Gruenstadt WEA

Species protection legislation preliminary assessment for the "Wind energy" land use development sub-plan, Town of Grünstadt and the Grünstadt-Land municipality, district of Bad Dürkheim

With regard to the planned concentration areas for wind turbines, igr undertook a preliminary assessment/investigation, at the level of the land use development plan, of the expected potential for conflict with species protection regulations. The investigation related particularly to the composition and occurrence of wind power sensitive types of bats and birds in the light of the area protection and the prohibitions in line with § 44 Abs. 1 Federal nature conservation law (BnatSchG).

The subject of the examination was three planned concentration areas for wind turbines with an associated investigation area of ca. 3,500 ha.

The findings of an extensive assessment and compilation of available basic data from the widest variety of official and other sources were revised and supplemented through site inspections. The checking for potential conflict areas related to the area protection with its associated protection targets, value- determining features ("Klärteiche Offstein" and "Haardtrand" bird sanctuaries were affected as well as the FFH zone "Kalkmagerrasen zwischen Ebertsheim und Grünstadt"), and the comprehensive species protection under § 44 Abs. Nr. 1 bis 3 BnatSchG.

For each area, anything in the plans relevant to the prohibitions (killing, disturbance or access bans for habitats), to the situation and assessment of the occurences, and to the relevent factors regarding wind energy plants were investigated. The investigation of wind power sensitive birds of prey, such as various types of harriers, the red kite and the owl, as well as bats, was of major significance.

A three-tier evaluation scale of recognisible potential conflicts was developed. The examination revealed that for the planned concentration areas for wind turbines, species protection legislation prohibitions with implementation of avoidance measures would not arise. Also, that significant adverse effects relevant to the area protection (Natura 2000 zone) were likewise not to be expected, with a corresponding positioning of the sites.

Possible avoidance measures are: an adapted layout of the wind energy plant locations in order to protect ecologically high value areas; operational constraints up to construction; and plant-related protection measures for further fundamentally protected species in line with § 10 Abs. 2 Nr. 11 BnatSchG (such as sand lizards or the field hamster).

Services provided by igr

  • Site inspections from March to June in investigation area (3,500 ha) with habitat type mapping to record land usage
  • Further site inspections with regrad to the relevant habitat structure for wind energy sensitive birds and bats (ca. 10,000 ha)
  • Species protection legislation relevant testing with evaluation of the prohibitions and development of appropriate avoidance measures
  • Accompanying consultancy for further approaches
  • Attendance and preparation and follow up for scoping meetings

Key figures

  • Investigation area:
    • Forest: ca. 1,500 ha
    • Patches of openland in mosaik pattern: ca. 1,000 ha
    • Poorly structured field: ca 1,000 ha
  • Bird sancturary 6315-401 "Klärteiche Offstein" (65 ha with 83 types of bird relevant to the plan)
  • Bird sancturary 6314-401 "Haardtrand" (in total 14,747 ha)
  • FFH zone 6411-301 "Kalkmagerrasen zwischen Ebertsheim und Grünstadt" (395 ha with value-determining botanical habitats semi arid grasslands/6210 and lowland hay meadows/6510)