Key Biodiversity

Projects of Terracon
Ecotech Pvt Ltd
Projects pertaining to Biodiversity assessments and
impact identification

Client:ACCCementLimited
ProjectDuration:January2014April2013

Operations of the extractive industry have the potential to affect biodiversity
throughout the lifecycle of a project directly or indirectly. In turn, extractive indus-
tries are directly or indirectly affected by biodiversity loss and the consequent loss
of ecosystem services.

ACC Cement, one of the foremost Indian cement manufacturers and a subsidiary
of Holcim Group, initiated a Rapid Biodiversity Survey and Assessment (RBSA)
for one of their sites in south India. This project was a part of the larger Biodiver-
sity Management System project initiated by Holcim in partnership with IUCN.
The assignment involved a RBSA of the Plant Site and all the land at a distance of
10 km from the fringes of the site. A rapid ecological assessment is defined as a
synoptic assessment, which is often undertaken as a matter of urgency, in the
shortest timeframe possible to produce reliable and applicable results for its de-
signed purpose. They are thus carried out in the shortest possible time to give a
snapshot of all that exists at the selected site and provides just the adequate amount
of information (not too much, not too little).
In the field survey, habitats were assessed, plant and animal checklists were
formed and important areas for conservation were noted. The survey concluded
that the site is close to a reserve forest of the Western Ghats, and the area around
the site is regularly used by a wild elephant populations. Invasive species were
noted, and a management plan for their removal was formed. Sites for more de-
tailed surveys were marked.
Additionally, a formal impact assessment study carried out by using Holcims in-
house risk-based matrix . It showed that the Site falls in Medium Biodiversity
Risk category and that according to Holcims BMS, the site would need a Biodi-
versity Action Plan for better management of its biodiversity.
TERRACON ECOTECH PVT LTD
Rapid Biodiversity Survey and
Assessment
Biodiversity Projects

Client:HindustanZincLimited
ProjectDuration:October2013March2014

Businesses the world over are waking up to emerging risks and opportunities asso-
ciated with biodiversity loss and ecosystem service degradation. Vedanta formally
began its commitment to biodiversity protection in 2011 by drafting its Biodiver-
sity Policy. As the next logical step in the process Hindustan Zinc Ltd. (HZL), a
subsidiary of Vedanta, initiated the creation of Biodiversity Action Plans for its
operations. Terracon was inducted to create BAPs for two of its sites in Rajasthan,
the Rajpura Dariba Complex and Rampur Agucha Mines.

The Project was a six month study of biodiversity and ecosystem services around
these sites. A baseline analysis helped in knowing the presence of ecologically sig-
nificant plant and animal species. Baseline was collected through ecological as
well as socio-ecological surveys. This data was used to form a unique Biodiversity
Sensitivity Map for the site. A detailed threat analysis identified potential threats
to biodiversity from HZLs operations or any other surrounding activities and fit-
ted the potential risks in a Biodiversity Risk Matrix. The threat analysis helped to
prioritize the recommendations that followed. A benchmarking of ecosystem ser-
vices was adopted from an internationally recognized protocol created by the Na-
ture Value Initiative. This helped in identifying the gaps in biodiversity manage-
ment at the site.

Thus, the study was multi-faceted in that it involved the merging of seemingly dis-
jointed components to give a comprehensive view of biodiversity and ecosystem
services around the Project Area. The outcome of this study was a set of recom-
mendations aligned with Vedantas Biodiversity Policy on conserving biodiversity
TERRACON ECOTECH PVT LTD
Biodiversity Action Plan for a mining
company
Biodiversity Projects

Client:TataPower
ProjectDuration:July2013January2014

Abutting a unique ecological landscape featuring mangroves and mudflats with thousands
of shore birds is located Tata Powers Trombay Thermal Power Plant on the eastern coast
of Mumbai city.

A Biodiversity Action Plan for the site was made keeping in mind two main questions -
How can biodiversity help in improving the environment at the Plant site? and How can
the biodiversity itself at the Plant site be improved?

Biodiversity and the natural features of which it is a part such as the mudflats or a wooded
patch within the Project Site were considered not as mere static objects but those that per-
form crucial ecosystem services like purification of air, water and cleaning of soils. On the
basis of this outlook a series of Action Points were proposed that would answer the two
above mentioned questions.

Most Action Points dealt with the plantation of appropriate plant species in appropriate
places. Plants tolerant to air pollution, those that stabilize soils mixed with bottom-ash,
small sized or slow growing plants close to transmission lines and those that would attract
local faunal agents were suggested according to the most pressing needs of the space.
Creation of habitats for fauna form the other major component of the Action Plan. These
and their locations were decided after surveying the Plant Site for their presence. The third
major and equally important component of the Action Plan is that of involvement of the
very people working within the Plant Site. It has been coalesced with the highly important
task of periodically monitoring biodiversity.
TERRACON ECOTECH PVT LTD
Biodiversity Action Plan for an electric
utility company
Biodiversity Projects

Client : Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra, INDIA
Project Duration: January 2013- March 2013

Vasai Virar City is located north of Mumbai, the commercial capital of India. Pressures from ever
expanding developmental activities make the stretches of mangroves along its coast vulnerable.

The work entailed mangrove biodiversity assessment, impact identification and formulation of a
conservation plan. Extent of mangrove cover was assessed using satellite imageries and ground
truthing. It was followed by surveys on foot within the mangroves during which the floral and fau-
nal composition of the mangrove site was assessed. Based on our observations and further analysis,
a mangrove conservation plan for the site was created.

Through our GIS analysis, it was concluded that the mangroves spanned over an area more than
7,500 acres. Ten species of mangrove plants were recorded along with 13 species of mangrove as-
sociated meio-fauna such as crabs and mollusks. Amount of disturbance levels at various sites were
used to find priority areas for conservation.

The work entailed mangrove biodiversity assessment, impact identification and formulation of a
conservation plan. Extent of mangrove cover was assessed using satellite imageries and ground
truthing. It was followed by surveys on foot within the mangroves during which the floral and fau-
nal composition of the mangrove site was assessed. Based on our observations and further analysis,
a mangrove conservation plan for the site was created.
Through our GIS analysis, it was concluded that the mangroves spanned over an area more than
7,500 acres. Ten species of mangrove plants were recorded along with 13 species of mangrove as-
sociated meio-fauna such as crabs and mollusks. Amount of disturbance levels at various sites were
used to find priority areas for conservation.

TERRACON ECOTECH PVT LTD

Mangrove Biodiversity Survey and
Conservation Plan
Mangrove Biodiversity Projects

Client:MiraBhainderMunicipalCorporation,Maharashtra,INDIA
ProjectDuration:January2013March2013

Inlightofthevariouseconomicandenvironmentalpressuresfacedbycoastalcitiesat
large,MiraBhainderMunicipalCorportaioninductedTerracontostudyitsmangroves.
Totalareaundermangrovecoverhasbeenestimatedbysatelliteimagesandground
truthing.Samplingtechniqueswereemployedinthefieldtoascertaindensityofman
grovetrees.Mangrovetreeswerealsocountedonthebasisoftheirmaturityclass
adult,saplingandseedling.
ThenetareaundermangrovecoveratMiraBhainderwasfoundtobe20.7sqkm.10
speciesofmangrovetrees,while31speciescomprisingstrandvegetationwerefoundin
thecourseofoursurvey.Anadditionalsurveyoffaunaatthemangrovesiteswascon
ductedtoobtainaholisticpictureofthestatusofthemangroves.Epibenthicfaunaldi
versityandavifaunawerechosenforthesurveyduetotheirecologicalandeconomic
importance.Atotalof15speciesofepibenthicfaunaandmorethan50birdspecies
wererecorded.
Paralleltothemangrovesurveyreport,wealsocompiledaplanforconservationofman
grovesofMiraBhainder.Ittakesintoaccountthespatialdistributionofmangroves
withinMiraBhainderandhighlightsthedegradedareaswherespecialattentionneedsto
begiven.Detailedanalysisandaplantoestablishastronglinkagebetweentheman
grovesofnorth&southofthecityhasbeenillustratedintheconservationplan.
Inthelongrunthisdatawillenablefuturepolicydecisionsintheareasofurbandevel
opmentaswellasconservationinMiraBhainder.
TERRACON ECOTECH PVT LTD
Mangrove Biodiversity Survey and
Conservation Plan
Mangrove Biodiversity Projects