ECOLOGICAL FEASIBILITY

Biological Environment

The proposed sanitary landfill is located northeast of Passi City, about 13 kilometers from the City Centre. Ocular inspection of the site has been conducted to identify plants and animals species found in the survey area. It should be noted that such a rapid one-time survey for the purposes of the feasibility study can at best identify the basic components and conditions of a local ecosystem for orientation; and hence, allows only for limited conclusions as to the overall composition of the existing ecosystem.

The proposed landfill site and its surrounding areas show a rolling to rugged topography. The area is situated on a gully head of an intermittent stream. The slope angles of the gully sides range from 20º to 40º. The elevation of the area ranges from a maximum of 100 meters above mean sea level and 60 meters in the lowest portion. The area is not suitable for intensive agriculture production; however, it has been used extensively for growing corn, rice, timber and fruit trees in the last two (2) decades.

Flora

The plant society in the survey area is typical for land developed and cultivated by man in the region. Principally, the area and its ecosystem, characterized by decades of agricultural land use, do not show unusual features compared to similar areas in the region. A total of 41 plant species were identified in the survey area. Only common and very common plant species were identified during the survey.

The majority of the trees are fast growing timber tree species introduced to the Philippines and planted at the site within the last 15 years. Predominant among these are gmelina arborea, acacia mangium and swietena macrophylla. The trees are primarily planted on the upper slopes and higher elevations of the study area. The lower slopes are generally covered by bushes and grass, predominantly imperata sp. Pockets of banana (musa spp.) and bamboo are located in depressions. On the clay-loam soils of the gully sole, oriza sativa and zea mais are being cultivated, depending on the season. Around the two dwellings located in the area various ornamental plants (hibiscus, ixora spp, bandera española, codiaeum variegatum), vegetables (salanum melongena, capsisum frutecens, cucurbita maxima, basella alba, corchorus eliturius, colocasia esculenta) and fruit trees (manifera indica, sanduricum hoetjape, artucapus hetero phyllus) could be identified.

The following table shows the plant species found during the rapid survey.

FAMILY	SCIENTIFIC NAME	COMMON NAME	Status
Forest Trees
	Acacia mangium	Mangium	vc
Meliaceae	Swietania macrophylla	Mahogany	vc
Mimosaceae	Leucena leucocephala	Ipil-ipil	vc
Mimosaceae	Samonea saman	Acasia	vc
Verbenacceae	Gmelina arborea	Gmelina	vc
Fruit Trees
Anacardiaceae	Manifera Indica	Mango	cu
Caricaceae	Carica Papaya	Papaya	cu
Meliaceae	Sandoricum Koatjape	Santol	c
Moraceae	Artcar heterophyllus	Langka, Jackfruit	cu
Moringaceae	Moringa Oleifera	Malungay, Horse Radish	cu
Myrtaceae	Pouteria rivicoa	Tisa	c
Palmae	Cocos nucifera	Niyog	cu
Rutaceae	Citrus grandis	Suha	cu
Shrubs, Vines
Asteraceae	Bilens Pilosa	Tubak-tubak	c
Asteraceae	Chromolaena adorata	Hagonoy	c
Caesalpiniaceae	Cassia Lora L.	Balatong Aso	c
Euphorbiaceae	Mahinot Escularta Crantz	Kamoteng Kahoy	c
Basellaceae	Basella alba	Alugbati	cu
Malvaceae	Hibiscus – rosa – sinensis	Gumamela, Hibiscus	cu
Solanaceae	Solonum melongene	Talong	cu
Solanaceae	Caapsicum frutescens L.	Sili	cu
Cucurbitaceae	Cucurbita maxima	Kalabasa	cu
Cucurbitaceae		Ampalaya, Bitter Gourd	cu
Grass, Herbs, Misc
		Baho-baho	c
	Amoranthus sp	kulitis	c
	Euphorbia hirta	Tawa-tawa	c
	chromolaena odorata	hagonoy	c
	Sascharun spontanneum	talahib	c
Mimosaceae	Mimosa pudica	Huya-huya	c
Poaceae	Paspalum conjugatum	Carabao grass	c
Poaceae	Imperata cylindicia	Cogon	vc
Poaceae	Rottoellia xaltata	Bugang	vc
Araceae	Colocasia esculenta	Gabi	c
Araceae	corchorus eliturius	saluyot	cu
Musaceae	Musa sp.	Saging	cu
Poaceae	Oryza Sativa	Palay, Reis	cu
Poaceae	Zea Mays	Mais, Corn	cu
Poaceae	Bambusa bulgaris	Kawayan	cu
	Ixora spp	santan	cu
	codiaeum variegatum	San Francisco	cu
	bandera española		cu
vc = very common    c = common   cu = cultivated

Fauna

It is important to note, here even more than with the botanical part of the survey, that the data presented is a result of a single rapid appraisal supplemented with some interviews of residents. Neither the time nor the deployed manpower was sufficient to undertake a complete ecological study of the area. The result can not be considered as a complete inventory of the various territorial species of the project site. Moreover, it may not be reflective of the pattern of occurrence over a period of time since there are species which are seasonal in occurrence and distribution. The study can at best identify the basic components and conditions of the local ecology.

A total of 27 animal species were identified in the survey area. Only common and very common animal species were identified during the survey.

The following table shows the animal species found during the rapid

Family	Species	Location	Status
Avis (Birds
Pittidae	Pitta sp.	Alimukon	c
Anatidae	Anas p.	Tugtog, Wild Duck	c
Cresulidae	Centropus sinesis	Kukok	c
Rollidae	Gallinula chloropus	Tikling	c
Turnicidae	Turnix sylvatica	Ombok, Pugo	c
Phasianidae	Gallus gallus	Chicken	d
Estrildidae	Lonchura malacea	Mayang pula	c
Columbidae	Geopelia striata	Kurokukok	c
Mammalia
	Felis domestica	Cat	d
	Canis familia	Dog	d
	Bubauso bubalis	Carabao	d
	Sus spp.	Pig	d
	Bos taurus	Cow	d
Reptilia, Amphibia
Iguanidae	Anolis sp.	Tambalihan	c
	Lycalon audicus	Common Snake	c
	Aguena	Halo	c
Ranidae	Raera Spp.	Frog	vc
Insecta
Accidadae	Gastrimargus marmoratus	Grasshopper	vc
	Plastingia liburnia	Butterfly	c
Formicidae	Pogo myrmis sp.	Small Red filed ants	vc
Formicidae	Monomnium minimum	Black Ants	vc
Hesperidae	Plastingia liburnia	Yellow & Brown butterfly	c
Tettagoniidae	Melanoplus sp.	Brown Common grasshopper	c
Apidae	Bombus sp.	Bumble bee	c
		Dragon Fly	c
Cicadellidae	Graphocephala sp.	Green leaf hopper	c
c = common   vc = very common      d = domesticated

Only domesticated mammals could be found during the survey. The observed reptiles and insects are generally those associated with grassland communities (iguana, snakes, grass hoppers, butterflies, beetles, wasps, ants, etc). In the wetter parts of the area (rice paddies) dragonflies, frogs and mosquitoes were abundant. The question whether the observed birds actually are residents of the area or are transient has to remain open.

Summary and Conclusion

The composition of plant and animal life in the survey area is characterized by long extensive agricultural use. Generally, the lower elevations show grassland characteristics with occasional pockets of bushes and wetland-type places in depressions. The higher elevations are planted with fast growing trees; a considerable area is dedicated to agricultural production. Most of the plant and animal species are common or very common; none of the species encountered during the survey is endangered or protected. A considerable part of the species are cultivated or domesticated. The trees are generally not indigenous to the Philippines, and have been introduced during the last 30 years. The study area shows no unusual features compared to similar areas in the region.

Disturbances, changes and complete disappearance of certain habitats during the construction and operation can not be avoided. Contamination through leachate, uncontrolled gas emission, noise pollution and emission of odor will not occur in a properly designed and operated landfill. However the loss of living area, the clearing of vegetation, the disturbances through noise emission and regular activities (presence of people and machinery) at the landfill must be considered. These environmental changes may lead to the migration or disappearance of some of the species from the survey area, especially such species which react very sensitively to environmental changes. However, it can be expected that these species may find new habitation in the immediate vicinity which offers very similar environmental conditions.

It is highly recommended to implement mitigating measures. Through well planned and executed enhancement planting of indigenous fruit bearing and flower producing trees a considerable improvement of the local bio diversity can be achieved. The more diversified environment will offer a better source to attract local fauna, hence resulting in an improved overall biodiversity situation.

Impact Identification, Assessment and Mitigation/Enhancement

The following tables summarize the significant project-related impacts on the natural environment. The individual impacts are characterized according to their nature, their permanence and duration. As far as possible, measures which may mitigate negative impacts or enhance positive impacts are listed accordingly.

Legend for Impact Assessment Tables

Nature:	N = negative	or P = positive
Duration:	ST = short term	or LT = long term
Permanence:	R = reversible	or IR = irreversible

IMPACT	IMPACT ASSESSMENT						MITIGATION/ENHANCEMENT
	NATURE		DURATION		PERMANENCE
soil disturbance, removal or loss of topsoil, and soil erosion from earthmoving activities		N	ST		R		-proper phasing and/or scheduling of earthmoving activities -proper stockpiling of scraped soil -backfill open cuts immediately -utilisation of excavated soil at site -installation of soil erosion protection measures
siltation (and eutrophication) of nearby water bodies from eroded soil		N	ST		R		-backfill open cuts immediately -installation of soil erosion protection measures -proper stockpiling of scraped soil -soil traps before water bodies
damage / loss of existing vegetation from land-clearing activities		N			R		-incorporate the existing vegetation with the landscape of the proposed project -retain matured tree species if possible -transplant ecologically valuable trees in suitable location -increase biodiversity through enhancing existing flora by planting of indigenous species -exclude sensitive habitats from site development -direct heavy equipment away from sensitive habitats -implement Information Education Communication (IEC) activities to -raise people’s awareness to preserve and protect important floral and -faunal species and habitats found near or within the project site
destruction of habitats and decrease or loss of animals from land-clearing activities		N	ST		R
preservation / enhancement of existing habitats	P			LT	R
improvement of general landscape of project site from replanting activities	P			LT	R
alteration of local drainage pattern	P	N		LT		IR	Installation of drainage system
noise and dust generation through construction work		N	ST		R		-Use of modern, well maintained equipment -Use of silenced equipment
air and soil pollution through machinery use		N	ST			IR	-Use of modern, well maintained equipment -No maintenance and repair of equipment on site
change of landscape and view	P	N		LT		IR	-Proper landscaping and design of landfill -Proper rehabilitation
leachate contamination of surface and groundwater resources		N		L		I	-install adequate liner system, drainage system, and leachate collection and treatment facility -operate leachate collection and treatment facility according to technical standards -No release of treated leachate that does not meet standards -provide impermeable material underneath compost heap / pile -provide covering material over compost heap during heavy rains -provide proper drainage system around composting area -provide designated storage area for mature compos -maintain proper moisture level and gas exchange in compost
uncontrolled gas emission and gas explosions		N		L		I	-Install proper gas venting system -Check gas venting system regularly -No compacted intermediate layers in landfill -No open fire on landfill site, no smoking
air pollution through waste burning		N		L		I	Regular waste cover on landfill No open fire Controlled gas venting
emission of foul odor		N	S		R		-Cover landfill waste regularly -Implement segregation policy -implement “first in, first out” policy in processing organic wastes -maintain proper moisture level and gas exchange in compost provide -vegetation buffer/s around the composting area -provide temporary storage area for unprocessed wastes
proliferation of flies, rodents and other disease-carrying vectors		N	ST		R		-Cover waste regularly -Conduct regular vermin control -cover compost heap / pile with soil or any suitable material -provide fencing material around composting

Prepared by Frank Boemer, GTZ-AHT, Short Term Expert