Tonkin & Taylor, in association with RJ Burnside of Canada, provided social and environmental assessment services for this US$750 million greenfield 250 MW hydropower project, situated at the source of the River Nile.
The project includes 100 km of double circuit 220 kV transmission lines and associated substations. Social and Environmental Assessments were carried out in accordance with World Bank/IFC Performance Standards, the Equator Principles and Ugandan national regulations. Specific issues which were addressed included resettlement of residents, endangered fish species, tropical disease vectors and standard construction related issues such as sediment discharges, noise and dust. Detailed Environmental Management and Monitoring Plans were developed for implementation by the client and its EPC contractor.
T&T has an ongoing advisory role during the project’s 4 year construction period, and into the operational phase.

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Tonkin & Taylor was engaged, in association with RJ Burnside of Canada, to carry out an EIA to World Bank standards, of the aquatic impacts of a proposed 70 m irrigation dam in the Lake Tana catchment, at the source of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia. A particular issue was the presence of 15 species of barbel which are known only from this catchment and may be adversely affected by the project.

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Tonkin & Taylor was engaged by Auckland City Council to undertake the design of a riparian revegetation programme for Motions Creek, at the former Seddon Fields landfill, as part of their stormwater upgrade project. Specialist input was required for assessment of the underlying landfill cap, stream bank erosion and flooding potential, and survey for the nationally threatened moss Fissidens berteroi. Additional challenges included restrictions on plant species suitable for closed landfills, the provision of public access and public safety, and high stakeholder interest.

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The development of a new 40 ha extraction pit at Hunua Quarry required the removal of streams and indigenous vegetation, including part of a nationallyimportant Site of Special Wildlife Interest (SSWI). Tonkin &Taylor was engaged to develop a Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) to meet resource consent requirements for mitigating adverse ecological effects associated with the works, primarily through habitat creation and restoration and management of adjoining remnant native forest. Particular challenges included compensating for the removal of food habitat for New Zealand’s threatened wood pigeon (kereru) and the destruction of known populations of protected lizards. Planting plans incorporated management-bylearning approaches, developing alternative methods for native forest establishment that use resources on site to reduce costs and accelerate forest restoration (e.g. use of gorse as a nurse crop for native plants).

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Tonkin &Taylor was engaged to prepare an Ecological Mitigation Plan for the new West Auckland highway alignment as mitigation for the removal of vegetation and streams. The project included designing planting plans and wildlife habitats for specialised environments such as coastal areas, riparian margins, stormwater ponds and wetlands, with the focus on creating functional ecological units. We provided ecological review and technical expertise to complement the landscape plans developed by Jasmax Ltd for the entire highway route.

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Tonkin &Taylor prepared a habitat enhancement plan for the Wainui Stream as mitigation for ecological effects of the damming and diversion of the stream for the Taharoa iron sand mine. The focus of the plan was on enhancing inanga (whitebait) spawning areas and managing potential threats to these habitats. The challenging coastal dune environment at this site, with high winds and salt spray, strongly influenced the planting design with a two-stage planting process using hardy nurse crops and extensive use of low-growing coastal shrubs and ground covers.

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