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I’m writing in response to a recent article by birding columnist Bruce Mactavish, “Surprise chook spottings throughout autumn journey to Codroy Valley space.”
I’ve been following the event of the World Energy GH2 venture on the west coast of Newfoundland with nice concern since its announcement in July 2022. The second proposed wind turbine website on the Anguille mountains within the Codroy Valley was a late addition to the venture.
The folks there — and across the province — are solely starting to come back to phrases with what this can imply for that area. Mr. Mactavish describes the numerous pleasant avian encounters he is had this fall whereas spending time within the pretty Codroy Valley, which included over 50 white-throated sparrows, over 200 white-skinned hawks, “clouds” of robins, and a few uncommon chook sightings at Cape Anguille together with a blue-winged warbler and a white-eyed vireo.
Mr. Mactavish says he went within the fall to increase his information of the autumn chook migration, the extent of which isn’t very well-known and ends the piece with noting his sense of pleasure and his feeling that “something is feasible within the Codroy Valley.”
I saved ready for him to say the risk to chook populations from the proposed WE GH2 venture, which incorporates 164 large, 200-metre tall generators with related roads and transmission strains to be located alongside the Anguille Mountains on one aspect of the valley, round tributaries which feed into the Grand Codroy Estuary. This is probably crucial wetland within the province and has two internationally acknowledged Important Bird Areas.
The significance of the Grand Codroy Estuary was acknowledged in 1987 by the Ramsar Convention and is the one space within the province to have this recognition. The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) notes that “Wind generators and their related infrastructure — notably energy strains and towers — are among the many fastest-growing threats to birds and bats within the United States and Canada.” They additionally clarify that this risk might be decreased via correct siting of generators.
“When it involves wind power, website choice is every little thing. The dangers are, after all, a lot better when wind generators are placed in areas attracting giant concentrations of birds and bats. When wind power initiatives are situated in or close to main migratory routes, stopover websites, or key breeding or foraging areas, the losses are anticipated to be nice. ABC believes that such high-risk areas ought to be prevented in any respect prices.”
It is inconceivable to me that our authorities would permit this venture to proceed in crucial space for birds within the province and in probably the most stunning locations on the island. And this for a mega venture whose know-how is untested at this scale wherever on the earth apart from one in China — how is that one going by the best way? Does anybody know?
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One of the notable omissions within the Environmental Impact Statement submitted by WE GH2 is a examine for fall chook migration within the Codroy Valley. How knowledgeable a call can the Department of Environment be making with out this info? Surely the numerous people round this province who worth and examine birds within the valley have comparable considerations?
While extolling the birding delights of the Codroy Valley, Mr. Mactavish fails to say the proposed improvement and the risk it poses to migratory chook populations. The author clearly cherishes what the Codroy Valley has to supply. My concern is that if the generators are put in within the Anguille mountains as proposed, reasonably than counting birds in flight on his subsequent go to, Mr. Mactavish will likely be counting chook corpses.
Tara Manuel
Corner Brook Co-Chair Enviro Watch NL
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