Environmental Base maps

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 Introduction
 The term "baseline" refers to the collection of
background information on the biophysical,
social and economic settings of proposed
project area.
 Normally, information is obtained from
secondary sources, or the acquisition of new
information through field samplings, interviews,
surveys and consultations with the public.
 The task of collecting baseline data starts right
from the period of project inception; however,
a majority of this task may be undertaken
during scoping and actual EIA.

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 Baseline data is collected for two main
purposes
 To provide a description of the current
status and trends of environmental
factors (e.g., air pollutant concentrations)
of the host area against which predicted
changes can be compared and evaluated
in terms of significance, and

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 To provide a means of detecting actual
change by monitoring once a project has
been initiated.
 Only baseline data needed to assist
prediction of the impacts contained in the
ToR and scoping report should be
collected.

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 Base Map
 Map is a representation of various features
present on the earth’s surface drawn to scale.
 A topographical map is a representation of
physical features of a given area.
 A base map is a skeleton structure of an area.
 A base map is composed of various different
features like administrative boundaries,
settlements, road network, water bodies,
railway tracks, canal, and forest etc., which are
extracted from the topo sheet.
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 Baseline Information
 Refers to collection of baseline information on
biophysical, social and economic aspects of a
project area.

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Major environmental parameters to
be considered in field
 Physical: topography, geology, soil types,
surface and ground water condition,
watershed condition, pollution levels etc.
 Biological: terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems, types flora and fauna,
environmentally sensitive wetlands,
prime agricultural land etc

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 Socio‐economic: demography,
development needs and potential,
infrastructure facilities, economic
activities etc.
 Cultural: location and state of
archeological, historical, religious sites

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 Data Sources
 Primary Sources: Result of the field and
laboratory data collected and analyzed
directly
 Secondary sources: Data collected
indirectly from published records or
documents such as Project documents,
village profile, maps, photos, internet
sources etc

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 Methods of Collection
 General methods: Literature review, map
interpretation, checklists (e.g.scaling and
questionnaire checklists, matrices etc.)
 Resource‐based methods: Scientific
instruments and techniques (inventory,
species area curve, sampling techniques)

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 Data Processing
 Raw data is converted into knowledge
and information that is more easily
comprehensible.
 Tools such as tables, graphs, maps can
be used for presentation.
 For Physical data: graphs, tables,
enumeration
 For biological data: species numbers,
volume, density, biomass can be
calculated.
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 Examples:
 According to forest Rules 1995,
 Tree volume = (girth2/16) x Height
 Biomass of a stem of a tree (pine
sp.) = Vol x Density
 Thickness of a forest:
 Dense: crown cover > 40%
 Open: crown cover between 10‐40%
 Degraded: crown cover < 10%

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 Species diversity (No. of species/Area
sampled) can also be used for processing
biological data calculated through species
richness of an area.
 Species‐area relationship is given by:
 Log S = C + Z Log A
 (S= No. of Sp, A= Area, and C & Z are
constants for a given area)

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 Socioeconomic data
 Data such as male/female, skilled/semi
skilled labor force for construction and
operational activities can be presented
through, graphs, tables, population
pyramids etc. which can be collected
through sampling (random, stratified or
mixed).

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 Collection of Baseline Data
 Baseline studies in EIA may take a long
time, hence EIA is blamed for higher
costs and delays in project
implementation.
 Therefore, the studies should be focused
on those aspects that are likely to be
affected.

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Importance of Baseline Data in Critical
Decision-making
 Four critical decision points exist in
project implementation
 Decision on Project Approval
 Decision on the Location of Project
 Decision on the Project Design
 Decision on the Operation of Project

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