Natural values as a planning tool for turbine parks at a landscape level

Integrating biodiversity and landscape conservation, finding ways towards green infrastructure September 27th 2013

André van den Berg

Objectives of Green Infranet

Policy improvements and best practice transfers Lead partner: reach autonomous policy improvement

Policy for re-organisation and scaling up of wind turbines in Flevoland

Chance to improve present situation to the better for biodiversity?

This is a smaller type…

Reorganisation and scaling up of turbine parks

National objectives 16 % of energy from sustainable sources in 2020 6000 MegaWatts of energy from wind turbine parks

Provincial objectives 100 % energy (excl. Transport) sustainable in 2020 ~ 1400 MegaWatts from turbine parks From app 600 to 300 turbines, reconfigurated in parks

Improve landscape Where possible decrease ecological impacts Seven areas have been proposed

We will make them big, bigger, HUGE!!

Areas suited for re-organisation of turbines

Outline of this further presentation

Known effects of wind turbines on vulnerable biota

Presence of wind turbines in Flevoland

EU policies on biodiversity, Green Infrastructure and EC Guidance on wind turbines and Natura 2000

A qualitative study on possible conflicts in Flevoland Pre-assessment of legal risks for Flevoland search areas of

re-organisation and scaling up

Known effects of turbines on natural values

Birds Winkelman e.a.

Death S Percival 2005

Habitat disturbance Landscape barriers

Bats Death

Winkelman e.a.

Presence of turbines in the Flevoland landscape

EU policies and Guidance

EU policy for Biodiversity Strategy 2020; halt loss of biodiversity and maintain ecosystem

services Increase Global Contribution outside EU Better control of invasive alien species Full implementation of Natura 2000 Better protection of ecosystems and enhance Green infrastructure More sustainable agriculture and forestry Better management of fish stocks

Green Infrastructure Go for it! Combine food, recreation, biodiversity, climate change adaptations and more

Guidance on wind Strategic spatial planning recommended Best practices in Germany, France, Denmark, Scotland

Guidance on Wind turbines and N2k

Objective of the study

Obtain insights in potential conflicts of wind turbines versus ecological and landscape objectives

Facilitate framework for appropriate assessments and environmental impact assassments

Early indication for necessity to pro-actively come to nature-inclusive development schemes

Methodology of the study

Performed by Waardenburg bureau for ecological research and advice H.A.M. Prinsen, J.C. Hartman, J.D. Buizer, R.R. Smits, L.S.A. Anema; MMV Limpens van VZZ

Analyses based on Map of suggested new development areas in Flevoland Charts of provincial Ecological Main Structure Previous assessments, Natura 2000 managementplans, reports Expertises from ecologists of communities, Rijkswaterstaat,

management authority (Flevo-Landschap) and Federation for environmental affairs (NMF)

Analyses Existing configurations, not NOP/ Southlobe Assumption a park has a minimum of 12 turbines Qualitative interpretations, calculation of victims (worst cases)

Focus of analyses

Birds Nesting places Habitats (birds of meadows and arable land)

Foraging grounds (geese)

Seasonal migratory movements of populations

Coverage of search areas with Ecological Main Structure

Areas suited for special care of birds from meadows (left) and arable land (right)

Preselection of species with high risk profiles

OUTPUT of the StudyEstimated numbers of annual victims on worst case assumptions

Risks in perspective

OUTPUT of the StudyCharts of use and risk per area of interest and per species(groups)

e.g. Bewicks and Whooper swans e.g. all Bats

OUTPUT of the StudyPolicy specific risk charts

OUTPUT of the StudyRisk chart aesthetics; established landscape values

OUTPUT of the Study Integrated chart of total risk (qualitatively!)

Towards increasing biodiversity and Green InfrastructureGovernance of the outcome per project

Mitigating within development areas Nature-inclusive spatial planning Stand-still amenity Warning systems (?)

Costs versus profits analyses of alternatives Loss of economical output versus costs of

mitigating the negative impacts on ecological values

STATEMENTS

Biodiversity, because of its legal protection is a stronger basis for the conservation of landscape characteristics than the human experience of esthetics

There is no way to esthetically get a right ‘fit’ of wind turbines in any landscape; you either like their presence or not