Wind Energy and Wildlife Management Considerations

Last Reviewed by MLTC: 03/31/2026.

Guidance on evaluating wind energy development by identifying sensitive habitats and migration corridors, applying siting and buffer considerations, and incorporating risk assessment and mitigation into project planning.

Resources:

1. Wind Energy: Great Lakes Regional Guidelines (Ewert, David N.; Cole, James B.; Grman, Emily, 2011)
   Provides habitat-based siting guidance identifying areas to avoid, including sensitive biodiversity sites, migration corridors, shorelines, wetlands, forests, and grasslands, and outlines buffer and operational considerations to reduce fragmentation and species impacts.
   Document: 2011-tnc-gl-regional-guidelines.pdf
2. Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2012)
   Provides a tiered framework for evaluating potential sites, assessing wildlife risk, and determining appropriate levels of study, avoidance, minimization, and mitigation prior to development.
   Resource: https://www.fws.gov/media/land-based-wind-energy-guidelines
3. Wind Energy Siting and Wildlife Guidance (Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute)
   Summarizes siting and mitigation approaches, including avoiding high-risk habitats, incorporating monitoring, and adapting management based on observed impacts.
   Resource: https://rewi.org/guide/