1. Mitigating the Effects of Wind Farms on Birds and Bats
Chad Browning Biodiversity Officer, DELWP

2. Outline
Overview of wind farm development in Victoria
DELWP’s role in wind farm projects and mitigating bird and bat mortality
Current practice and novel approaches
Challenges and opportunities

4. DELWP’s Role
Mitigation hierarchy applied during the approvals and operational stages
Minister for Planning is RA for planning permits
Input from various groups, divisions and branches within DELWP

5. Mitigation Approaches – Avoiding Impacts
Project Planning Stage:
Macro-siting:
Informed site selection
Micro-siting:
Set-backs
Repowering Stage:
Potentially fewer turbines
Informed re-siting

6. Mitigation Approaches – Minimising Impacts

7. Mitigation Approaches – Offsetting Impacts

8. Challenges and Opportunities
Inconsistent approaches to mitigation
Risk of impact minimisation and offsetting overshadowing the need for robust assessments and impact avoidance
Keeping up with best practice
Establishing mitigation triggers

9. Contact Details