Criticism of the zoning plan

Where wind power becomes a death trap

Huge rotors are intended to drive the energy transition. However, ornithologists consider certain locations to be unsuitable.(Bild: Benjamin Wald)

Hundreds of wind turbines are already turning in Lower Austria. Hundreds more are to be added. Special wind power zones have been established in Lower Austria for this purpose. But bird conservationists are now identifying dangers for eagles & co. in precisely these zones!

The energy transition is now creating new fault lines. Although the nature conservation organization BirdLife welcomes the expansion of wind power in principle, it is taking aim at the state's new zoning plan for the construction of wind turbines.

Danger zones for birds
Almost 7000 hectares were recently added to this register. "23 percent of these are in ornithological exclusion zones," criticizes Matthias Schmidt from BirdLife: "This thwarts modern species protection and causes unnecessary delays in the energy transition." If the worst comes to the worst, lengthy approval procedures would be necessary in these areas before a wind turbine could be erected. Schmidt: "We therefore see a significant need for improvements to the state's wind power zoning plan."

Eagles as victims
In these exclusion zones, the large rotors could become real death traps for birds. "In the case of imperial eagles, for example, up to 25 percent of mortality is due to collisions with wind turbines," says the ornithologist. This year alone, "wind turbine accidents" involving three white-tailed sea eagles and two imperial eagles have already been recorded.

The proud flight of the eagle over the vast land . . .(Bild: Otto Samwald)

. . . can be brought to an abrupt halt by wind turbines. As this case in the district of Gänserndorf shows.(Bild: Matthias Schmidt)

Politicians calmed down
However, the office of Stephan Pernkopf, the provincial deputy responsible, defends the zoning plan. It is "the result of weighing up various ecological interests such as climate protection and nature conservation". Objections from BirdLife had already been taken into account in many cases. In addition, the zoning "does not specify exact square meter locations".