Applied Solutions to Balance Conservation Need With Practical Applications: A Case Study With Eagles Movement Models and Wind Energy Development

Abstract

The wind energy industry presents a green-green dilemma whereby it aims to reduce CO₂ emissions and combat climate change, benefiting biodiversity, but its development also negatively impacts biodiversity. To reconcile this, the first action in the mitigation hierarchy is to avoid development in high-risk areas for vulnerable species. For raptors, development is often restricted within a certain distance from nests, or more recently, by using predictive habitat use models to define site- and species-specific areas of high collision risk. One such model has been used to predict areas of high collision risk where development should be avoided for Verreaux's Eagles (Aquila verreauxii) in South Africa, but industry use of this tool has declined (research-implementation gap, RIG). Uncertainty over the model outputs is a likely cause of the RIG because the model results in variably sized exclusion areas for each development. To reduce this uncertainty and increase implementation of the model, we explore if limiting these predicted risk areas to protect the same amount of space or less, as a circular buffer around the nest, provides improved protection for the species. We found that by fixing the area of risk to be equal to the area of the current circular buffer recommendation, eagle protection, that is, the proportion of space used by eagles that is protected, was improved by around 6%–7% compared to circular buffers or by 2%–3% compared to previous threshold-based classifications. This fixed-area approach ensures that by applying the collision risk potential model there is no unexpected loss in developable area for wind energy developers. Our study demonstrates the importance of understanding and adapting tools that aim to promote sustainable development of renewable energy. Responding to stakeholder needs and balancing conservation with practical applications is critical, particularly in countries where policy enforcement is lacking.