Biodiversity
Dampier Salt operations are recognised as being important for biodiversity. Port Hedland, Dampier and Lake Macleod are designated Important Bird Areas (IBAs) due to globally important numbers (>1%) of shorebirds species present at all three sites.
In addition, all three sites have at least one restricted range bird species (i.e. species with geographical range < 50 thousand km2) and at least one site has a threatened bird species. Detailed information is available on the project website. Materials that can be downloaded include a GIS shapefile, a Google Earth link and other background materials, such as map, summary and full fact sheet for each IBA.
This important information was gathered as part of a partnership project funded by Rio Tinto. Between 2005 and 2009, Birds Australia identified and selected Australia’s 314 Important Bird Areas (IBAs).
Biodiversity also extends to the plant life at our operations. Our Lake Macleod site contains inland saltwater ponds that are fringed by one of the largest inland populations of grey mangrove. It is one of only three such occurrences in the world. One other site for the mangrove is inland from the internationally recognised Ningaloo Reef.
Dampier Salt has pioneered Pilbara and Gascoyne coast biological research for the development and operation of its salt operations. This was necessary to provide the optimum biological conditions for salt processing and production.
