Tokadeh DSO Area 1 Area: 2.1 Ha
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ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area 1 Area: 2.1 ha A small DSO area at the lowest margin of the former mine. Approximately half of the area is very open and consists of mine benches covered in sparse grass cover. At the western end of the area, there is a small stream (reduced to a trickle during the dry season) down which there has been a slope failure. This part of the area has been planted with lines of grasses along contours to stabilise the slope and prevent further failure. The northern edge of the area slopes steeply downwards and is covered in thicket dominated by Chromolaena odorata, with a few remnant mature trees. The eastern third of the area is covered in very disturbed forest and thicket. The area is bordered to the south and west (upslope) by open grassland of the former mine, and to the north and east (downslope) by disturbed, open forest, still with some tall trees. Figure 33. Tokadeh DSO area 1, looking east from the western edge of the area. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 90 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area 2 Area: 8.5 ha The area has been heavily disturbed by exploratory drilling and perhaps previous logging activity. The dense network of drilling roads is now starting to become overgrown. The remaining habitat consists of very open woodland, with extensive thickets of Chromolaena odorata , and stands of Trema orientalis and Harungana madagascariensis saplings. There are scattered larger trees (mostly no more than 15-20 m in height), including Terminalia spp., Ceiba pentandra and other species. The southwest (upslope) margin of the area runs along the edge of the former mining area, and consists of sparse grassland on old mine benches. There are no streams or wetlands within the DSO area. The area is bordered to the southwest (upslope) by open grassland of the former mine. It is bordered to the northwest by a small stream through a strip of open forest, and beyond that by grassland with scattered trees and open-canopy forest. The stream itself is 30-50 m outside the edge of the DSO area. To the northeast, east and southeast (downslope) the area is bordered by open-canopy forest, some with tall trees and partially closed canopy. Figure 34. Tokadeh DSO area 2. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 91 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area 3 Area: 1.1 ha The smallest DSO area apart from area F2. This area is covered in rough grassland and thicket, on uneven rocky ground. To the north, it includes a few trees in a small strip along the top of a forested slope, which continues down to a road 50-60 m downslope. There are no streams or wetlands within the DSO area. Other than the forested slope to the north and east (downslope) of the DSO area, the area is bordered by open grassland of the former mine site. Figure 35. Tokadeh DSO area 3. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 92 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area 4 Area: 10.1 ha The largest of the five “main” DSO areas at Tokadeh. The area is almost entirely within the previously mined area, and consists mainly of old mine benches, with some abandoned machinery. The dominant habitats are sparse grassland and exposed rock faces. In the southeast part of the area, there is approximately 1 ha of thicket and scrub, with Chromolaena odorata but no large trees. There are no significant areas of wetland within the DSO area. On most sides (upslope and downslope), the area is bordered by more old mine benches with open grassland and rock faces. To the south and southeast (downslope), there is open-canopy forest, including some with partially closed canopy at the base of the steep slopes to the south. Figure 36. Tokadeh DSO area 4, looking northwest from the southern end of the area. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 93 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area 5 Area: 1.9 ha A small, forested DSO area on the southern ridge of Mount Tokadeh, at an altitude of 730-810 m. Habitat consists of forest with most trees 20-30 m in height and a disturbed canopy. The area has been opened up by drilling roads, along which Chromolaena odorata has invaded. The smaller drilling roads are becoming overgrown with this shrub and there are stands of regenerating pioneer tree species such as Trema orientalis and Harungana madagascariensis under the disturbed canopy. There are no streams or wetlands within the DSO area. The DSO area is surrounded on all sides by similar forest, including some tall trees and partially closed canopy. Figure 37. Tokadeh DSO area 5, looking west from the northeast end of the area. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 94 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area A Area: 11.4 ha This DSO area consists of a low hill reaching 775 m. It is covered in forest which has been disturbed by exploratory drilling and probably by past logging, with a mostly very open canopy of trees 10-30 m in height. There are drilling roads throughout the area which are becoming overgrown with “razorblade” grass, Chromolaena odorata and saplings of pioneer trees such as Trema orientalis . There are no streams or wetlands within the DSO area. The area is bordered on all sides by forest. To the north, at the base of a steep slope, there appears to be an area of closed canopy forest, and the forest downslope to the southeast also appears to be in quite good condition. Figure 38. Tokadeh DSO area A seen from Mount Tokadeh, with Mounts Yuelliton and Gangra in background. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 95 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area F1 Area: 2.7 ha This area is on a northeast-facing slope between 570 and 675 m altitude. The habitat is forest, with a broken canopy but less recently disturbed by drilling roads than the main DSO areas or area A. In places, the canopy is reasonably intact and there is some shaded understorey. There are no streams or wetlands within the DSO area. The area is bordered by similar forest, and to the northeast (downslope) by low shrubs and grasses alongside a dirt road. Figure 39. Tokadeh DSO area F1. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 96 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area F2 Area: 0.8 ha This is a very small DSO area at an altitude of 560 to 590 m. Part of it lies across a dirt road, and it includes part of the slope above the road, which grades from secondary thicket and grassy vegetation into disturbed forest with an open canopy. There are no streams or wetlands within the DSO area. The area is bordered by tall forest upslope and downslope to the west, east and north, and to the south by the former mine workings of area F3. Figure 40. Lower part of Tokadeh DSO area F3, with DSO area F2 in the left middleground. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 97 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh DSO area F3 Area: 13.5 ha Approximately half of this area is occupied by a former mining pit, and consists of bare rock and soil with a sparse covering of grasses and herbs. The area incorporates part of a ridge up to 700 m altitude, along which a mining road has removed the ridge top vegetation. There are still areas of forest over about half of the area, in the southern part and below the ridge. Some of this forest is in relatively good condition, with tall trees and a near-continuous canopy; in other parts, especially along the eastern edge of the area, the forest is low and open, and apparently recovering from past heavy disturbance. According to maps, a small stream starts at the northeast edge of the area, but there are otherwise no streams or wetlands within the DSO area. The area is bordered to the north mostly by forest, which extends below the ridge line in the direction of Mount Tokadeh. To the west and southwest, the terrain descends in a steep slope, which despite its steepness has mostly been cleared of forest and is occupied only by regrowth and remnants of forest vegetation. Oil palms Elaeis guineensis are relatively abundant, suggesting that this slope was formerly farmed. To the east and south (downslope), the slopes are less steep, and have also been cleared of most of their original forest. They are now covered in thicket, abandoned farms and young secondary forest. Figure 41. Tokadeh DSO area F2. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 4, Part 1: Zoological Assessment September 2010 Page 98 of 204 ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited Western Range DSO Iron Ore Project Tokadeh waste dump 1 (w1) Area: 25.2 ha Of all of the components of the proposed Phase 1 footprint at Tokadeh, this proposed waste dump supports the most intact area of closed canopy forest.