USGS lecture on wind energy and wildlife on July 26

Research statistician Manuela Huso will give a lecture about wind energy and wildlife in Conference Room A, Building 3 at USGS in Menlo Park on Thursday, July 26. The free event, which starts at 7:00 pm, is intended for a general public audience that may not be familiar with the science being discussed.

Topics to be discussed during the lecture include:

• Wind-power development in the United States is increasing exponentially, with proposals to provide 20% of the country’s total power by 2030.
• High numbers of bird and bat carcasses at some wind farms have raised concerns about the environmental effects of this rapidly expanding industry.
• Why don’t simple counts of carcasses beneath turbines provide reliable estimates of fatality?
• What tools are scientists developing to accurately estimate wildlife fatalities and help identity options for monitoring and mitigation?