See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/264351652

Book Review: Transforming data and information into knowledge. A review of

‘Monitoring biodiversity: lessons from a trans-Andean
megaproject/Monitoreo de Biodiversidad: Lecciones d...

Article  in  Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal · July 2014

DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2014.933506

CITATIONS READS

0 56

1 author:

Luis E. Sánchez
University of São Paulo
179 PUBLICATIONS   2,337 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Biodiversity Offests in limestone quarries: investigation of practices in Brazil View project

Conceptualizing impact assessment as a learning process View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Luis E. Sánchez on 23 August 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal

ISSN: 1461-5517 (Print) 1471-5465 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tiap20

Transforming data and information into

knowledge. A review of ‘Monitoring biodiversity:
lessons from a trans-Andean megaproject/
Monitoreo de Biodiversidad: Lecciones de un
megaproyecto andino’

Luis E. Sánchez

To cite this article: Luis E. Sánchez (2014) Transforming data and information into knowledge.
A review of ‘Monitoring biodiversity: lessons from a trans-Andean megaproject/Monitoreo
de Biodiversidad: Lecciones de un megaproyecto andino’, Impact Assessment and Project
Appraisal, 32:3, 253-255, DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2014.933506

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2014.933506

Published online: 28 Jul 2014.

Submit your article to this journal

Article views: 49

View related articles

View Crossmark data

Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at

http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tiap20

Download by: [Sistema Integrado de Bibliotecas USP] Date: 23 August 2016, At: 08:34

In summary, Lawrence’s practical, yet dynamic,
approach to IA education gives the reader a holistic and
concrete understanding of how challenges can be addressed
in real-life situations and not merely on a theoretical basis.
The text succeeds in providing ‘practical solutions’ for IA
processes, in particular in its suggestions for strategic
planning. It highlights all aspects of IA that should be
considered or understood before trying to complete an
assessment, and for this reason, it will very likely become a
‘go-to’ reference text for the IA community around the world.
References
Lawrence DP. 2013. Impact assessment: practical solutions to
recurrent problems and contemporary challenges. Hoboken,
NJ: Wiley.
Transforming data and information into knowledge.
A review of ‘Monitoring biodiversity: lessons from a
trans-Andean megaproject/Monitoreo de Biodiversi-
dad: Lecciones de un megaproyecto andino’, edited by
A. Alonso, F. Dallmeier, and G.P. Servat, Washington, DC,
Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press, 2013, xviii þ 429
pp., þ color plates, ISBN 978-1-935623-20-5
One positive side effect of environmental impact
assessment can be increased scientific knowledge,
especially for large projects in remote areas. Such is the
story told in this book, one of the researchers engaged in
biodiversity surveys from Western Amazon to the Pacific
Coast in Peru, ‘a biologist’s dream’, in the words of Prof.
Thomas Lovejoy, former director of the Smithsonian
Institution, a well-known research centre based in
Washington, DC, USA and famous for its museums.
Alexander von Humboldt, the early XIXth century
German mining engineer turned naturalist, the first person
to climb an Andean peak in Ecuador and to record
altitudinal vegetation variation in a mountain range, would
certainly be delighted with such an opportunity to transect
the Andes from the Amazon slopes up over the cordillera
to the dry coastal lowlands.
The project in question is a 408-km long pipeline from
gas fields in the Ayacucho Department to a liquefaction
plant and port. The pipe starts in the eastern slope of the
Andes at 2900 m above sea level in a region of upper
montane and dry forest, runs 306 km in high altitude (up to
4900 m) grasslands and wetlands to descend to the coastal
plains deserts. The project is unrelated to the controversial
Camisea gas field development, which also had the
involvement of the Smithsonian in biological surveys and
in designing mitigation (Dallmeier et al. 2002).
The subject of the book is the so-called biodiversity
monitoring and assessment program (BMAP), part of the
biodiversity action plan (BAP), itself unfolding from the
environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA)
process.
Book Reviews 253
Noble BF. 2010. Introduction to environmental impact assess-
ment: a guide to principles and practice. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Claire K. Crowley
Department of Geography and Planning,
University of Saskatchewan, Canada
claire.crowley@usask.ca
Jill Gunn
Department of Geography and Planning and School of
Environment and Sustainability,
University of Saskatchewan, Canada
jah127@mail.usask.ca
q 2014, Claire K. Crowley and Jill Gunn
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2014.929344
In 2007, after the ESIA was completed and the
government approval was obtained, the project proponent
approached the Smithsonian Institution for assistance in
developing a BMAP, whose results are presented in this
book.
Outcomes are summarized by Dr Steven Monfort,
Director of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology
Institute in his foreword: ‘nearly 40 science-based
mitigation recommendations and conservation actions
that are already being put into practice’ (p. xvi), including
avoiding development ‘within critical areas of high
biodiversity’.
The book is bilingual (English and Spanish) and
features 19 chapters, most with black and white
illustrations, and 32 color plates in between. A total of
57 authors wrote the chapters, structured as journal papers.
Each chapter features an abstract, key words, and the
classical contents of a research paper with introduction,
methods, results, and discussion.
Four chapters are likely of most interest to the non-
specialist. In the first, ‘Historical framework to develop the
biodiversity monitoring and assessment program across
the Peruvian Andes’, the history of the project is featured
alongside key dates, such as the 2005 completion of the
ESIA, and information about funding, provided by a pool
of export credit agencies, the International Finance
Corporation and the Inter-American Development Bank.
International guidelines were used to develop the 2005
BAP. This plan included the development of an
‘ecological field survey’ (EFS) to ‘identify sensitive
species and habitats’ within a 50 m wide right of way and a
vegetation survey along a 25 m wide corridor that provided
information on the ‘numbers and locations of individuals
of each sensitive plan species’. These detailed surveys
followed the baseline study of a 3 –7 km wide corridor
during ESIA preparation. The BAP also has a monitoring
component, whose implementation triggered the involve-
ment of the Smithsonian. For the Institution, ‘a lack of
detailed scientific data about the region and the status of
254 Book Reviews
species and habitats of potential conservation concern’
(p. 8) represented an opportunity to increase knowledge.
The chapter on the ‘Ecological landscapes units’
describes 14 landscape types mapped in the study area.
Such units correspond to ‘drainage basins, mountain
systems, or other geographic features with common
attributes and functionality’, representing a combination
of physical and ecological characteristics. Mapping was
part of the EFS subsequent to the ESIA. Its purpose was to
provide a background to establish species and habitat
sensitivity analysis (as a means of determining monitoring
priorities) and to design ‘ecological action plans’ tailor-
made for each unit. The chapter briefly describes each unit
but does not elaborate on further use of this information,
which is to be found in the next chapter (chapters in the
book are not numbered).
In the chapter ‘Biodiversity monitoring and assess-
ment framework for an infrastructure megaproject in the
Peruvian Andes’, the structure of the research project is
explained. Its goals are stated as ‘to understand the status
and trends of selected species and habitats’, ‘to assess the
effectiveness of the company’s mitigation efforts’, and ‘to
contribute to the knowledge of the biodiversity in the
region’. The book focuses on the first and on the third goal.
The design of the project was guided by a focus on ‘species
and habitats of conservation concern’. A prioritization
process was defined to scope in monitoring targets.
The process of selecting what should be monitored is
noteworthy and certainly of interest for monitoring
biodiversity impacts of other projects in any region of
the world. From a baseline that listed hundreds of species
(mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and plants) –
and proved the area to have high diversity in all groups
studied – to the subsequent EFS and an additional
vegetation survey along the right of way, a total 145
species and habitats were selected as ‘important’, therefore
as candidates for monitoring. These were classified
according to five levels of priority, considering infor-
mation on (i) conservation status (according to the IUCN
red list and Peruvian government lists); (ii) level of
endemism; (iii) mobility; and (iv) other (including a basket
of practical criteria, such as access and security). As a
result, 32 monitoring targets were selected: 9 species of
plants, 3 genera of fish, 3 genera of amphibians, 3 taxa of
reptiles, 4 species of mammals, and 3 habitats. Examples
are Platalina genovensium, a critically endangered bat,
Atlapetes melanopsis, a bird endemic to humid montane
forests, and ‘hydromorphic habitats’.
For each selected target a peer-reviewed ‘assessment
protocol’ was developed. The book provides a template of
such protocol. Besides describing operational procedures,
field work logistics, and other practicalities, the protocols
state the ‘scientific questions and hypothesis’, sampling
and data analysis requirements, training, mentoring and
capacity building as well as strategies for publication.
Therefore, the monitoring approach is not only
science-driven, but also designed to overcome a common
gap in ESIA follow-up, where data and information are not
built into knowledge (Sánchez 2012). Instead of stacking
Terabytes of information in files, BMAP aims at building
knowledge that can be fed back into project management
and used for future environmental assessments.
Fifteen chapters deal with fauna and flora, either
focusing on a particular species or groups, and habitats: the
seasonal dry forest and the peat bogs known as bofedales –
a unique high-altitude community characterized by high
levels of humidity. The chapter ‘Vegetation restoration in
Andean environments: accomplishments and challenges’
presents results of two campaigns of evaluation of
revegetation inside the pipeline’s right of way.
The final chapter, ‘Developing and implementing a
biodiversity monitoring program for a trans-Andean
megaproject: accomplishments, limitations and transfer-
able knowledge’ summarizes lessons learned, the
strengths, and limitations of the approach. A series of
practical recommendations are made, including, among
others: (1) obtaining senior management and investors
commitment, (2) using a landscape-scale approach as well
as different spatial scales when assessing biodiversity
values and conservation priorities, (3) ensuring scientific
independence for the research partner, (4) the need of
consulting with experts and stakeholders, (5) the
importance of aligning the goals of biodiversity monitor-
ing with company needs, (6) conducting a systematic
prioritization to select what is to be monitored, (7)
developing peer-reviewed research-oriented monitoring
protocols, and (8) maintaining regular communication
with government officials. Authors also acknowledge
limitations and problems encountered, such as staff
turnover both in the company and in government, and
the occasional perception, by project staff and company
contractors, of the biodiversity team as another contractor,
not as ‘partners’, as stressed by the authors in different
chapters.
Color plates illustrate the landscapes, fieldwork,
particular species, and aspects of the construction works.
A remarkable absence, however, is a comprehensive
map. The book format (19.5 cm £ 27.5 cm) would have
been favorable for inserting a couple of maps in larger
scales. Actually, the four-color maps are really small scale,
ranging from 1:6,600,000 to 1:21,000,000.
The reader may also be curious about costs. The
editors do not make any mention, but the first question a
manager will ask when considering a robust biodiversity
monitoring program will be: ‘how much does it cost?’
Hence, some disclosure would be welcome and would
contribute to the scarce literature on costs of environmen-
tal follow-up (Sánchez & Gallardo 2005). This would be a
welcome addition to a book that focuses extensively on the
benefits of a science-based approach: increased knowl-
edge, capacity building of researchers, professionals and
institutions in Peru, adaptive management responses,
habitat restoration, avoided impacts on biodiversity, and
conservation actions. In this sense, the book shows that
appropriate environmental management and follow-up of
a project results not only in an enormous amount of data
and information, but also and foremost in knowledge that
can be used to strengthen the management of this project
as well as the assessment of other projects.

Monitoring Biodiversity summarizes lessons learned
in the design and implementation of a robust science-based
monitoring program of a large project. It should serve as
inspiration for project managers and decision-makers
worldwide. For those with an interest in the approach,
besides reading the book, I suggest a visit to the website:
www.bmap.com.pe (in English and Spanish).
References
Dallmeier F, Alonso A, Jones M. 2002. Planning an adaptive
management process for biodiversity conservation and
resource development in the Camisea river basin. Environ
Monit Assess. 76(1):1 – 17.
The environmental impact statement after two
generations: managing environmental power, by
Michael R. Greenberg, Abingdon, Routledge, 2012, 229
p., US$53.95 (pbk), ISBN 978-0-415-60174-0 (paperback,
also available in hardback and as e-book)
More than 40 years ago, environmental impact assessment
(EIA) became legally required in the USA, inaugurating a
practice that would spread all over the world and would be
embedded into international agreements.
How did EIA evolve in its cradle? Answering to this
question is what suggests the title of the book, which digs
into the vast experience of the author, featuring seven case
studies that share part of his life-long learning.
Specializing in risk assessment and health impacts,
Professor Michael Greenberg wrote several books and
more than 300 articles. This book, however, is not the kind
of scholarly volume that requires concentration and
careful thought. It reads like a conversation with the
author, who explains every case in detail, but not at
exhaustion.
Six case chapters make up the bulk of the book,
featuring seven projects. A short history and a reflection on
the challenges ahead are, respectively, presented as the
introduction and conclusions.
The presentation of all case studies follows a similar
format. Greenberg first exposes the context, needs and
purpose, and the rationale for each project, the government
agencies involved, and, where needed, a simplified
description of the technology. Maps, photos or diagrams
help the reader to understand the setting.
Once the reader is acquainted with the project, the
environmental impact statement (EIS) is summarized. For
each case, a table synthesizes the impacts dealt with.
Reactions from the public, Court cases and other
developments are then presented. In addition to presenting
his own critical view, the author conducted interviews
with one relevant participant or observer in each case.
Each chapter concludes with a discussion of five
questions: (1) adequacy of information presented in the
EIS; (2) comprehensiveness of the assessment, i.e.
environmental, economic and social factors as well as
View publication stats
Book Reviews 255
Sánchez LE. 2012. Information and knowledge management. In:
Perdicoúlis A, Durning B, Palframan L, editors. Furthering
environmental impact assessment. Cheltenham: Edward
Elgar; p. 19 – 38.
Sánchez LE, Gallardo ALCF. 2005. On the successful
implementation of mitigation measures. Impact Assess Proj
Appraisal. 23(3):182– 190.
Luis E. Sánchez
University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
lsanchez@usp.br
q 2014, Luis E. Sánchez
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2014.933506
consideration of cumulative impacts; (3) evidence of
meaningful coordination among government agencies; (4)
accessibility to stakeholders and corresponding opportu-
nities to provide meaningful input and (5) what would
have happened to the project if there had not been an EIS
process.
Cases selected cover a wide range of situations where
EIA was applied, from restoring a heritage place to
managing nuclear waste, from densely populated urban
areas to a remote atoll in the Pacific and from the early
1970s to the 2000s (Table 1).
The cases were handpicked to exemplify different
situations. They include a private project subject to a
decision by a regulatory agency (Sparrows Point), a
‘notable public involvement process’ (Savannah nuclear
waste), an ‘ethical challenge’ in the transportation of
chemical weapons stockpiled in Germany to be inciner-
ated in a military base in the middle of the Pacific
(Johnston Island) and ‘one of the longest-standing ( . . . )
debates about a single project that has ever occurred in the
Unites States’ (Animas-La Plata).
With such a diverse array of cases, the author does not
claim any representativeness of the thousands of EISs
prepared in the USA over two generations. Yet, he
ventures into drawing conclusions which actually come
not only from the case studies, but also from his long
experience.
Politics is acknowledged as part of the game in
government decision-making and appears in every case,
from local politicians’ support to a light rail scheme in
New Jersey to an aid to ‘overcome State and local
opposition’ in the Ellis Island restoration project. In the
gas terminal case, Greenberg goes as far as to wonder
whether the EIS process had been ‘adjusted to meet a need
that the administration of George W. Bush and the US
Congress believed to be critical to the national economy’
(p. 110).
Greenberg dismisses the possibility of a major reform
of the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA), as it
‘appears to be trapped in uncommon partisan politics’
(p. 195). As a remedy, he proposes a number of small
adjustments, which he calls ‘patches’ and two ‘major