Evaluation and description of the biodiversity of Okouma and Bafoula plateaux

COMILOG, the Gabonese subsidiary of the ERAMET group operates the Moanda manganese mine located on the Bangombé plateau in the province of Haut-Ogooué in Gabon. The Okouma and Bafoula plateaux, which represent important manganese resources, are located in COMILOG’s concession. The company plans to switch this resource to reserve status. The purpose of this study is to conduct a pre-environmental diagnostic of biodiversity issues (fauna and flora). It is a prerequisite for the Environmental Management and Social Plan (PGES) that would be implemented if the deposit were to be exploited in coming years.

We conducted a field visit in October 2015 to assess conservation issues on the study site and map habitats (based on field observations and photo-interpretation of satellite images). Our report presents a baseline and a pre-diagnostic of biodiversity issues, as well as an initial strategic approach to biodiversity management in accordance with the IFC’s performance standard no. 6.