Bird Friendly Green Energy?
Green energy has been hailed by some as the magic bullet to help curb our consumption of fossil fuels. However, green energy is not without it's own cost. Solar farms are constructed in desert tortoise habitat. Wind farms can be dangerous for bats and birds and the transmission lines that connect the green energy sources with the grid transverse and fragment habitat. With all these obstacles, is there a way to develop green energy and maintain the health of our most vulnerable species?
A case study of the sage-grouse management in Wyoming is promising. The sage-grouse is a large ground-dwelling bird up to 30" long and 2' tall. The bird is highly dependent on sagebrush for food as well as cover in the winter and a safe spot to nest in the spring. Much of it's habitat is now fragmented or destroyed. The population is in decline and the US Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the species as a candidate for Endangered Species Act protection.
In 2007 Wyoming formed a task force called the Governor's Sage-Grouse Implementation Team. They were to come up with a conservation plan that would help ensure the sage-grouse population as well as provide opportunities for further development, such as wind farms and transmission lines. No easy task!
All told, the Audubon Society, federal agencies, the Governor's Sage-Grouse Implementation Team, along with ranchers, wind, oil, and gas representatives came together with a plan of action. They had poured over decades of data related sage-grouse breeding grounds and needs throughout the entire state and into neighboring states. After in-depth analysis, they discovered that some habitat was far more valuable than others. In effect, they estimated that by protecting 60% of the range they could protect the entire breeding habitat. Ultimately the plan would end up protecting 80% of the breeding population.
There are those that question the plan's ability to stop the decline of the sage-grouse. Notably, there are concerns that the core area set aside may not be large enough. The breeding grounds are protected, but the seasonal habitat is not. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is keeping a close eye on the sage-grouse population and has indicated that it will not hesitate to list it if the measures prove ineffective.
Scientists are building off of this experience. They are using ecological data to help determine locations for green energy with the least environmental impact and the most economical return. For example, wind farms are being pointed toward mined lands, agricultural lands, etc.
Prioritizing the conservation of the highest quality habitat at the cost of the development of lesser habitat can be a bitter pill to swallow. Truly, the battle of preservation vs conservation (or Muir vs Pinchot) will continually be debated as we strive to be responsible stewards of our planet.
A case study of the sage-grouse management in Wyoming is promising. The sage-grouse is a large ground-dwelling bird up to 30" long and 2' tall. The bird is highly dependent on sagebrush for food as well as cover in the winter and a safe spot to nest in the spring. Much of it's habitat is now fragmented or destroyed. The population is in decline and the US Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the species as a candidate for Endangered Species Act protection.
In 2007 Wyoming formed a task force called the Governor's Sage-Grouse Implementation Team. They were to come up with a conservation plan that would help ensure the sage-grouse population as well as provide opportunities for further development, such as wind farms and transmission lines. No easy task!
All told, the Audubon Society, federal agencies, the Governor's Sage-Grouse Implementation Team, along with ranchers, wind, oil, and gas representatives came together with a plan of action. They had poured over decades of data related sage-grouse breeding grounds and needs throughout the entire state and into neighboring states. After in-depth analysis, they discovered that some habitat was far more valuable than others. In effect, they estimated that by protecting 60% of the range they could protect the entire breeding habitat. Ultimately the plan would end up protecting 80% of the breeding population.
There are those that question the plan's ability to stop the decline of the sage-grouse. Notably, there are concerns that the core area set aside may not be large enough. The breeding grounds are protected, but the seasonal habitat is not. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is keeping a close eye on the sage-grouse population and has indicated that it will not hesitate to list it if the measures prove ineffective.
Scientists are building off of this experience. They are using ecological data to help determine locations for green energy with the least environmental impact and the most economical return. For example, wind farms are being pointed toward mined lands, agricultural lands, etc.
Prioritizing the conservation of the highest quality habitat at the cost of the development of lesser habitat can be a bitter pill to swallow. Truly, the battle of preservation vs conservation (or Muir vs Pinchot) will continually be debated as we strive to be responsible stewards of our planet.
Hi Megan,
I found your article very interesting and important. It gives me a new approach of considering "animal friendly" green energy in general, so thank you for that! I have heard about some wind energy plants that got a special kind of propeller that doesn't effect birds, these are likely for smaller wind power plants, but I think some research is happening here. I haven't had time to look into that yet.
Cheers Anna
"Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find."
www.best-alternative-fuel-sources.com
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