Predicting and mapping potential Whooping Crane stopover habitat to guide site selection for wind energy projects

Area of Science:

• Conservation Biology
• Avian Ecology
• Renewable Energy Planning

Background:

• Migratory stopover habitats are crucial for avian survival but often overlooked in land-use planning.
• Wind energy development is expanding, potentially impacting critical migratory flyways and species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and map potential stopover habitats for the endangered Whooping Crane (Grus americana).
• To integrate habitat data into the site-selection process for wind energy development, minimizing ecological conflicts.
• To inform conservation planning and incidental take permit considerations for at-risk species.

Main Methods:

• Utilized random forests modeling to predict Whooping Crane stopover habitat distribution.
• Mapped habitat suitability within a key migratory flyway in Nebraska.
• Identified areas with low potential for conflict between Whooping Crane stopover use and wind power development.

Main Results:

• Predicted that up to 54% of the study area is unsuitable as Whooping Crane stopover habitat.
• Identified low-risk areas for wind energy development, minimizing potential impacts on Whooping Cranes.
• Demonstrated the utility of predictive habitat modeling in guiding land-use decisions.

Conclusions:

• Integrating predictive habitat models into conservation and development planning is essential.
• This approach can proactively minimize conflicts between endangered species and renewable energy infrastructure.
• Field surveys are crucial for validating model predictions and understanding baseline ecological conditions before development.