Favorable Conservation Status (FCS) Programmes for wind energy-sensitive birds

In recent years, only a few new wind turbines have been approved and built for various reasons. In the debate on reviving the expansion of onshore wind energy, a possible increased use of the species protection exception according to § 45 para. 7 BNatSchG plays an important role. The use of the exemption is conditional on the fact that the conservation status of the affected population is not deteriorating. Appropriate measures and FCS-programmes (Favourable Conservation Status) and concepts, as well as their planning and anchoring at spatial planning or Federal State (Länder) level, could ensure this while increasing flexibility for wind energy development.

Procedure

The overall objective of the project is to develop a catalogue of measures with recommendations for effective FCS-programmes (Favourable Conservation Status) for selected bird species at risk of collision. It should also include indications for implementation (boundary conditions). These measures can contribute to ensuring the conservation status of wind energy-sensitive bird species.

In addition to a catalogue of species-supporting measures, it should be worked out under which conditions these measures are effective. The following questions will be addressed:

• How can species FCS-programmes be structured?
• What are the success factors for the effectiveness of FCS-programmes (finances, fixed targets, types of measures, etc.)?
• Which species are particularly affected and for which wind energy-sensitive bird species are FCS-programmes useful?
• Which measures are particularly promising for the promotion of wind energy-sensitive bird species?
• How can measures in FCS-programmes be effectively implemented in the context of wind energy development? What is the implementation practice in the Länder (Federal States)?

The publication BfN-Schriften 724 is published in German with an English summary