Wildlife and Windpower

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) supports the use of Ontario's Crown land for the development of renewable energy.

 

Renewable energy provides a sustainable use of our natural resources.  It provides both economic and social benefits.  It helps reduce our ecological footprint and can slow down the rate of climate change.  This provides a healthier environment in Ontario.

Wind power is one type of renewable energy.

Minimizing the Impacts of Development

All types of development (such as roads, buildings, electrical and communication towers, and wind farms) present challenges with habitat protection and loss, species disturbance and mortality. 

Ontario has planning processes in place to protect special habitats and reduce impacts to wildlife. 

However, there are some specific concerns for bats and birds when developing wind farms.  MNR has developed bat and bird guidelines for wind power developments to help address these concerns.  Wind farms must be sited in an ecologically and socially responsible manner to ensure that impacts to wildlife are minimized.

Bats

Bat mortality has been recorded at wind farms in many habitats across North America.  Almost all wind farms in the United States and Canada have reported bat deaths.  The minimum annual mortality ranges between less than 1 and 50 bat deaths per turbine per year.

Eastern Red Bat roosting in a tree during the day. Photo: Colin D. Jones

It is not entirely clear what is causing bats to die and why some species of bats are affected and others are not.  However, the migratory tree bat species appear to be most affected by wind farms, and seems to be at most risk during the fall migration.

Research studies on bats and wind farms have become more common over the past few years, in the hope of better understanding these issues.  Recent research suggests that bats may be more vulnerable to wind turbine mortality than birds.

Bats live a long time (some species more than 30 years) and reproduce at a very slow rate.  This tends to make populations more vulnerable to adult mortality.  More research is needed to assess the risks and the impacts of wind farms on bats.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has produced a Guideline to Assist in the Review of Wind Power Proposals: Potential Impacts to Bats and Bat Habitats to help address concerns related to bats and wind farms.

 

Summary:  Guideline to Assist in the Review of Wind Power Proposals:  Potential Impacts to Bats and Bat Habitats (PDF, 25 kb)

Full Report:  Guideline to Assist in the Review of Wind Power Proposals:  Potential Impacts to Bats and Bat Habitats  (PDF, 270 kb)

More detailed information on bats and wind farms can be found in the MNR document, Wind Turbines and Bats: Bat Ecology Background Information.

 

Summary:  Wind Turbines and Bats: Bat Ecology Background Information and Literature Review of Impacts (PDF, 28 kb)

Full Report:  Wind Turbines and Bats: Bat Ecology Background Information and Literature Review of Impacts (PDF, 1.6 mb)

Birds

 

Osprey in flight.

Bird mortality has been recorded at wind farms around the world.  However, relatively few detailed studies have been conducted in Canada and the northeastern United States.  There are still many knowledge gaps with respect to bird migration, disturbance impacts, avoidance and potential impacts of offshore wind farms.

 

Birds may be injured or killed through direct collisions with wind turbine blades and towers, guy wires and meteorological towers.  The main factors associated with bird mortality are the number of birds in an area, landscape features and poor weather conditions. 

 

Birds may also be indirectly impacted by wind farms through habitat loss and disturbance.   

It is important to note that studies conducted around the world suggest that, despite a few important exceptions, very low numbers of bird deaths occur at wind farms. Good site selection appears to be the key factor in preventing negative impacts on birds.

The protection of birds and their habitats is shared by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada (EC).  MNR and EC work together to ensure concerns related to birds and wind farms are addressed. 

Environment Canada has produced two documents to help address federal concerns related to birds and their habitats:

1) Wind Turbines and Birds: A Guidance Document for Environmental Assessment
2) Recommended Protocols for Monitoring Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds

 

The Ministry of Natural Resources has produced a Guideline to Assist in the Review of Wind Power Proposals: Potential Impacts to Birds and Bird Habitats to help address provincial concerns related to birds and wind farms.

Summary: Guideline to Assist in the Review of Wind Power Proposals: Potential Impacts to Birds and Bird Habitats  (PDF, 26 kb)

Full Report: Guideline to Assist in the Review of Wind Power Proposals: Potential Impacts to Birds and Bird Habitats  (PDF, 160 kb)

Other Wildlife

 

Other wildlife and their habitats may also be affected by wind farms. 

Examples might be species at risk, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians and other mammals. Potential impacts to other species and their habitats are considered under existing regulatory and planning processes. Other wildlife species are considered in the same way as they are with other types of development such as roads, buildings and electrical/communications towers.