Preliminary study into bird research methods for the MEP-NSW

The Dutch government policy is aimed at increasing the share of renewable energy in the national power supply. One of the possibilities in this regard is the use of wind power. In 1997, the Dutch cabinet decided to launch a marine-based pilot project, the Near Shore Wind Park (NSW). Experiences gained from this demonstration project will be taken into account in decision making regarding the further development of large-scale wind-park projects in the Dutch North Sea coastal zone. The Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (MEP) provides a framework for collection of the required information regarding the functionality of the Near Shore Wind park. As part of its stated mandate, the MEP-NSW is required to research any possible impact on bird life due to the NSW. The research methods needed to monitor the various effects that wind turbines have on birds are yet to be further specified. For this reason, RIKZ and Novem commissioned a preliminary study detailing the advantages and disadvantages of existing methods, exploring the possibilities of developing new procedures and recommending any testing of the new or revised research techniques. Section 2 of this report discusses the research background and formulates research objectives as well as research scope. Section 3 is also introductory in that it provides a brief overview of birdlife in or in the vicinity of the NSW planning area in the coastal zone near Egmond. Sections 4 to 6 discuss existing and potential methods for monitoring the key issues in the present report:? section 4: avian collisions and collision risks ? section 5: disturbance ? section 6: barrier effect These sections formulate the key conclusions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the methods discussed as well as recommendations for follow-up activities as summarized in ?Conclusions and Recommendations? (section 7).