Surfbirds News

Officials in Tanzania are to assess plans for a soda ash plant on Lake Natron, the world's single most important breeding site for the Near Threatened Lesser Flamingo, where more than a million of these beautiful birds nest.

Lesser Flamingo © Tar János, from the surfbirds galleries

They will advise Environment Minister Mark Mwandosya on whether to allow Lake Natron Resources, jointly owned by the Tanzanian Government and the Indian company TATA Chemicals, to pump more than 100,000 litres of freshwater and 550,000 litres of brine (saltwater) from the area every hour, for the production of soda ash, a material used in glass and dye production.

The lake is the only reliable breeding site in East Africa for the Lesser Flamingo. All the 1.5 - 2.5 million Lesser Flamingos alive in East Africa today were probably hatched at Lake Natron - Africa's "flamingo factory".

A coal-fired power station, road and rail links and housing for 1,200 construction workers would be built at the site. The development would seriously harm tourism in three countries, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia, and could cause Lake Natron’s international wetland designation to be withdrawn.

The leaders of conservation groups in 23 African countries have signed a petition urging the Tanzanian government to turn down the proposal and their campaign has been backed by naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

Sir David said: “Lake Natron’s vast flocks of shimmering pink flamingos are one of the world’s greatest wildlife attractions. These spectacular birds deserve the strongest protection we can offer them.

“Any threat to their future would not only be an ecological disaster, it would deal a huge blow to tourism in East Africa which helps ensure the survival of the region’s spectacular wildlife and wild places.”

As well, there are questions why International protocols such as Ramsar, Convention on Migratory Species, and closer home, the Protocol on Environment of the East African Community, were not considered during the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process.

The ESIA report states that “it must be recognised that the limited knowledge available on the functioning of the Lake Natron ecosystem as it relates to the Lesser Flamingo strongly suggests that the project will entail a significant degree of risk for this species in the longer term that is not capable of direct mitigation”. Other serious impacts the report cites as significant are "the increase of HIV/AIDS in existing resident population and increased pressure on the grazing land of the Masai community".

Proponents of the scheme cite its economic benefits in terms of profit, tax revenues and jobs. However, the report indicates that "no casual labour recruitment of any sort except from major towns outside the Ramsar site" - including during construction phase. They also ignore the potential negative effects on the environment and tourism, one of the major sources of foreign exchange in both Tanzania and Kenya. The tourist industry in Tanzania employs over 200,000 people directly, and provides many more jobs indirectly.

Ato Mengistu Wondafrash, of BirdLife International’s Africa Partnership, said: “Lake Natron secures a way of life for nomadic communities and the flamingos produce a thriving tourist economy. To jeopardize Africa's "flamingo factory" for an ill-considered development would be economic, and moral, suicide.”

Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson, Head of BirdLife’s Africa Division, said: “Africa is making great strides towards conserving its immense biodiversity and Tanzania must think clearly of what this decision on Lake Natron will say of its environmental credentials.

“This is a clear opportunity for the Tanzanian government to continue showing moral and environmental responsibility in Africa by taking a decision not to proceed with the soda ash development.”