LEGACY HOLDINGS EIA: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON PLOT 1473/M IN THE MOSI-OA-TUNYA NATIONAL PARK
FOR THE PROPOSED “MOSI-OA-TUNYA HOTEL AND COUNTRY CLUB ESTATE PROJECT” IN LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA

Introduction
This Environment Impact Statement Report on the proposed Mosi-Oa-Tunya Hotel and Country
Club Estate Project has been prepared to comply with the requirements of the Environmental
Council of Zambia (ECZ).
It is the intention of the developers to follow the "eco-tourism" guidelines produced by the
Livingstone Tourism Association. Visitors will be encouraged to enjoy the many activities in the
area which will be offered such as walks, white water rafting, canoe trips, river cruises and game
drives in the vicinity of the site.
The Mosi-Oa-Tunya Hotel and Country Club Estate will be an environmentally sensitive tourism
development along the banks of the Zambezi River as well as the Maramba River. The
construction of all the new building structures on the site will comply with the specified building
line recommended by the existing legislation.
The Mosi-Oa-Tunya Hotel and Country Club Estate Project will employ about 1000 permanent
staff and an estimated 18000 jobs overall to the economy to carter for the increased tourism
traffic that will be generated by the project and most of the members of staff will be drawn from
the Livingstone area. The project intends to target clients from the local regional and
international market for its two 5 star hotels.

Tourism Potential in Zambia
Zambia has vast potential for sustainable economic development through effective exploitation
of its natural resources. One of these areas through which this can be achieved is the tourism
sector. Until recently, Zambia’s tourism industry has been treated as an insignificant component
of the nation’s economy. However, the Government has reclassified it from a social sector into
an economic sector due to its role in national development. The tourism sector has greatly
contributed in employment creation, foreign exchange earning, local economic growth and it
has also acted as a catalyst for rural development among others.
Tourism is the largest income generating activity in the Victoria Falls area with a total of 36
operational accommodation units on both sides of the river. In comparison with regional
neighbours Zimbabwe in particular, the Zambian side is far less developed a fact that is seen to
enhance the visitor experience in Zambia. With the opening of other International and local
lodges in Livingstone, there are now slightly over 1000 beds available on the Zambian side as
compared to 3000 beds on the Zimbabwean side of the river. With the collapse of the
manufacturing industry in Livingstone, tourism has become the main contributor to employment
creation and the local cash economy.

Project Background
Legacy Holdings Zambia Limited holds a Tourism Concession Agreement “TCA” with the
Zambia Wildlife Authority (“ZAWA”) to develop a 220-hectare site (Lot 14734/M) along the
Zambezi River in the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park upstream of the Victoria Falls in
Livingstone, Zambia. The development of the site aims to position Zambia, Livingstone and
Victoria falls as a leading tourist destination and create critical mass for Zambian eco-tourism.
The developers also hope to create a world-class development to act as a catalyst for the
promotion of tourism in Zambia and to maximize on the tourist and entertainment potential of
the site’s prime location on the Zambezi River in an environmentally friendly and responsible
manner. The estate will include the development of luxury lodges and hotels within the
property.

Objectives of the EIA
The main objective of this EIA is to examine impacts on ecological units and ecological
processes of the project area including impacts on physical, biological, socio-economic and
cultural environment and to provide mitigation measures for identified impacts.
Expected Civil Works
The actual construction of the Mosi-Oa-Tunya Hotel and Country Club will take place in the
construction phase. The period for construction is expected to last twenty-four months. This
phase will involve the following activities on the environment:
i) Clearance of the existing natural vegetation and trees;
ii) Removal of the top soil around the foundation area;
iii) Construction of access road and internal roads within the project area;
iv) Installation of surface water drains;
v) Construction of buildings
The activities will be undertaken using front-end loaders, graders, wheelbarrows, shovels and
picks. The soil removed from the foundation area will be stockpiled in designated areas for
future re-vegetation.

Methodology and Baseline Information
Baseline data was collected through field appraisal, discussion with relevant agencies and
institutions in the concerned areas and consultation with local communities and individuals in
the project area. The proposed design of the various components of the project was studied
and discussed with the members of the Project team. The results were compiled and analysed
to enable the preparation of this Environmental Impact Statement.
Potential Impacts and Mitigating Measures
The construction of the Mosi-Oa-Tunya Hotel and Country Club Estate Project is expected to
lead to some direct and indirect enviromental problems and significant social-economic
changes which may have implications for the local environment. The major negative
environmental impacts have been indentified as:
• Disruption to Elephant/animal corridors
• Disfigurement to the landscape from construction wastes and borrow pits
• River siltation from eroded soil and silt from runoffs in disturbed soil areas
• Oil and gasoline spills from construction equipment and activities
• Littering domestic refuse and sewarage waste from construction camps
• Increased particulate matter (diesel) and dust.
• Increased air pollution from vehicle emissions (Hydrocarborns, carborn dioxide, carbon
monoxide) due to increased trafic.
• Increased noise pollution both during construction and operational phases
• Irreversible environmental destruction from construction activities such as deforestation,
borrow pit digging and camping site for construction workers
• Changed human settlement patterns due to increased population by people who may be
attracted to the area
The following positive impacts are anticipated:
• Creation of employement opportunities during the construction phase
• Increased trade opportunities in the community with increased population
• General improvement in local livelihoods due to synergistic impacts of positive effects of
the project
• Increase in revenue to local authorities and institutions from tourism, communications,
land rates, licences and personal levy
The following major social negative impacts are anticipated of this project:
• Increase in sexually trasmitted diseases
• Pressure on limited social facilities such as health care centres
The above socio-economic impacts need to be taken into account and the positive implications
of the project need to be exemplified if the project has to be of practical benefit and appreciated
by the local community. This entails that:
• The technical work should not disrupt elephant/animal corridors;
• Silt the main sources of water for the communities;
• The technical work should not subject the communities to excessive air pollution;
• The technical work should not encroach on areas of cultural and historical importance;
• The project should employ the local people;
• The project should consider technical ways of reducing the anticipated accidents;
• The project should work with the local leaders in identifying sites such as for camping
and getting material; and
• The project should be implemented together with the campaigns against HIV/AIDS.
Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan
The study has proposed an Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMP) to address
the management of the identified environmental issues associated with the project. The plan
consists of implementing the following:
• Implementing the Impact Mitigation Plan
• Monitoring the implementation of the EMP
• Institutional Framework for Monitoring, Reporting and Supervision of EMP
Environmental monitoring and enforcement are stated along with the output from such
monitoring activities. Monitoring responsibilities are specified for the responsible authorities,
EMU and the Contractor.

Conclusion and Recommendations
The site, as the above assessment has shown, is not only a World Heritage Site but it also in a
national park and hence a sensitive area. The site should be developed with strict adherence to
recommendations of this report if the ecology of the area is to be maintained. It should also strive to
follow guidelines provided by ZAWA and NHCC in the development to ensure that the site does not
lose its ecological and archaeological value.
A summary of the public consultation meetings and the discussions with the government
agencies indicates that the socio-economic benefits of the project to the communities in the
project area of influence outweigh the “no-development” scenario. The project is therefore
being recommended for implementation assuming the incorporation of the recommended
mitigating measures and implementation of the Impact Mitigation Plan and Environmental
Monitoring Plan.