Elaboration of measures for wire marking and bird protection (A1)

ACTION A.1: Elaboration of the measures for wires marking and bird protection on the utility poles of the high voltage overhead powerlines

Although Litgrid AB is planning to install bird collision mitigation measures on the transmission power lines in the important and the most sensitive bird staging areas (actions C.1 and C.2) as well as special White stork protection measures on the utility poles of electricity lines (action C.3), there is no common decision which facilities are the most effective from the point of view of bird protection and are the most cost efficiency. Besides, there are no approved national rules, neither recommendations nor practical experience on the installation pattern for different bird protective measures, except some experience with installation of the measures for White stork protection. However, the experience of other countries is quite rich and their practice can be used to fill knowledge gaps in Lithuania.
This is why the action aims to summarize the experience of other countries on the implementation of the measures on the reduction of bird collisions rate within the high voltage overhead electricity transmission lines as well as look at the possibilities to avoid White stork and other large birds mortality because of electrocution on the high voltage electric lines pylons. This is why the input of the ornithological experts is essential and Lithuanian ornithological Society has taken leadership to fill such information and experience
gap basing on the best practices around the World. Being a partner of the global association of bird conservation organizations – BirdLife International, the society has exceptional facilities to collect all available information (even not published) from other BirdLife partners on the experience in other countries including the information on national standards (if such exist), evaluation of the effectiveness of different measures as well as particular information on impact on certain species. Basing on collected information the Lithuanian Ornithological Society will draft an exhaustive review of the implemented and tested practices from other countries with the main focus best practices as well as evaluating the cost efficiency factor. The review will be followed by recommendations on which wires visualization measures should be installed on the high voltage overhead electricity transmission lines, proposing several options with their evaluation from the point of view of the effectiveness for the protection of certain bird species and/or particular habitats there, as well as evaluation of the cost efficiency taking into consideration the price both of the selected bird flight diverters and their installation costs. Technical installation options and capabilities for the different bird flight diverters will be discussed in a separate chapter. In one more chapter will discussed possible installation schemes of the various bird flight diverters as well as special protection measures for reduction of the mortality because of electrocution of White storks and other large bird species.
Drafted recommendations will be exclusively relevant for Lithuania and the region as well as current project, will be a basis for discussion at the project Steering Committee meeting and final decision making on the selection of concrete bird flight diverters, their installation pattern and planning of White stork protection measures.