Strasbourg, 25 October 2012 T-PVS/Inf (2012) 20 [inf20e_2012] CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF EUROPEAN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL HABITATS

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1 Strasbourg, 25 October 2012 T-PVS/Inf (2012) 20 [inf20e_2012] CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF EUROPEAN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL HABITATS Standing Committee 32 nd meeting Strasbourg, 27 th -30 th November 2012 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE REPORTING OF PARTIES TO THE BERN CONVENTION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION POINTS LISTED IN THE BUDAPEST DECLARATION ON BIRD PROTECTION AND POWER LINES Document prepared by BirdLife International This document will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy. Ce document ne sera plus distribué en réunion. Prière de vous munir de cet exemplaire.

2 T-PVS/Inf (2012) 20-2 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE REPORTING OF PARTIES TO THE BERN CONVENTION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION POINTS LISTED IN THE BUDAPEST DECLARATION ON BIRD PROTECTION AND POWER LINES [DOCUMENT T-PVS/INF (2011) 14] CONTACT DETAILS: Country: Switzerland Organisation: Federal Office for the Environment Name and position of responsible person: Sarah Pearson Perret Phone: Date of completing the form: DEFINITIONS USED IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE: Transmission lines: electricity transmission is the transfer of electricity from generating power plants to high-voltage electrical substations located near demand centres. Large amounts of electricity are transmitted at high voltages ( kv in Europe). Transmission lines mostly use high-voltage threephase alternating current (AC). Distribution lines: electric power distribution is carrying electricity from the transmission system to the final customers (medium voltage, less than 33 kv). Electrocution of birds may take place when a bird touches two phase conductors or one conductor and an earthed device simultaneously. There is a strong consensus that the risk posed to birds depends on the technical construction type and detailed design of power facilities. Electrocution mainly occurs on overhead distribution lines Collisions by hitting overhead transmission and distribution lines cause the death or injury of bird. Species with rapid flight, and the combination of heavy body and small wings restricts swift reactions to unexpected obstacles. Q1: IN YOUR COUNTRY A NATIONAL GROUP OF EXPERTS ON BIRD SAFETY AND POWER LINES IS: - not identified yet, but planned for /.. (M/Y) - not identified due to lack of funding - not identified because no priority/ nobody available to do it - not identified because of lack of experts - identified and coordinated by: (please mention name, organisation, ) No formal expert group was established in Switzerland. However, many activities take place involving various stakeholders, e.g. the Federal office for the Environment FOEN, the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies VSE, the Swiss federal Railways SFR, cantonal authorities, the Swiss Ornithological Institute, SVS/BirdLife Switzerland, Nos Oiseaux and others. Activities are coordinated by different institutions, depending on project priorities. The Swiss Ornithological Institute is Switzerland's centre of competence for ornithological research: Swiss Ornithological Institute

3 - 3 - T-PVS/Inf (2012) 20 CH-6204 Sempach Switzerland Tel Fax See Q1 - in your country regional groups of experts on bird safety and power lines are coordinated by: (please mention region, name, organisation, ) Q2: NATIONAL BIRD MONITORING PROTOCOL IS IN PLACE FOR: - transmission lines: electrocution (yes/no) collision (yes/no), if NO it is planned for../ (M/Y) - distribution lines: electrocution (yes/no) collision (yes/no), if NO it is planned for../ (M/Y) Q3: NATIONAL EXPERIENCE ON BIRD SAFETY AND POWER LINES IS RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN: - publication of government agencies - scientific publications - publication of distribution companies - publication of transmission companies - other If there are no recent publications please indicate why? VSE et al. (2009): Bird safety on power lines greater than 1 kv nominal voltage - catalogue of good practice to be respected on aerial power lines (1 st issue: 1997; 2 nd issue: 2009) - in German, French; Italian (download) Massive immigration balances high anthropogenic mortality in a stable eagle owl population: Lessons for conservation. (2010) Schaub, M., A. Aebischer, O. Gimenez, S. Berger & R. Arlettaz. Biol. Conserv. 143: Prioritäre Regionen für die Sanierung des Mittelspannungsnetzes zum Schutz von Weissstorch und Uhu vor Stromschlag. (2007) Heynen, D. & H. Schmid. Download Q4: DID YOUR COUNTRY SUPPORT THE EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE ON BIRDS AND POWER LINES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES? - is planned for./. (M/Y) - not planned - yes, please specify how: Beside the institutional collaboration in international fora, e.g. CMS, AEWA, etc., sporadic exchange of information and experiences takes places on expert level. Q5: VOLUNTARY COOPERATION ON BIRD SAFETY AND POWER LINES BETWEEN INDUSTRY, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND CIVIL SOCIETY: - is planned for./. (M/Y) - not planned

4 T-PVS/Inf (2012) yes is ongoing, please specify how: There is, for instance, cooperation between the Federal Office for Environment FOE, the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies VSE, the Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations ESTI, the Federal Office of Transport FOT, the Swiss Federal Railways SFR and SVS/BirdLife Switzerland aiming at improving the infrastructure. The cooperation resulted in Guidelines "Bird safety on power lines greater than 1 kv nominal voltage - catalogue of good practice to be respected on aerial power lines" (see Q3). However, an intensification of the cooperation regarding implementation of activities in the field should be sought. Q6: DID YOUR COUNTRY RECENTLY SUPPORT RESEARCH PROJECTS OF COMPANIES, SCIENTIFIC ORGANISATIONS AND/OR NGOS? - Yes, please specify how: Q7: MONITORING OF MITIGATING MEASURES IS CARRIED OUT: - Yes by: - companies - research institutes - government agencies - nature protection NGOs - other The fundamentals for mitigation measures are in place, however, further efforts are needed to implement them effectively. Q8: IS THE IMPACT OF RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE ON ELECTROCUTION AND COLLISION STUDIED? - Planned for:./.. (M/Y) - Yes If yes, please specify how and where It is recognised, that railway infrastructure can be a risk for collisions or electrocutions for birds. The publication of the Federal Office for Environment FOE "Liste de contrôle Environnement pour les installations ferroviaires non soumises à l EIE" notes, that standard measures for the protection of birds have to be undertaken. Further activities are currently discussed. Further information see Question 14. Q9: UNDERGROUND CABLING OF DISTRIBUTION LINES IS PROMOTED AS STANDARD TECHNIQUE - Yes, everywhere - Yes, but only in priority zones If only in priority zones, please specify how and where: See Q10

5 - 5 - T-PVS/Inf (2012) 20 Q10: UNDERGROUND CABLING OF TRANSMISSION LINES IS PROMOTED AS STANDARD TECHNIQUE - Yes, everywhere - Yes, but only in priority zones If only in priority zones, please specify how and where: The issue is currently under discussion. The installation of new transmission lines is legally regulated by the ordinance on electric transmission lines (RS Ordonnance du 30 mars 1994 sur les lignes électriques (OLEI)) For each individual line, it has to be decided on the basis of objective criteria, whether a power line is built as a transmission line or an underground cable. To this purpose, the Federal Office of Energy has developed a catalogue of evaluation criteria, however, the criteria do not take into account bird protection (Office fédéral de l'énergie OFEN (2013): Lignes de transport d'électricité: Système d'évaluation et manuel. German, download: The guidelines "Electricity transmission and landscape conservation" of the Federal Department of Home Affairs from 1980 are to be considered: Important bird areas, habitats of sensitive species and the closer vicinity of breeding sites of vulnerable species should be avoided as well as national inventories of landscapes, species and habitats. If it is not possible to circumvent such areas, underground cabling and alternative corridors has to be checked. Underground cables are probably the future given a verdict of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. Older types of power lines, however, remain a matter of concern. Q11: LEGISLATION FOR NEW AND FULLY RECONSTRUCTED POWER LINES ENSURES THEY ARE BIRD- SAFE BY DESIGN: - for distribution lines: yes/no - for transmission lines: yes/no If yes, please provide weblinks to the legislation. The Federal Act on the Protection of the Environment (1983, SR ) stipulates that the environmental impact of new facilities - or the expansion of existing ones - must be assessed before approval (Article 10a, Environmental Impact Assessment). The Ordinance on the Environmental Impact Assessment (1988, SR ) includes a list of installations subject to environmental impact assessment EIA and stipulates the decision-making process. New construction and modifications to existing electric power infrastructure and power lines require in most cases an EIA (increasing the voltage, large changing the alignment, significant increase of mast, etc., construction and expansion of railway lines, etc.) Construction of new higher voltage lines are subject to strict EIA procedures and they may include compensatory measures for habitats and species, in particularly if it concerns protected areas and species of red data lists, this also concerns the route (RS Ordonnance relative à l étude de l impact sur l environnement). There are Guidelines on Electricity Grids and Landscape Protection (see question 5) and the Swiss Landscape Concept stipulates that transmission lines may not affect avifauna (further information & download). The ordinance on power lines (RS Ordonnance du 30 mars 1994 sur les lignes électriques (OLEI)) regulates the construction of new power lines (Art. 2, sentence 1) and for existing powerlines, if they pose threat to man or to the environment (sentence 2c). Art. 30 stipulates "if local needs require, measures shall be taken such, that birds on cross-arms can not cause shorts to ground or phase-to-phase short circuits." Underground cabling: see Q10

6 T-PVS/Inf (2012) 20-6 Q12: IMPACT OF POWER LINES ON BIRDS IS MONITORED: - Yes, by Government agencies - Yes, by research institutes - Yes, by NGOs If yes, please provide details on the monitoring protocol. Information on the impact of power lines are derived from the Swiss ringing scheme. The Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach runs the national ringing scheme on behalf of and with financial aid from the Swiss government. The ringing scheme supervises and supports the ringers, assesses projects and submits applications to the Federal Office for the Environment for permits, administrates the ringing activities, manages the recovery database and delegates a representative for EURING (European Union for Bird Ringing). Further information However, the Swiss ringing scheme does not provide a national overview on the impact of power lines on birds. Q13: PRIORITY POWER LINES TO BE RETROFITTED OR CHANGED FOR BIRD CONSERVATION AND DISTRIBUTION ARE IDENTIFIED: - Yes - Planned for:./.. (M/Y) If yes, please provide details on the prioritisation process. Q14: TECHNICAL STANDARDS AND CATALOGUES OF BIRD-SAFE POWER POLE DESIGN AND MITIGATION MEASURES: - are being developed - are developed national / regional - are developed and implemented national/regional If yes, please provide weblinks to the technical standards and catalogues. In 2009, the Association of Swiss Electricity VSE, the Federal Office for Environment FOE, the Federal Office of Transport FOT, the Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations ESTI, the Swiss Federal Railways SFR published in cooperation with the Swiss Ornithological Institute, the Conservation Biology division of the University of Bern and BirdLife Switzerland the second revised edition of the "Recommendations for the construction of overhead lines and their high current carrying poles": Protection des oiseaux sur les lignes aériennes à courant fort. Association des entreprises électriques suisses (AES), Office fédéral de l environnement (OFEV), Office fédéral des transports (OFT), Office fédéral de l énergie (OFEN), Inspection fédérale des installations à courant fort (ESTI), Domaine de l énergie CFF, gestion des installations de réseaux (Eds.). pdf. 20p. Please do not hesitate to contact us to help you fill in the questionnaire or for any other questions you may have: BirdLife Europe, Willem Van den Bossche, willem.vandenbossche@birdlife.org, Tel.: