NID4BirdLIFE

Details

The European kittiwake (R. tridactyla) population is rapidly declining due to food shortages at breeding sites and was selected as a priority species for LIFE. R. tridactyla is known to use offshore clean energy infrastructure for breeding, but the lack of data driven strategy is hampering optimal coexistence of the breeding R. tridactyla and the human activities in these sites.

The NID4BirdLIFE project is a pioneering project that aims to counter the disastrous R. tridactyla population decline by establishing a new longlasting breeding stronghold on the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island through integration of NID elements in the island wave walls. These NID elements will create an unprecedented breeding capacity of >5000 breeding pairs, with an expected colonization of 1000 breeding pairs by the end of the project. The project will implement an innovative multi-faceted monitoring strategy (combination of radar- and camera monitoring, and citizen science elements) to help fill the existing knowledge gaps related to NID for birds at offshore clean energy infrastructure, and this data will be actively shared through several platforms to ensure exploitation of the project results. An extensive stakeholder engagement and communication plan is included to catalyze the implementation of NID for birds in future offshore projects. The project can build on the extensive multi-disciplinary expertise of its consortium and the support of a broad range of stakeholders including NGO’s, TSO’s, members or the academic community, public authorities and National and European networks.

The NID4BirdLIFE initiative will set a new industry standard as it is the first time that a TSO goes beyond mitigating the negative impacts of their energy infrastructure from the design phase onwards by integrating measures that will create and stimulate positive effects on biodiversity. This project is the first step in the development of an NID ecosystem at the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island.

As part of the development of the Princess Elisabeth Island, the consortium — composed of Elia, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), and the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI) — embraced an innovative approach to infrastructure: Nature-Inclusive Design (NID). This collaborative effort integrates ecological expertise into the design and construction of the energy island, aiming to enhance biodiversity both above and below water.

What is Nature-Inclusive Design (NID)?

Nature-Inclusive Design incorporates biodiversity-enhancing elements directly into human infrastructure. Rather than building in opposition to nature, NID fosters coexistence — creating opportunities for flora and fauna to thrive in environments shaped by human activity.

For the Princess Elisabeth Island, several underwater NID measures were developed in collaboration with marine ecology and conservation experts.

The NID4BirdLIFE Project

Launched in 2024, the NID4BirdLIFE initiative aimed to support the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) population in the North Sea by establishing a durable breeding colony on the Princess Elisabeth Island. This was to be achieved through the integration of nesting ledges into the island’s wave walls.

Despite the ecological ambition and collaborative efforts invested, two major risks emerged that significantly compromised the feasibility of the project:

1. Substantial Cost Increase: Procurement and installation costs for bird ledges tripled, threatening the budget allocation for essential underwater NID measures.
2. Bird Strike Risk: The presence of ledges posed a potential risk to helicopter operations, conflicting with the ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Practicable) principle required for helideck certification.

While mitigation efforts were explored — including INBO’s evaluation of minimum ledge lengths and ongoing risk assessments — the risks remained insufficiently controlled.

A Difficult but Necessary Decision

Faced with these constraints, the consortium partners jointly decided to discontinue the NID4BirdLIFE project.

This decision was not taken lightly and reflects the complex realities of pioneering infrastructure projects. The consortium acknowledges the concerns raised by INBO regarding the ecological depth of the risk assessment and remains committed to transparency and collaboration.

Looking Ahead

The consortium partners reaffirm their commitment to implementing the remaining NID measures, as agreed upon with ecological experts. The support of CINEA and all stakeholders throughout this process has been invaluable.

The pioneering nature of the NID strategy remains central to the consortium’s vision for the energy island. Together, we will continue to explore viable, impactful solutions that promote biodiversity and contribute to a sustainable marine environment.

Status	Running
Actual start/end date	01/10/2024 - 31/12/2026

Teams

• Open science lab for biodiversity
• Communication and Policy
• BirdLab

INBO Research theme(s)

• Protected nature

Tags

• bird
• evinbo
• monitoring
• natura2000
• monitoring
• natura2000
• bird
• monitoring
• natura2000
• bird