UN Wildlife Meeting Pushes to Make Power Lines Safer for Birds
Bergen, 24 November 2011 – Two new international reports on the conflict between migratory birds and power lines in the African-Eurasian region are being presented to delegates at a UN wildlife conference taking place 20-25 November 2011 in Bergen, Norway. Read more >>
North Sea wind farm has positive net impact on fauna
A North Sea wind farm has hardly any negative effects on fauna, and in fact can provide benefits for marine life. According to researcher Prof. Han Lindeboom and his colleagues at IMARES, part of Wageningen UR, and fellow scientists at Bureau Waardenburg and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), the wind farm at Egmond aan Zee (OWEZ) provides an oasis of calm, for both fish and marine mammals, in a relatively busy coastal area. At most, a few bird species will avoid such a wind farm. It turns out that the wind farm also provides a new natural habitat for organisms living on the sea bed, such as mussels, anemones and crabs; thereby contributing to increased biodiversity.
In 2010, Landschap Noord-Holland in cooperation with Bureau Waardenburg, began research into the habitat use and ecology of the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris). So far, six Bitterns have been equipped with GPS transmitters enabling their movements to be followed (www.roerdomp.info). This year a webcam was installed at the nest of one of the females (Anneke). The first chick hatched on 23 May and later two young successfully fledged.
Radar study on migrating birds
We carried out a two-week radar study to quantify the flight direction and altitude of migrating birds through the corridor of a planned power line in Italy.
Course on Ambon Island
We have given training for the University of Pattimura in Ambon, Indonesia. The first part of the course covered writing an Environmental Impact Assessment. Later, further guidance was given in using GIS in spatial planning.
Birds and power lines
On behalf of the UNEP/AEWA (African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement), part of the United Nations, we have carried out a review to identify and map potential areas of conflict between birds and power lines in over 130 countries. The review also identifies mitigation measures against electrocution and collision.
