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SUMMARY:Is achieving no net loss of a globally rare species achievable for
  a mining project in the Caucasus global biodiversity hotspot possible? - 
 Pete Carey\, Tanner Group
DTSTART:20170209T130000Z
DTEND:20170209T133000Z
UID:TALK69934@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:42122
DESCRIPTION:In 2012 as part of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessme
 nt (ESIA)\, the baseline biodiversity survey for a new mine in the Vyots D
 zor region of Armenia turned up a population of a plant that was only know
 n from 5 locations globally\, Potentilla porphyrantha. The mining company 
 have a ‘no net loss of biodiversity’ policy. The Armenian have strong 
 protection laws for the Red List species\, so finding a way through the fi
 ne details and ambiguities of the wording of the Armenian environmental le
 gislation to come up with a way that the mine could go ahead so that there
  is no net loss and hopefully a net gain in biodiversity has proved very c
 hallenging\, but hopefully successful. A $600\,000 project including two P
 hD studentships and the rejuvenation of one of the botanic gardens of Arme
 nia is underway in a collaborative project between the mining company\, Th
 e Institute of Botany in Armenia\, The University of Cambridge Botanic Gar
 den and Treweek Environmental Consultants.\n\nThere are other biodiversity
  issues as there are many other species of interest\, including bears\, wo
 lves\, lynx and bezoar goats in the area. To counter the loss of valuable 
 habitat on the mountain a new national park is going to be funded in part 
 by the mining company.\n\nSo far things look promising on the ecological f
 ront as plants are surviving well in the glasshouse and on artificial rock
 eries and our understanding of the genetics of this species and some possi
 ble synonymous relatives is progressing. However\, being the go-between fo
 r the mining company and the Armenian government remains tricky.\n
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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