The fourth webinar in our 'Energy & Nature' series, this time organised with the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel, focussed on the challenge of ensuring bird protection around onshore wind farms and examined solutions to reduce the threat on the populations. The potential risk for birds is a well-known issue that extends beyond Europe. Disturbance, loss of habitat, and direct mortality by collision with the blades can pose a real threat to some avian species. But proper planning and adequate mitigation measures can considerably reduce the risk for the populations. How so?
Webinar
Webinar: Wind & Wings - Protecting birds around onshore wind infrastructure
This webinar, co-organised with the Arava Institute in Israel, focussed on the challenge of ensuring bird protection around onshore wind farms and examined diverse strategies to reduce this threat.
- Sensitivity mapping tools to identify the critical areas where wind farms should be avoided;
- Deterrence and shut-down tools to repel birds and stop the turbine in case of detected threat on operating wind farms;
- Collaboration between civil society organisations, academia, and the wind industry to share knowledge, streamline efforts, and maintain nature protection as a priority.
Our webinar on Wednesday 23rd November, 15:00 – 17:15 CET, examined the Israeli case study as a striking example of the challenge of bird protection around onshore wind farms. With our expert speakers, we learnt about good practices from Europe and beyond to avoid and reduce bird mortality.
About the speakers:
- Three speakers from Israel presented the current state of affairs regarding Israel’s renewable ambitions and high importance for migrating bird species. These were:
- Dr Tareq Abu Hamed, CEO of Arava Institute;
- Dr Yoav Perlman, Director of BirdLife Israel.
- Dr Noam Leader, Head of the Ecology Department, Israel Nature & Parks Authority
Following the presentation of the Israeli case study, we heard from:
- Ivan Ramírez, Head of Avian Species Team at the UN Convention of Migratory Species on the importance of good planning, including sensitivity mapping tools to inform the siting of new windfarms as a way to avoid and minimise negative impacts on birds.
- Ana Maria Tobon, Project manager at MSH Sud and Thierry Chambert, Postdoctoral researcher at CEFE-CNRS, who introduced their multi-stakeholder research project to reduce bird mortality in France (the MAPE project). They presented Eolpop, a tool which quantifies the demographic impact over time of bird mortality caused by collisions with wind turbines.
- Finally, we heard reactions by key stakeholders from industry and civil society:
Maxime Oillic, Strategic Communications Manager, Wind Europe
Ariel Brunner, Senior Head of Policy, BirdLife Europe and Central Asia
Following the inputs, we had a 30-minute open Q&A discussion round.
For more information or in case of questions, please get in touch with Manon Quetstroey.
Presentations
Manon Quetstroey, Junior Project Manager - Energy & Nature | Renewables Grid Initiative
Ivan Ramírez, Head - Avian Team | CMS - Convention on Migratory Species
Ana Maria Tobon, Project manager at MSH Sud | MAPE Project
Thierry Chambert, Postdoctoral researcher at CEFE-CNRS | MAPE Project
Tareq Abu Hamed, CEO | Arava Institute
Dr Yoav Perlman, Director | Birdlife Israel
Recording & agenda
Contact
Manon Quetstroey
Manager - Energy and Nature
Manon Quetstroey
Manager - Energy and Nature
t: +49 30 2332 11034manon[at]renewables-grid.eu
Manon joined RGI in July 2022 and is currently working as a Manager in the Energy and Nature team. Prior to RGI, Manon worked as an ecologist in a consulting office in Berlin, engaged in the protection of bat populations in Europe in the context of Wind energy projects. She also worked on diverse projects in Africa, particularly in the protection and conservation of African mammals. Manon holds a Master’s degree in Biodiversity management from Université de Perpignan in France and completed her Master’s thesis in South Africa.
manon[at]renewables-grid.eu
LIFE disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the EU or LIFE Programme. Neither the EU nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
