Court order closure of wind farm after hundreds of kestrel deaths

A French court has ordered the immediate closure of a windfarm in Southern France after the alleged death of up to 300 rare birds of prey.

Following a ruling by a Montpellier court, the Aumelas wind farm, located in the Hérault department, has been forced to shut for four months after hundreds of endangered lesser kestrels have been killed.

The site, consisting of 31 wind turbines, is located in a sparsely populated scrubland area approximately 20 kilometres from Montpellier. The birds regularly crash into the turbine blades, despite the deterrent measures in place, including an electronic ‘scare system’.

This unprecedented ruling mandates a shutdown during the nesting period of the migratory species, which occupies the Aumelas plateau before returning to Africa at the end of summer.

The court ordered a fine of €500,000 for each of the 10 companies that manage the windfarm including EDF and multiple subsidiaries.

Simon Popy, president of France Nature Environnement Occitanie-Méditerranée said: “We are pleased to see that the courts are prioritising the protection of these species for four months by stopping the exploitation of the park”

Lindsay Waddell, former Chairman of the National Gamekeepers Organisation, told ST: “The fact that wind turbines kill birds, especially raptors, is nothing new, but it seems it is a price some are willing to pay for green energy, especially if they, the organisations who should be complaining about the deaths are profiting from them.

“At least the French seem to be more robust than here with regard to protecting their wildlife unless of course there are allegations of gamekeepers breaking the law.

“The true tally of wind turbine deaths will never be known as many casualties on both land and water will be scavenged leaving little evidence behind.

“I was told by a gamekeeper a few years ago he found a hen harrier underneath a turbine which had a transmitter on it. He left it well alone and a few days later it had vanished. Who or what collected it we will never know, but my guess is it never appeared on any statistics.

“There is now doubt there should be some form of survey work on bird usage of an area before planning for wind farms is consented, although for vast areas of the Scottish borders it is now too late.”