitation of the area to maintain and possibly increase their extant population

Biodiversity Index. This is quantitative measure that reflects how many different types (such as species) there are in a dataset, and simultaneously takes into account how evenly the basic entities (such as individuals) are distributed among those types.

Evaluation (Impact Analysis) After establishing the baseline, it is then necessary to work systematically through the various activities and aspects of development to determine the likely effects of those activities on the baseline.

The following should be considered: The nature of the impact (direct or indirect, long term or short term, effects from cumulative impacts, etc.); The type of impact (positive – enhancing biodiversity; negative – causing biodiversity loss; or neutral – no net change). The likely magnitude of the residual impact (x hectares/area of an ecosystem or habitat, x number of individuals of a species, etc.). The level of impact (species or ecosystem level e.g species richness/diversity. endemicity, vulnerability etc..) The following reference materials would help in the identification, prediction

and assessment of the impacts of the project on flora and fauna.

AMBAL, R.G.R., M.V. DUYA, M.A. CRUZ, O.G. COROZA, S.G. VERGARA, N. DE SILVA,N. MOLINYAWE & B. TABARANZA (2012). Key Biodiversity Areas in the Philippines: Priorities for Conservation. Journal of Threatened Taxa 4(8): 2788–2796..

Department Administrative Order no 2007-01. Establishing the national list of threatened philippine plants and their categories, and the llst of other wildlife species

Department Administrative Order no 2004-15. Establishing The List Of Terrestrial Threatened Species And Their Categories, And The List Of Other Wildlife Species Pursuant To Republic Act No. 9147, Otherwise Known As The Wildlife Resources Conservation And Protection Act Of 2001.

IUCN 2012. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <http://www.iucnredlist.org>

Framework for Philippine Plant Conservation Strategy and Action Plan 2009 http://www.chm.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=209&Itemid=80

Mitigation options and Implementation

Mitigation aim to prevent adverse impacts from occurring or, if this is not possible, to limit their significance to an acceptable level. A number of categories of mitigation and a hierarchy of their desirability are illustrated below: (ICCM 2006) These include (in descending order of priority):

Avoiding impacts by modifying a proposed project location or existing operation in order to prevent or limit a possible impact; Minimizing impacts by implementing decisions or activities that are designed to reduce the undesirable impacts of a proposed activity on biodiversity; Rectifying impacts by rehabilitating or restoring the affected environment.;or by Compensating for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environments. Compensatory measures should be used as a last resort and might include so-called offsets, such as purchasing an area of equivalent habitat for longer-term protection.

Figure 1. Hierarchy of Biodiversity mitigation measures.

Monitoring and Evaluation

By systematically comparing and assessing changes to biodiversity against baseline data, companies can evaluate their level of impact and adapt their behavior accordingly. Proper identification of criteria and indicators should be done

Some issues and concerns Identified during the EIS review.

Although it is being specified that standard methodologies should be used, a lots of errors have been seen in the EIS reports (e.g. in stratification, sampling frequency, computation and even reliability of formula used).

Suitability of scale of Vegetation/habitat /transect /survey point maps.The legibility of this map is often a matter of concern.

Reliability of information being given in the report (e.g. Scientific names, Conservation status, Geographical range etc.)This should be scientific and professional such that any interested parties should be able to review the findings.

Inconsistencies among reports produced under the same project. The findings and figures in the main report, the appendices, the environmental monitoring and Implementation plan, the executive summary etc should be consistent.

The potential impacts on all important habitats and species should be covered in the field survey and assessment. It could be a serious mistake if it does not because of its implication on the formulation of mitigation plans.

Sometimes the baseline survey is very comprehensive and gives very detailed account of the ecological profile of the study area. However, habitats and species identified in the baseline survey are not covered in the subsequent assessment and impact evaluation.

Sometimes, Indirect impact of the project are neglected and thus are not considered in planning a mitigation.

Mismatch between impact evaluation and mitigation measures, There are instances where an impact is identified and evaluated as significant but no mitigation measure is proposed in the EIA report while mitigation measures are recommended for impacts rated as low, minor or insignificant.

Mitigation measure too generic. It is not acceptable to propose a mitigation measure which is generic with no elaboration at all. All mitigation measures should be implementable.

Habitat compensation should consider achieving both the physical size and ecological functions of the habitat lost. The general principles of “no net loss” and “like for like” should be followed as far as possible.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Predicting the impact of development projects on flora and fauna requires knowledge on ecology and ecosystem dynamics and the use of standard methods and protocol. The effectiveness of terrestrial flora and fauna assessment is the extent to which it identifies, assesses, and finds ways to mitigate or eliminate the potential negative impacts of a development project, and how well it helps or improves environmental management and ultimately the state of the environment along side economic gains. It is recommended that a more stringent monitoring and evaluation of impacts be implemented to ensure that development doesn’t pose serious threat to the stability of our ecosystem and the life we live.

Literature Cited AMBAL, R.G.R., M.V. DUYA, M.A. CRUZ, O.G. COROZA, S.G. VERGARA, N. DE

SILVA,N. MOLINYAWE & B. TABARANZA (2012). Key Biodiversity Areas in the Philippines: Priorities for Conservation. Journal of Threatened Taxa 4(8): 2788–2796

DENR-PAWB, GIZ GMBH, SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY. An In-Depth Review of the

NIPAS Law and Related Statutes on the Establishment and Management of Protected Areas in the Philippines. Environment and Rural Development Program Deutsche gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (gIZ) gmbH.

Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance Guidance Note No. 10/2010

Methodologies for Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecological Baseline Surveys. http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/hb/materials/GN10.pdf

Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance Guidance Note No. 6/2010

Some Observations on Ecological Assessment From the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance Perspective http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/hb/materials/GN6.pdf

Framework for Philippine Plant Conservation Strategy and Action Plan. 2009

http://www.chm.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=209&Itemid=80

International Council on Mining and Metals (ICCM). 2006. Good Practice for

Mining and Biodiversity. Ptd by Pennington Fine Colour, London, UK.

LASCO, R., PULHIN, F., AND PULHIN, P. 2013. Guidebook on Mainstreaming

Climate Change in Biodiversity Planning and Management in the

Philippines. World Agroforestry Center, United States Agency for

International Development, Philippines and Department of Natural

Resources.

MAALA, CEFERINO P. Endangered Philippine Wildlife Species with Special Reference to the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga Jefferyi) and Tamaraw (Bubalus Mindorensis) Journal of International Development and Cooperation, Vol.8, No.1, 2001, pp. 1–17.

WILKINSON, J. C. 2011. The Importance of Flora and Fauna to Human Existence on Earth. http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-Environmental/articles/61556.aspx WOLLONGONG DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PLAN 2009. Chapter E18:

Threatened species impact Assessment. http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/council/governance/Policies/Chapter%20E18%20%20Threatened%20Species%20Impact%20Assessment.pdf

Terrestrial Flora and Fauna investigation in EIA: significance, methods, issues

and concerns

Maria Lourdes Q. Moreno

Importance of Flora and Fauna

The air we breathe... The food we eat... The medicines that cures us... And the water that keeps us alive would not exist were it not for flora and fauna, All things in an ecosystem are interdependent and every single species matters

The importance of flora and fauna cannot be and should not be underestimated.

The Philippines is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world.Its biological wealth, represented by its flora and fauna, is enormous and has an extraordinarily high rate of endemicity . (DENR-PAWB, GIZ, Silliman University 2001)

Philippine Fauna • 576 avian species - 195 (34%) are endemic • 174 mammalian species -111 (64%) are endemic • 258 reptilian and amphibian species - 214 (83%) are endemic

The Philippine flora is composed of at least 14000 species, more than half of which are endemic ,representing five percent of the world’s flora

(source: DENR PAWB et al. as cited in Lasco et al., 2013)

Conservation of biodiversity is among the ten major strategies adopted in the Philippine Strategy for Sustainable Development, which aims to achieve economic growth without depleting the stock on natural resources and degrading the environment.

Towards this end, the government establishes the Integrated Protected Area System

Also, DAO 2012-07- Institutionalizing and implementing reforms in the Philippine Mining sector, section 4 of which specifies the areas closed for mining application

All pending mining applications in the identified areas shall be denied upon the effectivity of the Executive Order.

The role of flora and fauna investigations in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to provide sufficient data to allow a complete identification, prediction and evaluation of potential impacts of proposed developments upon that flora and fauna. This is to ensure that that potential impacts, where identified, are avoided or reduced if at all possible

Key steps in Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Assessment.

• Desk-based evaluation of all relevant information

This is done through review of existing literatures and databases and site-specific information for the study area (as defined by project development area)

• Baseline Studies

An important first stage in gaining an understanding of how the system might be changed by the proposed project is to take a “snap-shot” of the existing conditions – the baseline environment.

Baseline studies establish a foundation for impact prediction, for monitoring predicted impacts and for evaluating the success of mitigation measures.

Things to consider in the baseline survey:

Site characterization • This should include the location of the study area and the

different vegetation types Survey methods • It is advisable to adopt standard survey methodologies,

which are widely accepted so that baseline information gathered could be easily verified and results of different studies compared

The commonly used sampling methods are: (adapted from EIAO Guidance Note No. 10)

Transects. Transects are usually used to survey changes in vegetation along an environmental gradient, from a source of impact or through different habitats.

The Line Transect method is to count the plant and their abundance that touch the transect line. Belt transect was done by laying a transect line with 50m length and 10m width on each side of the transect line. All the trees within the belt transect with diameters greater than 5cm at breast height will be identified, measured for diameter at breast height, and counted species

Quadrats

• This are used to define sample area within the study site • Plant species inside the quadrats are identified, density,

frequency and relative cover estimated. This allows for the computation of the Importance Value Index of species present in the area.

Source: medic.jp

Transect count This is used to survey birds in large open areas of relatively uniform

habitat. All birds seen or heard on either sides of the transects are identified and counted up to a distance where birds are still detectable or within a fixed distance from the observer.

Mistnets. This is used to capture bats and birds. Nets were placed in travel lanes of bats

at dusk and tended constantly. Any captured bats must be removed individually upon entangled and placed in temporary holding devices (e.g. cloth bags). The same is done with birds but only at dawn.

Trapping. Box traps with appropriate bait is an effective means for trapping small

terrestrial mammals unharmed. Pitfall traps (i.e., a container placed below the ground with the opening flush or just below the ground surface) could also be used to trap small mammals (e.g. shrews) when the animals fall through the opening into the container.

Active searching. An effective way to survey amphibians and

reptiles is by active searching, particularly during the daytime. This method is applicable for both nocturnal and diurnal species.

Site 3 Coordinates: N 14° 08’ 03.4”, E 121° 13’ 39.9” Elevation: 404 m

Sampling effort. The baseline survey aims at collecting ecological data through sampling. The actual sampling effort would generally depend on the physical size of the site, diversity of the habitats, flora and fauna and availability of existing ecological baseline information. Duration of the survey. The duration of an ecological baseline survey should be long enough for gathering the necessary baseline data. Generally, the duration of an ecological baseline survey should be commensurate with the scale of the proposed development, the diversity of habitats within the study area and the diversity of flora and fauna within the study area.

Identification of Important species, endemicity and its conservation status. These species should be in the priority list for propagation and used in the rehabilitation of the area to maintain and possibly increase their extant population

Evaluation (Impact Analysis) After establishing the baseline and possible impacts identified, it is then necessary to work systematically through the various activities and aspects of development to determine the likely effects of those activities on the baseline.

The following should be assessed: The nature of the impact (direct or indirect, long term or short term, effects from cumulative impacts, etc.); The type of impact (positive – enhancing biodiversity; negative – causing biodiversity loss; or neutral – no net change). The likely magnitude of the residual impact (x hectares/area of an ecosystem or habitat, x number of individuals of a species, etc.).

The level of impact (species or ecosystem level e.g species richness/diversity. endemicity, vulnerability etc..)

Recommended references

• AMBAL, R.G.R., M.V. DUYA, M.A. CRUZ, O.G. COROZA, S.G. VERGARA, N. DE SILVA,N. MOLINYAWE & B. TABARANZA (2012). Key Biodiversity Areas in the Philippines: Priorities for Conservation. Journal of Threatened Taxa 4(8): 2788–2796..

• Department Administrative Order no 2007-01. Establishing the national list of threatened philippine plants and their categories, and the llst of other wildlife species

• Department Administrative Order no 2004-15. Establishing The List Of Terrestrial

• Threatened Species And Their Categories, And The List Of Other Wildlife Species Pursuant To Republic Act No. 9147, Otherwise Known As The Wildlife Resources Conservation And Protection Act Of 2001.

• IUCN 2012. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <http://www.iucnredlist.org>

• Framework for Philippine Plant Conservation Strategy and Action Plan 2009

• http://www.chm.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=209&Itemid=80

Mitigation options and Implementation

Mitigation aim to prevent adverse impacts from occurring or, if this is not possible, to limit their significance to an acceptable level. (ICCM 2006)

Avoiding impacts by modifying a proposed project location or existing operation in order to prevent or limit a possible impact; Minimizing impacts by implementing decisions or activities that are designed to reduce the undesirable impacts of a proposed activity on biodiversity; Rectifying impacts by rehabilitating or restoring the affected environment. Compensating for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environments.

Source: ICCM 2005

Monitoring and Evaluation By systematically comparing and assessing changes to biodiversity against baseline data, companies can evaluate their level of impact and adapt their behavior accordingly. Proper identification of criteria and indicators should be done

Some Issues and concerns Identified during the EIS review.

•Although it is being specified that standard methodologies should be used, a lots of errors have been seen in the EIS reports (e.g. in stratification, sampling frequency, computation and even reliability of formula used).

• Potential impacts on all important habitats and species should be covered in the field survey and assessment. It could be a serious mistake if it does not because of its implication on the formulation of mitigation plans. • Sometimes the baseline survey is very comprehensive and

gives very detailed account of the ecological profile of the study area. However, habitats and species identified in the baseline survey are not covered in the subsequent assessment and impact evaluation. • Indirect impact of the project should not be neglected and

should be considered in planning a mitigation

• Suitability of scale of Vegetation/habitat /transect /survey point maps.The legibility of this map is often a matter of concern.

• Reliability of information being given in the report (e.g. Scientific names, Conservation status, Geographical range etc.)This should be scientific and professional such that any interested parties should be able to review the findings.

• Sometimes there is a mismatch between impact evaluation and mitigation measures, There are instances where an impact is identified and evaluated as significant but no mitigation measure is proposed in the EIA report while mitigation measures are recommended for impacts rated as low, minor or insignificant. • It is not acceptable to propose a mitigation measure which is generic with no elaboration at all. All mitigation measures should be implementable. Habitat compensation should consider achieving both the physical size and ecological functions of the habitat lost. The general principles of “no net loss” and “like for like” should be followed as far as possible.

Conclusion and Recommendation Predicting the impact of development projects on flora and fauna requires knowledge on ecology and ecosystem dynamics and the use of standard methods and protocol. The effectiveness of terrestrial flora and fauna assessment is the extent to which it identifies, assesses, and finds ways to mitigate or eliminate the potential negative impacts of a development project, and how well it helps or improves environmental management and ultimately the state of the environment along side economic gains. It is recommended that a more stringent monitoring and evaluation of impacts be implemented to ensure that development doesn’t pose serious threat to the stability of our ecosystem and the lives we live.

Thank you