Open airstrips of pelicans, without the existence of Wind Energy Production Plants (EEPPs), is proposed by the Prespa Conservation Society in a memo to the competent bodies, calling for the exclusion of EEPPs, mainly in areas between the lakes of Western Macedonia and the lakes Doirani and Kerkini.
At an event held yesterday evening by the Prespes Conservation Society at the Old Town Hall of Prespes, on the issue of the impact of the poor siting of wind farms on the country's large birds, the establishment of an exclusion of areas of wind farms, due to the frequent passage of pelicans, was requested.
As Olga Alexandrou from the Company explained, initially, in 2021, they submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Environment and competent bodies, with the request to prepare special ornithological studies, even in non-NATURA areas where the siting of ASPEE is planned. «Now, we have proceeded to update the pelican flyways and we are requesting, with a new memorandum, exclusion zones on the main flyway, which starts from the Prespa lakes and ends in Kerkini,» said Alexandrou.
He explained that their proposals were based on the thousands of spots from 70 pelican transmitters they placed between 2012 and 2025, selecting spots from birds flying up to 350 metres high that could be affected by wind turbines. «Using telemetry data, we compiled a memo on risks that pelicans may face in central and western Macedonia, requesting for these areas, the establishment of an ASPE blockade due to the passage of pelicans,» he said.
According to Ms Alexandrou, it is problematic to locate the installation of RES near wetlands, where pelicans fly at low altitude, with an increased risk of collision, especially when there is low cloud cover.
For Vivi Roumeliotou, head of the policy department of the Prespa Conservation Society, the Society is in favour of RES development but with scientifically documented siting and not in critical habitats. «Our goal is to focus on how we can prevent the loss of species and wetlands from incorrect siting choices,» she said.
For his part, the mayor of Prespes, George Stergios, stressed that the municipality is in favour of green development, but with respect for the environment and the landscape.
For Lefteris Kapsalis from the Biodiversity Conservation Society of Thrace, the consequences for the forest of Dadia from the 2023 fire are terrible, describing the threat of projects harmful to biodiversity, such as wind farms, as the interest of investors remains high and growing.
According to Apostolis Kaltsis from the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the licensing of wind turbines in protected areas/critical habitats for birds is incompatible with the conservation of birdlife.ψ «Vultures and vultures are the most vulnerable birds to impacts on wind turbines as they look sideways and downwards looking for their food and find it difficult to see an obstacle in front of them».
Natasha Karathanou
