Construcción del segundo puente sobre la Laguna de la Restinga, Isla de Margarita, Venezuela: Conflictos socio-ambientales y primeros impactos ecosistémicos | Construction of the second bridge over La Restinga Lagoon, Margarita Island, Venezuela: socio-environmental conflicts and first ecosystem impacts

In november 2013 the construction of the second bridge over La Restinga lagoon was initiated, a work that seeks to boost transportation to the Macanao Peninsula. Thereafter, a conflict was generated between governmental authorities that proposed this construction, and students and teachers from Universidad de Oriente who demanded the submission of the Environmental and Sociocultural Impact Assessment (ESIA) required by the Venezuelan environmental legislation. On august 13th, 2014, the Governmental authorities publicly presented the ESIA, and indicated that the only negative impact would be the deforestation of 1241 m2 of mangroves. However, this study shows that the environmental impacts were greater than those indicated by authorities. To support this, satellite images were used to calculate the deforested area and to find out other changes in the components of the landscape. Sediment traps were also placed in the main channel to assess the contribution of exogenous material into the lagoon. It was estimated that the deforestation of mangroves comprised an area of 2399 m2, 892 m2 of the main channel were invaded by gravel-clay material and 639 m2 in the adjacent lagoons. Sedimentation was homogeneous during the study period, but occurred mainly in the construction area and on occasions was greater in other zones at the mouth of the lagoon. It is recommended a long-term sediment transport evaluation be performed, as well as the monitoring of the health and survival of mangroves and marine organisms susceptible to sedimentation, especially of filter feeders.