20 Nov A Tale of Two Conferences: a busy week in Wales
Future Energy Wales 2024
We enjoyed attending Future Energy Wales on 12-13 November. The conference has developed into the most significant event in Welsh renewables, and the team were able to catch up with many of our clients and current and former project team colleagues. BSG Director Owain Gabb was one of the speakers in the “Wind, wings, and wildlife: Onshore wind benefits in action” session, during which he outlined our role in habitat creation, monitoring and research in relation to onshore renewables. Some of the most prescient issues in onshore wind farm ecology, impacts on peat habitats and achieving biodiversity net benefit, were addressed in the question and answer session.
Wales’ First Minister, Eluned Morgan, gave a very positive speech to close day one, during which she emphasised her determination to accelerate the speed at which renewable energy projects proceed through planning, pointed to recent wind farm approvals and suggested further decisions were to come. This was followed on day two by an announcement by Rebecca Evans, the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy, and Planning that Planning and Environmental Decisions Wales (PEDW) will be able to take decisions on renewables projects up to 50 MW in size, potentially reducing planning timelines by up to three months. Michael Shanks, the UK Government Energy Minister provided further weight to proceedings, emphasising the collaborative efforts between GB Energy and Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, the Welsh Government’s state-owned developer, and the Government’s commitment to becoming a world leader in the clean energy transition.
BSG Director Owain Gabb said, “Future Energy Wales is a massively important event in our renewables calendar, a great opportunity to catch up with friends in the industry and to develop new business. On a personal note it was very interesting to hear from peers about some of the habitat management and restoration work that is being delivered on the back of wind farms, and from key figures in Welsh Government about their determination to accelerate planning decisions. A hugely positive conference all round.”
The Welsh Ornithological Society Conference 2024
BSG Ecology was the main sponsor of the Welsh Ornithological Society (WOS) Conference in Aberystwyth for the second consecutive year. It was a positive and uplifting day with some great speakers. Topics included the results of the WOS rook survey, how we might reverse the decline of black grouse (which has both dropped in number and contracted its Welsh range further in recent years), the proposed reintroduction of white-tailed eagles to Wales, and the British Trust for Ornithology’s Cudyll Cymru project, which aims to upskill and involve people in raptor survey and monitoring and which will seek to collect data on some of Wales’s more widespread and abundant, but nevertheless under recorded raptor species. Further topics included wintering green sandpiper, which has been the focus of a detailed study in South Wales, the results of colour-ringing of waders on the Gann Estuary in Pembrokeshire, the success of swift conservation initiatives (including pioneering work to use artificial intelligence to understand feeding frequency), and, finally, a brilliant talk on integrating curlew conservation with farming practices and encouraging local communities to both understand and become custodians of the species.
The conference was very well organised, with the opening and closing remarks from WOS President Iolo Williams adding a touch of humour while also highlighting some of the very serious issues our wildlife faces at all geographical scales and how we all need to act in order to address biodiversity decline. The day also featured a lifetime achievement award for Andy King, the county recorder for Brecknockshire, and someone who has showed huge dedication of systematic recording of birds in an underwatched part of Wales.
Rhys Lewis (Consultant Ecologist) said “All speakers at the WOS conference were informative and engaging, with Sam Kenyon’s presentation on the ongoing monitoring and conservation work with curlew in North Wales being a highlight. This talk emphasized the positive results that can be achieved through forging close working relationships between ornithologists, farmers, and the local community. Our stand was also a great opportunity to chat with and learn from professional ornithologists and experienced bird enthusiasts. Overall, I came away from conference feeling inspired to contribute more to local conservation after hearing what can be achieved through concerted conservation action. “
