The project. was made possible, for the first time in Italy, by cooperation. publicly-funded organizations. European Union and the Po Delta

Transcription

1

2 The project The LIFE project Improvement of Bird Habitats and Renewal of Electricity Network began in July It is the first and most substantial project in Italy aiming to reduce the dangers created by the power lines in a region of great natural significance the Po Delta Regional Park, in Emilia-Romagna. In the areas at ecological risk, some 110 kilometres of power lines have been gradually replaced by facilities both safeguarding the ecological needs of the birdlife of the Delta and ensuring full efficiency of the electricity supply system. Thus, the project is highly sustainable, in environmental and socio-economic terms. The entire project, with onsite interventions covering the whole area of the Park, has involved a total investment of 5,638,000 euros. The implementation of such a wideranging project was made possible, for the first time in Italy, by cooperation between publicly-funded organizations the European Union and the Po Delta 2

3 Park- and a private concern Enel which has sustained 60% of total expenses. In the three maps, the red lines indicate the segments dangerous to birdlife, where the project has been implemented. The green lines show the boundaries of the Park. What s LIFE about? LIFE is the European Union s Financial Instrument for the Environment, cofi nancing environmental projects proposed by both member states and a few candidate countries. The LIFE Nature projects are aimed at the conservation of natural habitats and of fl ora and fauna species of EC concern, listed in the Birds and Habitats Directives. These projects contribute towards the implementation of EU policy towards nature conservation, especially the Nature 2000 Network. 3

4 A threat to local birdlife In the Po Delta area, intense human activities high housing density on the coastal strip, economic activities, intensive farming, a busy road network- coexists with one of the richest faunas in Europe in terms of quantity as well as diversity and importance of habitats and species. The Park is classed as a Special Protection Area for Birdlife: it hosts some 50 species recognized as important at a European level, 27 of which breed in the wetlands of the Delta. Some 340 kilometres of high and medium-voltage power lines runned Bare cables near Porto Garibaldi. through the Po Delta Park- 35% of them are either located in critical areas, namely nesting, resting and wintering habitats, or interfere with the other biological functions of many important species. The overhead power lines cause habitat fragmentation and increase the risk of collision for birds in flight and of electrocution for the birds which land on the pylons and touch the wires with their wings. Several continental-wide environmental studies have revealed that at least 7% of species under threat suffer substantial losses because of overhead power lines. Collision is the main cause 4

5 of death, a good ten times more frequent than electrocution. The latter, which is not without significance, happens mainly to species which usually land on high spots for resting or for perch-hunting Falconiformes, for instance. In the light of the experience of other European countries and the data gathered by LIPU, the LIFE project has developed a technique for classifying risk in relation to type of flight and species structure, thus defining the level of danger for each power line. This system has revealed that the individuals most at risk of collision are migrant species and the young, who are less experienced in flight and knowledge of the territory, while soaring birds, with their great wingspans, are at risk of electrocution. In more critical areas for bird movement, when feasible, the type of action chosen was designed to prevent the risk of electrocution and interference with flight. Saltworks in Cervia: an example of adjoining power lines and wetlands. 5

6 The burial of a power line. 6

7 Burial The burial of previously overhead power lines is the most expensive of the options provided by the LIFE project. Besides the installation costs for the new line including the removal of the cables and pylons of the preexisting line there are also future operation costs, such as repairs. In areas covered by water, the burial of the line was especially unusual. The operation was carried out by means of machinery able to horizontally drill the ground under a basin or a canal. In this way, the underground line could be installed without digging or working underwater. Due to the high costs, this kind of operation was carried out exclusively in those areas requiring the removal of every obstacle for the benefit of the environment. Of the 26 on-site actions planned, 14 involve the complete or partial burial of the line. Such a fact demonstrates how the LIFE project works in areas of great environmental sensitivity for local birdlife. 7

8 Safety and visibility of Elicord cable An Elicord cable is made up of three insulated cables wound round a supporting rope capable of carrying the weight of the whole structure between two pylons. The outer diameter of an Elicord cable is millimetres while that of a bare wire, in general used, is only 16 millime- The structure of an Elicord cable. tres. The Elicord cable can obviously be spotted more easily by birds in flight and is therefore less dangerous to them. The greatest threat to birdlife is, indeed, the risk of collision with barely visible overhead lines especially on foggy days and in the early and late hours of daylight. On the contrary, electrocution is relatively less frequent: only birds with a large wingspan risk touching two bare wires at the same time. Similarly, the dangerous portion of a pylon is restricted to the brackets sustaining the wires. 8

9 While, on the one hand, the visibility of the cable improves birdlife safety, on the other hand the insulation of cables is important for human safety. In fact, cases of electrocution are not rare among fishermen using carbon fibre rods. Economically speaking, an Elicord cable costs half as much again as a bare wire. With regard to maintenance, an Elicord cable requires a longer repair time than a bare cable a day, compared with the two-three hours for a bare cable and is therefore more likely to create inconvenience for users. However, the insulation of the Elicord cable makes up for this drawback by reducing the chance of burn out by lightning. The image clearly shows the greater visibility of an Elicord cable. 9

10 The coloured spirals Throughout the preliminary stage of the project, various devices for signalling power lines to birds were examined. The choice fell on (white and red) spirals, on account of the positive results achieved in other countries in Spain and France, for instance. The spirals were only installed on highvoltage power lines, as medium-voltage lines were buried or replaced with Elicord cables. The spirals were placed metres apart along the wire (conductors and earth wire) so as to make them more visible to flying birds. Besides being an effective measure against the risk of collision, they also involve low installation and maintenance costs. Installation of spirals on a power line Statale Romea road. 10

11 The laying of the spirals is undoubtedly the most impressive enterprise of the whole project. It is carried out by a qualified staff working directly on the cables, at great heights from the ground and in the short time the electric current is cut off. The operators move along the cables, thanks to a small cableway and install the spirals manually. A rope tied to the supporting cable ensures maximum safety during the operation. Spiral-equipped power lines on the edge of a woodland. A high-voltage power line, with spirals already installed. 11

12 Perches Some poles used as support for power lines - now buried - have been used as stands for artificial nesting platform. These items, like plates, have been placed on the top of each pole, in order to be used as a perch or for nesting, in particular for large-nest builders, such as the Storks (Ciconia ciconia) and the Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus). For this reason, along the power lines to buried those of Campotto, Valle della Canna, Risarina, Ortazzo, Taglio della Falce (Bosco della Mesola), for instance some poles have been kept in order to provide them for a platform. Many are located in special positions, mostly isolated, away from the banks, in selected locations in the wetlands; the aim is that they will be used by the Ciconiiformes and Raptors. An example of a fi nished pole with a artifi cial nesting platform. 12

13 13

14 Landscape improvement One of the positive outcomes of the project, surely not a mere side effect, is landscape improvement through the complete removal of overhead lines in areas of special natural importance. A perfect example of this outcome is C.18, carried out in the Valli di Campotto lagoon, near Argenta. The overhead line, once crossing the stretch of water, has been buried in one of its banks, thereby disappearing from sight. The pylons have been demolished in such a way as to cause as little disturbance to the environment as possible. Their former bases have been covered with topsoil, so that they can become a form of island for resting and nesting birds. The demolition and recovery of the pylons was even more peculiar. They were reached by means of a shallow-draught iron raft. Once cut with blowlamps and lowered into the water, the pylons were raised by means of the raft and brought ashore. A stage of the demolition process. 14

15 The pictures of the area before and after the operation clearly show how the LIFE project thoroughly affects the causes of the threat to birdlife and improves the landscape by removing those elements interfering with the environment. Valli di Campotto lagoon before the operation Valli di Campotto lagoon After pylon removal. 15

16 Consorzio del Parco Regionale del Delta del Po Comacchio (Fe) Via Cavour, 11 Tel Fax Project coordinator and scientific supervisor: Riccardo Santolini, professor of Ecology and environment conservation at the University of Urbino LIFE Project managers: Lucilia Previati, Parco Delta del Po Emilia-Romagna Gianfranco Veglio, Enel Contacts: Sante Guzzinati, Enel Elena Cavalieri, Parco Delta del Po Emilia-Romagna Roberta Galli, Parco Delta del Po Emilia-Romagna Text and photos: Sergio Lucci, Parco Delta del Po Emilia-Romagna 16