Optimal design and routing of power lines; ecological, technical and economic perspectives (OPTIPOL). Progress Report 2012

Bevanger, K. , Bartzke, G. , Brøseth, H. , Gjershaug, J.O. , Hanssen, F. , Jacobsen, K. -O. , Kleven, O. , Kvaløy, P., May, R. , Meås, R. , Nygård, T. , Refsnæs, S. Stokke, S. & Thomassen, J. 2012. Optimal design and routing of power lines; ecological, technical and economic perspectives (OPTIPOL). Progress Report 2012. – NINA Report 904. 57 pp. WP1 – “Power line ROW as habitat resources for moose (Alces alces) and other wildlife” has focused on moose browsing in power-line corridors in relation to adjacent areas in Bangdalen. Browsing surveys and pellet-group counts were also carried out in 2012 for this purpose and close to 200 plots were surveyed. A preliminary analysis of these data has been finalized. The paper "Comparative effects of power lines and roads on moose (Alces alces) habitat selection" was presented and consequently submitted as a proceedings paper at the 10 ROW conference in Arizona. WP2 – “Capercaillie and black grouse population responses to power-line induced mortality” has continued the data collection in Ogndalen also in 2012. As by January 2013 a total of 29 search patrols have been conducted and 50 locations with a bird or bird remains from collision victims in the study period were recorded. The DNA-analysis has identified 7 capercaillie and 5 black grouse among these birds and bird remains. Collision mortality rate varies between years and species, where capercaillie seems more exposed than black grouse. An oral presentation “Black grouse and capercaillie mortality and population estimates by DNA identification” – was presented and consequently submitted as a proceedings paper at the 10 ROW conference in Arizona. In WP3 “Bird collision hot spots” available data from earlier projects has been digitised and stored in a database. Some power line sections studied in connection to earlier projects turned out not to have been digitized, and resources were used to collect the missing data. The database, i.e. GPS-positions of all collision victims recording in connection to previous projects, as well as the patrolled power line sections, is now finalised. WP4 – “National database for reporting on dead birds” is now implemented as part of The Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (NBIC), and the data can be accessed at any time. As by early November 2012 379 casualties have entered the database, compared to 117 in 2011. WP5 – “A Least Cost Path (LCP) toolbox for optimal routing of power lines” has developed an initial LCP-pilot to demonstrate the LCPmethodology, based on the EIA-work performed prior to the construction of the 420 kV transmission line in central Norway (2005). The economic, ecological, social and technological criteria, and how these translated to the landscape, were based on user inputs from relevant stakeholders. Using the pilot case study the LCP-pilot methodology and fuzzy-logic approach were demonstrated at the first dialog-based workshop 23-24 April 2012. The first workshop on criteria definitions was followed by a second workshop on criteria values 20 November 2012. An oral presentations “A Least-Cost-Path (LCP) Toolbox for Optimal Routing of Power Lines” – was presented and consequently submitted as a proceedings paper at the 10 ROW conference in Arizona, at the 32 annual conference of the international association for impact assessment (IAIA12) in Porto (Portugal), and at the the ESRI European User Conference in Oslo. WP6 – “Birds and power line camouflaging” has nearly finalized its final report – “Power line camouflaging. Assessments of ecological and technical implications”. However, due to the overall budget situation in CEDREN the report will not be finalized until the end of April 2013. WP7 – “Bird mortality mitigating effect of power line marking/modifications” has nearly finalized its final report – “Possibilities and constraints in reducing power line and electrocution induced mortality in birds” are nearly finalized. However, due to the overall budget situation in CEDREN the report will not be finalized until the end of April 2013. WP8 “Guidelines for technical solutions to mitigate power line induced mortality to birds” has focused on topics related to marking, design, insulating, camouflaging and cabling. The gained experiences and results, described in articles and notes, will be implemented in WP6 and WP7. In WP9 – “Eagle owl population impact of power line induced mortality” four juvenile eagle owls were equipped with GPS satellite transmitters in 2012 together with one adult male and one adult female. Feathers for DNA-analyses were collected from active nests also in 2012 and the analyses of feathers collected in 2009-2012 have started. An oral presentation “Mitigating eagle owl electrocution in Norway” – was presented and consequently submitted as a proceedings paper at the 10 ROW conference in Arizona.