Client: Bord na Móna
Key Facts:
Garryhinch and Derryadd Proposed Wind Farm sites:
- Neither site is located within a European site, i.e. a SAC or SPA.
- The aim of the surveys is to assess the potential impact of the proposed wind farms on the local bird community. As part of a larger survey programme, Winter Bird surveys were undertaken over the six-month period from October 2017 to March 2018 inclusive.
- Data from vantage point surveys have/will be used to inform a collision risk analysis.
One Planet Principles: Land Use and Wildlife.
Project Sustainability:
The project design process and final assessment of impacts and mitigation will follow an approach which seeks to minimise as far as possible risks to key sensitive bird species which Ireland has an international obligation to protect. The lead in time is extensive (at least 3 years) to allow accurate identification and evaluation of bird flight activity, distribution and abundance. This information is continually informing the final layout of the proposed wind farm. The aims of this study are to avoid significant collision risk, habitat loss/ fragmentation, disturbance displacement and barrier effects. Where a residual risk is identified to birds based on the findings of the study than mitigation measures will be proposed based on industry best practice.
