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Layer of important sites for wintering waterbirds. See Table 2 for an explanation of the criteria and the rest of the text for how these criteria were calculated based on the 2008-2009 / 2017-2018 counts.
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This report presents a sensitivity mapping of bird collision risk with power lines. This study combined recent bird data accumulated from various sources to produce a comprehensive reassessment of, and map, the risk of bird collisions with power lines across Belgium. The end product is a scoring of the high-voltage line segments according to the ri...
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... resulting map of critical areas for waterbirds in Belgium can be seen in Figure 1. As explained above, numerical criteria were applied on a regional basis to estimate the threshold. ...
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... new habits may result in large-scale movements and increase collision risks. As Figure 11, Figure 12 and Figure 13 show, geese are almost exclusively present in Flanders, the most localised being the Pink-Footed, while the two other species are much more widespread. ...
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... new habits may result in large-scale movements and increase collision risks. As Figure 11, Figure 12 and Figure 13 show, geese are almost exclusively present in Flanders, the most localised being the Pink-Footed, while the two other species are much more widespread. ...
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... new habits may result in large-scale movements and increase collision risks. As Figure 11, Figure 12 and Figure 13 show, geese are almost exclusively present in Flanders, the most localised being the Pink-Footed, while the two other species are much more widespread. ...
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... results, in terms of the number of sensitive rare breeding bird species present in each 1-km² square, are given in Figure 14. Some regions rich in rare species emerge: the polders, Entre-Sambreet-Meuse, Hautes-Fagnes, the Kempen region and some river valleys, but, all in all, rare breeding birds show a scattered pattern, as some species recently expanded their breeding range, such as the Peregrine (now present all over Brussels), and the Black Stork in the forest landscape of the south of Belgium. ...
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... consider migration risks in our update, we started from the rough corridors used in the previous version of the map (Figure 15). For Flanders, this map was based on migration corridors already defined for wind-farm sensitivity mapping (EVERAERT ET AL., 2011), with a focus on migrant waterbirds (especially coastal migration) and an eastern corridor (along the Grensmaas) reflecting the migration of the Common Crane (Grus grus) and one of the most abundant migrant birds, the Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus). ...
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... specific analysis was prompted by a strong recent increase in numbers for this Annex I species and various collision-related casualties it has suffered, especially during a fog event on 16 November 2018 when seven cranes were found dead or wounded in the south of the country (although it should be mentioned here that only one collided with a high-voltage power line). After plotting the density of migrant cranes in 5x5-km squares, we concluded that the migration corridor has remained unchanged despite the substantial increase in the total population and so we see no reason to modify the corridor shown in Figure 15. ...
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... is a powerful planning tool when a decision has to be made at regional level as to where to build potentially harmful infrastructure (e.g. power lines and other energy infrastructure) (EUROPEAN COMMISSION, 2018). Regarding power lines, collision risk maps can be used to: ...
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... scoring system when applied to our final spatial map allowed us to draw up a map for collision risk with power lines for Belgium, presented in Figure 16. Finally, power-line sections (the linear segment of lines between two pylons) were combined with the 'landscape' risk score to classify the existing sections based on their relative risk. ...
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... power-line sections (the linear segment of lines between two pylons) were combined with the 'landscape' risk score to classify the existing sections based on their relative risk. The final map of the risk score is given in Figure 17. The most dangerous line segment in the present assessment is predicted to be the line crossing the Noordelijk Eiland nature reserve, run by the Flemish Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB), with a score of 133. ...
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... Die houdt rekening met een combinatie van factoren, zoals het aantal vliegbewegingen, het type vliegbewegingen, de aanwezige aantallen, de aanwezigheid van zeldzame soorten … Een hogere risicoscore kan betekenen dat de kans op aanvliegingen voor bepaalde soorten op bepaalde momenten hoog is, maar kan ook wijzen op een verhoogde kans op aanvliegingen van zeldzame soorten, waarbij de aanvlieging een belangrijker effect op de natuurwaarden zou kunnen hebben. De 'overall risk score' is een theoretische score die geen rekening houdt met de aan-of afwezigheid van hoogspanningslijnen. (Bron: Derouaux et al. 2020) The risk map shows which areas in Belgium are less or more prone to make collision victims. The risk scores take into account a combination of factors, such as the number and the type of flight movements, the numbers of birds present, the presence of rare species, etc. ...
For a long time the extent of the problem of bird mortality because of
powerlines collisions was underestimated for Belgian network operator
Elia. This changed in 2012 as the collaboration between Elia, Natuurpunt
and Natagora was started. During the process of compiling a Belgian
risk atlas, the availability of data and how to integrate them into a
model were important steps in the preparatory process. Elia’s willingness
to implement the use of this risk atlas in its business operations
was a crucial factor in making the Belgian airspace safer for flying birds.
Even though a collaboration between nature organizations and major
economic players (in this case the energy distribution sector) is not
immediately obvious, this is clearly the necessary step forward to take.
Even though a lot of work still needs to be done, the noble effort to cooperate
in this project, already led to a reduced impact on the number of
powerline victims in Belgium.
Synthesis: opportunities for Dalmatian pelican
Spontaneous return of the Dalmatian pelican as a breeding bird is not realistic in the medium term, leaving reintroduction as the only realistic option if one wants to get the species back in the Low Countries on the short term; A possible reintroduction of this native species meets the main criteria of the Dutch national government and the IUCN; the main argument of the reintroduction is the symbol function; the Dalmatian pelican acts as a flagship species for fish-eating species in restored, largescale wetlands in our delta. Nature experience and tourism are expected to benefit from the return, as well as the willingness to be more ambitious in further restoring our wetlands and
protecting the species from a global perspective. There are also opportunities and initiatives for the reintroduction of this species in neighboring countries; Risks during the project can probably be largely limited by good communication and a smart, animal-friendly and professional implementation of a possible reintroduction; accompanied
by good monitoring of the Dalmatian pelicans after reintroduction. Preventing collisions
with high-voltage power lines and wind turbines is an important point of attention; Uncertainties and follow-up research: it is recommended to conduct further research into
fish availability in one or a few most suitable clusters and to perform a more in-depth analysis at site level (including necessary mitigating measures with regard to energy infrastructure, availability of quiet breeding and rest islands).
