Effects of Standard-gauge Railway Development on Biodiversity and Forest Conservation

Le résumé fourni par la source

The standard-gauge railway line is being built to connect the port of Dar es Salaam with interior regions as well as neighbouring nations. The railway line goes through some protected areas, including Pugu and Ruvu forests. Assessment of the project’s impact on forest conditions was conducted using inventory surveys and remotely sensed data. Results showed that there have been substantial impacts on the forest, resulting in loss of forest cover, runoff disturbances, habitat loss and ecosystem fragmentation. It was revealed that approximately 156.54 ha, representing 3% of total forest cover, has been lost or degraded. This was due to construction activities necessitating the removal of different vegetation types of about 8227.64 m3, resulting in potential emissions of about 35,095 tons of CO2 equivalent. However, EIA and ESIA have been observed to minimize the impact. We recommend close monitoring of restoration programmes in the respective forests.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.