Biodiversity Action Plan
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Environmental and Social Impact Assessment – Part 6 Project Number: 47919 April 2014 GEO: Adjaristsqali Hydropower Project Prepared by Mott MacDonald and Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC for the Asian Development Bank The environmental impact assessment is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “Terms of Use” section of this website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Biodiversity Action Plan Adjaristsqali Hydropower Cascade Project December 2013 Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC Biodiversity290039 EVT Action EMS 01Plan A http://pims01/pims/llisapi.dll/open/1516754514 1 November 2012 Adjaristsqali Hydropower Cascade Project December 2013 Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC 1. Abashidze Street 6, 6010 Batumi, Georgia Mott MacDonald, Demeter House, Station Road, Cambridge CB1 2RS, United Kingdom t +44 (0)1223 463500 f +44 (0)1223 461007, www.mottmac.com Biodiversity Action Plan Issue and revision record Revision Date Originator Checker Approver Description A 2/11/2012 Celia Figueira Vanessa Hovland Caroline McParland Draft for client review Mihai Coroi Tristan Folland Róisín Ní Mhathúna B 29/11/2012 Mihai Coroi Vanessa Hovland Final Draft Report C 11/12/2012 Mihai Coroi Vanessa Hovland Final Report D 19/07/2013 Mihai Coroi Iain Bray Lucy Morton Revised Report with IFC comments addressed (draft for client review) E 22/07/2013 Mark Barnard Lucy Morton Lucy Morton Revised report with IFC comments addressed (for issue) F 17/12/2013 Mihai Coroi Celia Figueira Lucy Morton Revised Report with stakeholder Mark Barnard comments addressed This document is issued for the party which commissioned it We accept no responsibility for the consequences of this and for specific purposes connected with the above-captioned document being relied upon by any other party, or being used project only. It should not be relied upon by any other party or for any other purpose, or containing any error or omission which used for any other purpose. is due to an error or omission in data supplied to us by other parties. This document contains confidential information and proprietary intellectual property. It should not be shown to other parties without consent from us and from the party which commissioned it. 290039/TRD/EFR/BAP/01/F 17 December 2013 http://pims01/pims/llisapi.dll/open/1516754514 Biodiversity Action Plan Content Chapter Title Page 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Adjaristsqali Hydropower Project _______________________________________________________ 1 1.1.1 Overview __________________________________________________________________________ 1 1.1.2 Project Description __________________________________________________________________ 2 1.2 Why is the Adjaristsqali Hydropower Project BAP Needed? ___________________________________ 5 1.3 Structure of this report _______________________________________________________________ 5 2. Scope of the Adjaristsqali Hydropower BAP 6 2.1 Aims and Objectives of the BAP ________________________________________________________ 6 2.2 Formulation of the Project BAP _________________________________________________________ 7 2.3 Consultation with Stakeholders and Biodiversity Experts _____________________________________ 8 2.3.1 Overview __________________________________________________________________________ 8 2.3.2 Stakeholder Categorisation ____________________________________________________________ 8 2.3.3 Stakeholder Influence/Interest Analysis _________________________________________________ 10 2.4 Study Area _______________________________________________________________________ 11 3. Legal, Regulatory, Planning and Third Party Requirements 13 3.1 Legal and Regulatory Requirements ____________________________________________________ 13 3.1.1 International Legislation and Policy _____________________________________________________ 13 3.1.2 European Union (EU) Legislation and Policy _____________________________________________ 13 3.1.3 National Legislative and Policy Framework_______________________________________________ 14 3.2 Planning and Permitting Requirements __________________________________________________ 17 3.2.1 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ____________________________________________ 17 3.3 AGL’s Environmental and Social Sustainability Policy ______________________________________ 19 3.4 Third Party Requirements ____________________________________________________________ 20 3.4.1 Overview _________________________________________________________________________ 20 3.4.2 International Finance Corporation (IFC) Standards and Guidance _____________________________ 20 3.4.3 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Standards _______________________ 21 3.4.4 Asian Development Bank (ADB) Standards ______________________________________________ 21 4. Biodiversity Baseline 23 4.1 General Approach and Methodology ___________________________________________________ 23 4.1.1 Desktop Study _____________________________________________________________________ 23 4.1.2 Field surveys ______________________________________________________________________ 24 4.1.2.1 Overview _________________________________________________________________________ 24 4.1.2.2 Vegetation and Floristic Surveys _______________________________________________________ 24 4.1.2.3 Bird Surveys ______________________________________________________________________ 25 4.1.2.4 Mammal Surveys __________________________________________________________________ 25 4.1.2.5 Reptile & Amphibian Surveys _________________________________________________________ 25 4.1.2.6 Fish and Zoo-benthos Surveys and Interviews ____________________________________________ 25 4.1.2.7 River Habitat Surveys _______________________________________________________________ 26 4.2 Ecoregions and Biodiversity Hotspots ___________________________________________________ 26 4.3 Protected and Nature Conservation Areas _______________________________________________ 27 4.3.1 Kintrishi State Nature Reserve and Important Bird Area _____________________________________ 28 4.3.2 Machakhela National Park ___________________________________________________________ 28 290039/TRD/EFR/BAP/01/F 17 December 2013 http://pims01/pims/llisapi.dll/open/1516754514 Biodiversity Action Plan 4.3.3 Mtirala National Park ________________________________________________________________ 28 4.3.4 Batumi Important Bird Area ___________________________________________________________ 29 4.3.5 Adjara-Imereti Ridge Important Bird Area ________________________________________________ 29 4.3.6 Shavsheti Ridge Important Bird Area ___________________________________________________ 29 4.3.7 Key Biodiversity Areas ______________________________________________________________ 29 4.4 Habitats __________________________________________________________________________ 30 4.4.1 Overview _________________________________________________________________________ 30 4.4.2 Main Habitats _____________________________________________________________________ 31 4.4.2.1 Shuakhevi Scheme _________________________________________________________________ 31 4.4.2.2 Koromkheti Scheme ________________________________________________________________ 32 4.4.2.3 Western Part of Study Area __________________________________________________________ 32 4.5 Flora ____________________________________________________________________________ 33 4.6 Birds ____________________________________________________________________________ 38 4.7 Mammals ________________________________________________________________________ 40 4.8 Reptiles and Amphibians ____________________________________________________________ 43 4.9 Fish _____________________________________________________________________________ 45 4.10 Invertebrates and Algae _____________________________________________________________ 46 5. Critical Habitat Assessment 48 5.1 Background Information _____________________________________________________________ 48 5.2 Determination of Critical Habitat _______________________________________________________ 48 5.2.1 Introduction _______________________________________________________________________ 48 5.2.2 Critically endangered and/or endangered species at global and/or national level _________________ 49 5.2.3 Endemic and/or restricted-range species ________________________________________________ 54 5.2.4 Migratory and/or congregatory species __________________________________________________ 55 5.2.5 Legally protected and internationally recognised areas _____________________________________ 55 5.2.6 Critical habitat trigger features ________________________________________________________ 57 5.3 Critical habitat impacts and project requirements __________________________________________ 58 5.3.1 Overview _________________________________________________________________________ 58 5.3.2 Critically endangered and/or endangered species at global and national level ____________________ 59 5.3.3 Endemic and/or restricted range species ________________________________________________ 60 5.3.4 Migratory and/or congregatory species __________________________________________________ 60 5.3.5 Legally protected