ECOLOGY - MITIGATION FOR BIRDS
BIRD MITIGATION AT TRITON KNOLL WIND FARM
As a green industry, wind energy endeavours to mitigate any possible effects on the environment in areas where it operates. To ensure this happens, robust Environmental Impact Assessments are required to make sure that wind farms do not have a detrimental effect on biodiversity.
OFFSHORE BIRD SPECIES
Offshore, species such as migrating geese, eider duck and puffins may be affected by wind farms. Onshore, the related infrastructure (cable routes, substations, etc) can temporarily disturb ground- nesting farmland birds. Specialist ecology consultancy Thomson Ecology, is currently surveying the birds along a proposed 60 Km onshore cable route from the offshore Triton Knoll wind farm in Lincolnshire. Scarcer birds such as grey partridge, turtle dove and corn bunting are present in this area, as well as occasional marsh harriers, which can nest in oilseed rape fields.
MAPPING
Thousands of bird territories have been mapped during the bird breeding season and over 1500 skylark territories recorded in the area. This mapping enables the most suitable onshore cable route to be worked out so that particularly valuable habitats and areas can be avoided. Disturbance can also be minimised to nesting birds, by working outside the breeding season, applying buffer areas around nesting birds or working away from breeding bird habitats.
REPLACEMENT HABITATS Any important bird habitats that are unavoidably affected can be replaced after the onshore cabling has been installed. Cable installation on land can be done quite quickly, and the habitat re-instated. Environmental impacts are transitional in nature and suitable mitigation measures, as outlined above, will serve to minimise any effects.
GUIDANCE AND BEST PRACTICE Thomson Ecology’s specialists have been at the forefront of developing guidance and best practice for large and small scale renewable projects such as Triton Knoll and continue to work with the industry providing specialist advice and expertise in this area.
Thomson Ecology
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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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