next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But that This is a multipart message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00E2_01D077C4.0949C7F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi All, As someone who has conducted environmental assessments at about a dozen = wind energy facilities in Nova Scotia I would like to make a = contribution to this thread. Certainly wind energy will play a crucial = role in providing renewable energy to Nova Scotia, and so far the = evidence suggests that bird mortalities at wind energy facilities are = relatively low compared to other sources of human-generated mortality. = Nonetheless, I think birders and bird conservationists need to be more = vigilant in evaluating the effects on birds. First, the mortality = studies that have been conducted are limited in their ability to measure = mortalities. Most fatalities probably occur at night and two things can = happen to mask the extent of mortality. The first is that scavengers can = clean up carcasses before the carcass searchers arrive in the morning. = Second, carcass searchers are usually limited to searching the gravel = pads at the base of the turbines. Depending on the size of the bird, the = turbine blades can throw the birds well beyond the pads into vegetated = or rocky areas where they can be extremely difficult to detect. Another = concern is the lack of regional, peer-reviewed, scientific studies on = the effects of wind energy facilities on bird and bird habitats. Not = only is there a danger of collision but birds can be diverted from = flyways, feeding habitats, and breeding areas in their attempt to avoid = a turbine or turbine array. So far, studies have been piece-meal, the = data is often confidential, and assessments are made on a case-by-case = basis without reference to broader issues, cumulative impacts, and = habitat fragmentation. Regional studies, including ground, acoustic, and = radar survey techniques, are especially important in evaluating the = impact of wind energy facilities constructed in coastal locals, and = especially headlands. These are the areas where migrants concentrate, = often in very large numbers and under poor weather conditions (such as = fog and high winds), and when birds may be already stressed from a long = flight or from being blown out to sea. Such conditions could lead to = infrequent but catastrophic events. An example, is the case of the = natural gas plant St. John, NB., a couple of years ago when hundreds of = birds were killed in circling a gas flare. So while birds may be able = to avoid the turbines on coastal headlands under most conditions, we do = not have the knowledge to predict under what conditions these = catastrophic events might occur, and without on-going monitoring, we = might not ever know that they occurred. I would suggest that the = environmental permits for wind energy facilities require that all data = collected be made public and that industry, government, and conservation = groups support regional studies that can lead to a more informed and = integrated approach to reducing the risk of wind energy production on = birds. John =20 From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca = [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of David & Alison = Webster Sent: April-15-15 19:25 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: Re: [NatureNS] wind turbines =20 Hi Nick & All, Apr 15, 2015 I agree almost entirely with your analysis Nick.=20 =20 In the real world, most choices involve selecting the lesser of two = evils and, given available options, I have felt for decades that wind = was way better than alternatives and should be quickly developed to the = maximum possible. =20 Nuclear however may make a comeback eventually. The great = disadvantage of conventional Nuclear Power has been the production of = radioactive waste (unless you happen to want the waste for potential = production of dirty atomic weapons). But an alternative based on = Thorium, in addition to modular design advantages, leads to 95% less = nuclear waste.=20 =20 But that is for the distant future and, meanwhile, ways to cut = carbon emissions so climates and ecosystems do not enter an interactive = death spiral should be top on the agenda. Without meaningful cuts in = carbon emissions there will be no distant future for many species in = much of the world. =20 Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Nicholas Hill <mailto:fernhillns@gmail.com> =20 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20 Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 4:08 PM Subject: Re: [NatureNS] wind turbines =20 This isn't an apology for wind farms but context. What are we to use for = power? If we use fossil C then the impact on climate and variability of weather = patterns are more pronounced. If we use large scale hydro we get large impacts on the functionally = important and biodiverse riparian zone. Major use of forest for biomass = energy will have widespread impact on forest soils their carbon reserves = and on forest diversity. Nuclear is an option that few appear to support. Given the lineup, as naturalists one might think we would look on wind = more favorably than the others from a habitat and biodiversity = viewpoint.=20 having been part of an assessment of impacts of wind turbines on = wetlands and privee to the process of assessing impacts on birds, I was = impressed at the scrutiny exercised by DNR wildlife division. These are = complex issues and none, save major reduction in energy use, are without = impacts. It is good that naturalists show their concerns over these = choices. Nick n Wed, Apr 15, 2015 at 2:30 PM, Fred Schueler <bckcdb@istar.ca> wrote: > > On 4/15/2015 11:19 AM, Laviolette, Lance (EXP) wrote: > >> Lastly, the last time I looked at the guidelines for conducting bird = inventories at potential sites they appeared to be inadequate. = Determining whether there was a risk to migrating birds by censusing a = site 2-3 times during the fall migrating period just doesn't cut it. = That was a while ago so perhaps they've now been improved. > > > * back in the 19th Century, Uncle Henry David affirmed that to = understand a landscape we need one full-time recording naturalist for = every six miles (each 10km square in modern parlance). > > I've never seen any evidence that he was wrong about this. > > fred. > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad > Daily Paintings - http://karstaddailypaintings.blogs