13. Mitigating Avian and Bat Mortality at Wolfe Island’s Wind Facility

Abstract

This research focuses on exploring existing mitigation and modification options in order to develop appropriate recommendations to aid TransAlta Corporation in curbing bird and bat mortalities on Wolfe Island. Since the construction and operation of the Wolfe Island wind facility in Frontenac County, Ontario began in 2008, it has contributed to the deaths of many local and migratory birds and bats. While official tallies of avian and bat mortalities to date vary across reports, environmentalist groups and residents alike have expressed concerns for the safety of these species citing the facility’s position on a migratory route along the eastern end of Lake Ontario as a key point of contention (Bazillauskas, A. & Yatchew, A., 2011; Blackwell, R., 2012; Dierschke, J et al., 2006). In response, the power company behind the project, TransAlta Corporation, has begun conducting its own investigation into the issue and producing bi-annual monitoring reports of mortalities but has made no significant alterations to their turbines (TransAlta Corporation, 2012). As part of an effort to reduce the direct and indirect effects of the Wolfe Island wind facility on migrating bird and bat species, this report aims to assess the suitability for TransAlta corporation of certain mitigation options such as running turbines on a rotating schedule to account for the high traffic periods throughout the year when species are likely to be most at risk and avoiding the continuous lighting which attracts nocturnal species to the towers.