Meeting Europe's renewable energy targets in harmony with - RSPB

94 MEETING EUROPE’S RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS IN HARMONY WITH NATURE
BOX 26
Bird sensitivity mapping in the UK
RSPB Scotland/BirdLife UK and Scottish Natural
Heritage have worked together to produce a
Scottish “birds and wind farms” sensitivity map
(Bright et al., 2006). This was based on (1)
distributions of 18 species of bird that are
considered sensitive to wind energy
developments, (2) SPAs, and (3) other sites
hosting nationally important populations of
breeding waders and wintering waterfowl.
Reviews of literature on foraging ranges,
collision risk and disturbance distances were
conducted for each of the 18 species, to
determine appropriate buffering distances. The
findings were used to create a map of Scotland
with each 1 km square classified as “high”,
“medium” or “low/unknown” sensitivity.
The map is intended to identify areas
where it is considered there is more
potential for impact of wind farms on
sensitive bird species and stricter
assessment of possible effects may be
required, rather than to identify ”no go” areas.
Sensitivity ratings Sensitivity within tetrad: ratings within tetrad:
4 high 4 high (5421) (5421)
3 high 3 high (1411) (1411)
2 high 2 high (1964) (1964)
1 high
1 high
(1573)
(1573)
4 medium (4109)
4 medium
3 medium
(4109)
(482)
3 medium 2 medium (482) (785)
2 medium 1 medium (785) (727)
1 medium All low/unknown (727) (5715)
All low/unknown (5715)
Composite Sensitivity Map of Scotland for
location of onshore wind farms with respect to a
suite of sensitive bird species (presented here at
tetrad level of resolution to protect locations of
sensitive species.
Following completion of the map, RSPB
Scotland wrote to Local Planning
Authorities in Scotland inviting them to
request more detailed maps for their area, and
also provided the map to developers,
consultants and other stakeholders. The
Highland Council used the sensitivity ratings,
alongside other constraint layers such as cost,
visibility and designated sites, when identifying
preferred areas for wind farm development in
the Highland Renewable Energy Strategy.
Scottish Natural Heritage has produced its own
location guidance for wind farms in Scotland,
incorporating a number of different “natural
heritage sensitivities” and including the RSPB
Scotland/SNH birds and wind farms sensitivity
map. Following this, RSPB worked on a joint
RSPB/Natural England project to create mapped
and written guidance for England (Bright, et al.,
2009), using a similar approach.
0
50
kilometres
100