47381-005: Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program
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Environmental Compliance Audit Report and Corrective Action Plan Project Number: 47381-005 December 2019 SRI: Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program Upper Elahera Canal Project (Part 3 of 4) Prepared by Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment for Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Asian Development Bank. This environmental compliance audit report and corrective action plan 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. Corrective Action Plan - December, 2019 KMTC Contract Package of UECP of MWSIP, Sri Lanka Annexure 2 The “Ecological Assessment of Forest Land in Nawaneliya-Belgoda Reserve Forest, Naula, Matale-Final Report (June, 2019)” prepared by IUCN Page 27 of 33 Ecological Assessment of a Forest Land in Nawaneliya - Beligoda Reserve Forest, Naula, Matale. Final Report June, 2019 IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Sri Lanka Country Office Technical Contributors Mr. Sampath de A Goonatilake - Field Team Leader/ Fauna Ecologist Prof. Devaka Weerakoon - Biodiversity Expert Mr. Naalin Perera - Fauna Ecologist Mr. Sarath Ekanayake - Plant Ecologist Dr. Shamen Vidanage - Environment Economist Mr. Rohana Jayasekara - Fauna Ecologist Mr. Ananda Lal Peiris - Fauna and Flora Assistant Ms. Gayani Hewawasan – Legal Expert Technical Assistance Mr. Tharanga Wijewickrama - Flora Expert Ms. Padmi Meegoda GIS Mapping Ms. Darshani Wijesinghe Front & back cover pictures – Cleared road left bank of the Kambarawa Oya (front cover); Disturbed stream bed at Kambarawa Oya (back cover) © Sampath de A Goonatilake @IUCN Sri Lanka i TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents ................................................................................................................... ii Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ v Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... vi 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Methodological Approach .............................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Study Area ............................................................................................................ 2 1.2.2 Biodiversity assessment ........................................................................................ 3 1.2.2a Flora ................................................................................................................ 4 Ecosystem and species diversity ........................................................................... 4 Assessment of canopy cover in 5mx50m transects (8 Nos.) .................................. 4 Estimation of merchantable timber volume in 5mx50m transects (8 Nos.) ............. 4 Estimation of forest carbon .................................................................................... 5 1.2.2b Fauna .............................................................................................................. 5 1.2.2c Identification of taxa ......................................................................................... 5 1.2.2d Critical species and Critical habitats ................................................................ 6 1.2.3 Physical damage ................................................................................................... 7 1.2.4 Biological damage ................................................................................................. 8 1.2.5 Cost estimation/valuation .................................................................................... 10 1.2.6 Biodiversity offsets .............................................................................................. 10 2. Results and Discussion ................................................................................................ 11 2.1 Legality of clearing forest outside of the approved area ............................................... 11 2.1.1 Under the Forest Ordinance ................................................................................ 11 2.1.2 Under the National Environmental Act (NEA) ...................................................... 12 2.2 Ecological profile of the affected area .......................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Ecosystem diversity ............................................................................................ 12 2.3 Habitat diversity ........................................................................................................... 14 2.4 Species diversity .......................................................................................................... 15 2.4.1 Floral diversity ..................................................................................................... 15 2.4.2 Faunal diversity ................................................................................................... 16 Freshwater crabs ................................................................................................. 17 Land Snails .......................................................................................................... 18 Dragonflies .......................................................................................................... 18 Butterflies ............................................................................................................ 18 Freshwater fish .................................................................................................... 18 Amphibians .......................................................................................................... 18 ii Reptiles ............................................................................................................... 19 Birds .................................................................................................................... 19 Mammals ............................................................................................................. 19 2.5 Critical habitats ............................................................................................................ 20 2.6 Environmental Impact due to the illegal road construction ........................................... 23 2.6.1 Physical impact ................................................................................................... 23 2.6.2 Slope unsatbility .................................................................................................. 26 2.7 Biological impact .......................................................................................................... 27 2.7.1 Loss of plant species ........................................................................................... 27 2.7.2 Loss of canopy cover .......................................................................................... 27 2.7.3 Loss of timber volume ......................................................................................... 27 2.7.4 Loss of carbon storage ........................................................................................ 27 2.8 Impact on faunal groups and habitats .......................................................................... 27 2.9 Cost estimation/valuation ............................................................................................. 28 2.9.1 Estimates based on Benefit Transfer................................................................... 28 2.9.2 Estimates based on Field data ............................................................................ 28 2.9.3 Value of lost forest organic matter ....................................................................... 28 2.9.4 Value of lost timber ............................................................................................. 29 2.9.5 Value of soil ........................................................................................................ 29 2.9.6 Value of lost forest carbon ................................................................................... 29 2.10 Biodiversity Offset to compensate for the long term damage ..................................... 29 3. Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 30 3.1 Legal enforcement ....................................................................................................... 30 3.2 Damage & restoration .................................................................................................. 30 4. Restoration plan ........................................................................................................... 31 4.1 Remove the abandoned truck from the