Of birds and high voltage overheadlines: How feedback from decision-makers is helping data provider

In Belgium, Elia (the national electricity Transport System Operator, http://www.elia.be) is committed to reduce bird collision on high voltage powerlines. ELIA manages a network of 5700 km of overhead powerlines. Bird collision risk can be reduced by disposing special diverters on the cables. These diverters are able to increase visibility of the lines so that flying birds can avoid them on time. Diverters need to be placed on high risk powerlines sections. To identify these black spot on the powerline sections, ELIA takes profit on biological information brought together by Natagora and Natuurpunt, two important nature conservancy associations. In order to prioritize the placement of diverters on the 5700 km-long high-voltage power line network in Belgium, Natagora (in Wallonia) and Natuurpunt (in Flanders) mobilise bird distribution data through citizen-science, with two complementary approaches. First, bird data collected by field birdwatchers through citizen-science portal are used to build high-resolution map of bird density across Belgium, for the bird species identified as sensitive to power line collisions. Second, through mobilization of observer networks and the use of different media, birdwatchers are encouraged to actively mention precise location of bird casualties with power lines encountered in the field in the global biodiversity recording portal Observation.org.