reeves hill windfarm
Ecology
A comprehensive program of ecological surveys has been carried out at the site. Whilst Reeves Hill falls within an Enclosed Moors and Commons landscape type there is little natural cover or habitat remaining from such enclosure. The agricultural land management for arable and livestock is managed as intensively as most other lowland areas with a significantly greater loss of stone wall and hedgerow boundary features which may have previously characterised the area. The location of habitats and vegetation types was mapped following survey.
Surveys were conducted to establish the presence and distribution of protected mammals, including bats, badger, otter and water vole. Bat surveys were undertaken over summer 2007. A survey to establish the potential construction, operation and decommissioning effects of the windfarm on any amphibians was also undertaken.
Winter, breeding bird and vantage point surveys were conducted at the site. Bird populations are diverse throughout the year but the low counts for all species indicate that the resource base is low in terms of food sources and breeding opportunities.
Recommendations from the result of survey include construction at an appropriate time of year to avoid ground nesting birds (and hibernating amphibians) minimising direct impacts on their populations. The wind energy scheme will have very small areas of land-take of the improved areas of land with little scrub or tree removal therefore little loss of breeding or foraging habitat will take place.
