Clashindarroch II Wind Farm Species Protection Plan
What is a Species Protection Plan?
A Species Protection Plan helps to ensure that works during the construction, operation and decommissioning phases of an onshore wind farm do not harm any protected species present on a site.
The plan is a key component of our environmental protection measures and forms part of the contractual obligations for the company building the wind farm. Compliance with these plans during construction will be overseen by an independent expert - the Ecological Clerk of Works, whose role, and responsibilities in the case of Clashindarroch II wind farm have been agreed and approved by Aberdeenshire Council in consultation with NatureScot.
The plan proposes measures to protect identified species, as well as considering the potential worst-case scenarios, putting in place procedures to cover every eventuality on site. Through careful monitoring and management, we do not expect to need to use all of the measures outlined in the plan.
How is a Protection Plan developed?
A wide range of detailed surveys and monitoring have been conducted over a 9-year period in Clashindarroch Forest. The results of the surveys and monitoring have enabled us to identify protected species at the site, how they may be affected and protected, and how their environment can be enhanced through our habitat management plans.
What is a protected species?
Many plants and animals in the UK are legally protected. At Clashindarroch, we have identified and monitored the presence of badgers, bats, otters, pine martens, red squirrels, and Scottish wildcats/wildcat hybrids1. The protection measures are required by law and vary from species to species.
Protected Species Plan in action
In conjunction with environmental experts, we develop Species Protection Plans for each of our projects and have done so for many years. One example of our protection measures is from the construction of our neighbouring Clashindarroch Wind Farm, which has been operational since 2015. During construction we installed camera traps to monitor badgers at the site and created ramps so that the animals could explore some of our trenches and easily get out again safely. We plan to do this again during construction at the Clashindarroch II site.
Protecting Species at Clashindarroch II
The Ecological Clerk of Works will be responsible for checking that the Species Protection Plan measures are properly implemented and adhered to. They have the power to stop works if they have any concerns.
They will also ensure that the potential presence of protected species is regularly monitored during the works and that appropriate action is taken to protect them. This will include undertaking a rolling programme of pre-felling surveys and monitoring prior to any works commencing.
In addition to surveys and monitoring, some of the protection measures will include:
- Felling and construction works will be restricted to daylight hours only.
- Vehicle speed restrictions of 15 mph on site will be strictly imposed.
- Use of security lighting will be kept to the minimum necessary and will be directed away from any resting places or important habitats in the vicinity.
- Generators will be turned off at night.
- Any exposed pipes or deep excavations that animals could enter will be covered overnight or exit ramps will be provided in the excavations.
The construction of Clashindarroch II will require areas of tree felling, most of which will be re-planted following construction. Clashindarroch is a commercial forest, and the trees which will be felled (largely non-native conifers planted at commercial densities) would be felled at some point in the future as part of normal forestry rotation.
Forestry Land Scotland have committed to balancing this felling against other felling planned for the same period elsewhere within Clashindarroch Forest. No other felling operations will occur elsewhere within the forest at the same time as felling within the wind farm area. Only about 50 hectares, which is small percentage of the whole of Clashindarroch Forest, will be left un-planted for the 30-year lifetime of the wind farm, mostly around the wind turbine bases. This will be replaced elsewhere in the Clashindarroch Forest and broader region, with wildcat ecology and broader biodiversity objectives in mind.
We also have various initiatives in place to help enhance habitats through our Habitat Management Plans. For example, logs, brash and root plates left from the felling may be used to create wildcat den features, in suitable locations away from the wind farm.
We are recruiting a Wildcat Project Officer to oversee the creation and improvement of habitats for Scottish wildcats locally, as well as a programme to protect the viability of Scottish wildcat populations and reduce interbreeding with feral domestic cats through a licensed Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Release programme. They will also encompass educational work with local stakeholders on Scottish wildcat ecology. The work will be guided by a panel of independent ecological experts, to which NatureScot will be invited.
The Species Protection Plan can be viewed here.
Find out more about Clashindarroch II Wind Farm development here.
1 It should be noted that all the wildcats recorded at Clashindarroch as part of our studies and those of FLS and Scottish Wildcat Action have been identified as hybrids (i.e. a result of interbreeding with domestic/feral cats). Nevertheless we are committed to implementing protection measures regardless of hybrid status of the cats.