Kaihiku/Lochindorb Windfarm
The project
Kaihiku/Lochindorb wind farm is a proposed fast track wind farm on the northern border of the Catlins, Otago. The wind farm site is approximately 7km from Clinton and 12km from Balclutha in South Otago. The estimated capacity of the wind farm is 300 megawatts, depending on constraints mapping, resource consents and wind turbine technology. If built, it would generate enough electricity to power around 135,000 households.
Learn more here: https://kaihikuwindfarm.co.nz/
The work
We were subcontracted by Davidson-Watts Ecology to assist with landscape scale acoustic surveys and radio-tracking surveys of long tailed bats for the ecological impact assessment for the fast track consents process.
We assisted in carrying out acoustic surveying multiple times throughout the year to assess temporal differences in localised habitat use across the proposed wind farm site and to feed into capture and tracking of bats at the site.
We then undertook full advanced radio-tracking surveys to assess night time habitat use, flight paths and origin of bats caught within the wind farm site.
We also provided information around opportunities and constraints for potential offsetting and compensation measures.
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