Abstract

Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA) is instrumental in guarding biodiversity from ill-planned development projects. Much of EIA involves field surveys of different taxonomic groups and their habitats, but little information is available on what factors influence the performance of these surveys. In this study, we used a recently developed evaluation checklist to understand the state of biodiversity surveys. We asked two questions: 1) Have the installment of laws and guidelines improved survey performance? 2) Does surveyor background affect the performance of surveys? The EIA reports in Taiwan were our study subjects. The results show that the majority of ecological impact assessments are performed poorly, although the average quality of reports has increased significantly over time, with legislation playing a key role in improving the quality of surveys. We also found that the background of surveyors had significant effects on survey reports. The effects need to be interpreted with care. We propose that training and certification be required for personnel performing surveys.

Keyword: Biodiversity, ecological survey, effectiveness, Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA reports, evaluation system.