- Environics was previously assigned to prepare a study aiming at selecting and preserving an area to offset the coastal area which was lost as a result of the construction of Burullus Power Plant, to be brought under the management of the Northern Protectorates Department of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA).
- The study was divided into two phases. Among the six potential offset areas proposed in the first phase (the Scoping Report), the EEAA selected El Showeila offset area (Matrouh Governorate) for potential future preservation.
- Accordingly, the second phase of the study included detailed investigations of El Showeila coastal habitats to assess in details the area potentiality as a protected area. EEAA requested to include the marine environment facing the coastal area proposed for preservation to the protected area. However, As per International Funding Institutions (IFIs) requirements, the objective of the study was to offset the coastal habitats, which were lost due to the construction of the Burullus Power Plant. Therefore, marine surveys were out of the scope of Environics’ assignment and were not performed.
- In this respect, “Mainstreaming the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into the tourism development and operations in threatened ecosystems in Egypt” (The Project) has requested from Environics to participate in a workshop aiming at presenting El Showeila study and findings to EEAA representatives in order to discuss the forthcoming steps required to declare El Showeila a Protected Area, and fulfill, accordingly, one of the Project’s main targets.
- Environics scope of work included:
- Preparing a presentation on El Showeila Offset Area study to display its main physical, biological and socio-economic characteristics, ecological value, area potentialities and constraints and investigation requirements to include the marine environment to the proposed protected area.
- Respond to the queries raised by the workshop attendees; and
- Participate in discussions concerning the way forward and forthcoming activities.
