Of birds and high voltage overheadlines: How feedback from decision-makers is helping data provider

About this good practice

By project BID-REX

Published on 06 December 2018

Belgium

Prov. Antwerpen

In Belgium, Elia (the national electricity Transport System Operator, http://www.elia.be) is committed to reduce bird collision on high voltage powerlines. ELIA manages a network of 5700 km of overhead powerlines. Bird collision risk can be reduced by disposing special diverters on the cables. These diverters are able to increase visibility of the lines so that flying birds can avoid them on time. Diverters need to be placed on high risk powerlines sections. To identify these black spot on the powerline sections, ELIA takes profit on biological information brought together by Natagora and Natuurpunt, two important nature conservancy associations. In order to prioritize the placement of diverters on the 5700 km-long high-voltage power line network in Belgium, Natagora (in Wallonia) and Natuurpunt (in Flanders) mobilise bird distribution data through citizen-science, with two complementary approaches. First, bird data collected by field birdwatchers through citizen-science portal are used to build high-resolution map of bird density across Belgium, for the bird species identified as sensitive to power line collisions. Second, through mobilization of observer networks and the use of different media, birdwatchers are encouraged to actively mention precise location of bird casualties with power lines encountered in the field in the global biodiversity recording portal Observation.org.

Expert opinion

The practice is an inspiring initiative aiming to reduce bird’s collision on high voltage powerlines. Specifically, it demonstrates how the cooperation between an electricity transmission system operator and a nature conservation association, that was the biodiversity data provider, has helped to reduce the mortality level of the birds. The two parallel approaches in the data collection are an essential element of the practice that has a learning potential. The practice can be replicated by other electricity transmission system operators in areas with high bird mortality due to blackspots on the powerline sections. Public authorities can also promote the initiative as a good example to enhance the visibility of the overhead lines in priority areas to reduce bird’s collision risk.

Venelina Varbova

Resources needed

Data portal to manage bird recording and database structure able to mobilise large quantity of data.
Bird experts from NGO (map production from raw data, field check)
Steering committee meetings between Elia and the nature NGO.

Evidence of success

Good co-operation level between Electricity provider and Nature conservation Association.
Evidence of reducing of bird mortality with high and very high voltage power lines in Belgium; at the moment they are still few cases where mortality has been reduced. But in one exemple where large number of killed Black-Headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) were encountered (1-3 corpse/day), diverters placement help reduce the risk to only a few individual a year.

Potential for learning or transfer

Feed-back for the own data provider, the bird watching community:
The same methodology and data mobilisation could be used also with other electricity company in other countries or with low- medium-voltage network in Belgium.