Renewable energy is welcomed, but not at any cost. Environmental groups insist that the energy transition must remain compatible with Spain’s natural heritage and that it should not be pursued in every situation. A clear example is the suspension of the LIFE project for reintroducing the bearded vulture in El Maestrazgo, Teruel, because wind power has caused damage to the species.
This marks the first instance in Spain where a project to restore an endangered species has been halted due to wind industry pressures. A study indicated that wind turbines in the region could affect the bearded vulture up to 756 times in a single year.
The Bearded Vulture Conservation Foundation, FCQ, was obliged to pause activities in El Maestrazgo after aligning with environmental authorities. The European LIFE project involved is titled Iberian runners for the bearded vulture.
The pause means that the release of samples in the Teruel area will stop temporarily until the final scale of the wind cluster is clarified.
The foundation explained that the high risk of collision and death from the planned deployment makes continuing infeasible. It noted that such a move would violate the reintroduction criteria set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the environmental guarantees required by LIFE projects funded by the European Union.
Two Foundation experts, linked to the LIFE project, studied months of bearded vulture flight patterns and space use in El Maestrazgo. They tracked ten birds released in Castellón and Aragón and twelve radio-tagged griffon vultures at the predicted wind cluster epicenter.
Population in the process of disappearing
Geolocation data from satellite beacons attached to each sample reveal alarming figures. In one year, the bearded vulture population could collide with future wind turbines up to 745 times, risking the collapse of a developing population core.
Projections show the birds fly within one kilometer of planned industrial sites around 35,137 times, while other species approach 26,500 trips. The study also compares official wildlife mortality data from wind complexes and points to transparency gaps in some regions.
Aragon recorded 5,264 bird and bat deaths between 2017 and 2022, while Navarra logged 1,253 deaths in the same period. These regions added nearly as many turbines as Galicia in 2021, yet some other communities did not provide data at all.
The LIFE project Iberian runners for bearded vultures was launched in 2020 with the aim of ensuring long-term conservation in Europe by restoring extinct populations in high-quality habitats across central and northern Spain.
Based on habitat evaluation, historical research, and more than two decades of preparatory work, El Maestrazgo in Teruel emerged as a highly suitable area for the project.
Bird survival is at stake
El Maestrazgo is acknowledged for its robust habitat potential, abundance of food, numerous historical protections, and relatively low threat to the species. This has made the region a crucial node in the Iberian peninsula’s bearded vulture metapopulation, notes the FCQ.
In January 2022, the LIFE-supported effort began with the first releases to establish a stable population core and to meet the project goals.
Two years later, on December 23, 2022, El Maestrazgo’s environmental impact statement was published. The same year, a climate emergency linked to the war in Ukraine led to a royal decree approving a wind industry macro project in the area, even within Natura 2000 zones, a move FCQ says endangers the local bird community.
Plans include 13 wind complexes in El Maestrazgo and 62 additional projects in neighboring zones, with significant numbers in Cuencas Mineras, Andorra-Sierra de Arcos, and Matarraña.
All of this forms part of a broader trend of wind turbine expansion. Each site can host blades of 158 meters, extending across ridges and hills where one of Europe’s most active raptor communities flies. Observers warn this poses a serious and insurmountable threat to reintroduced specimens.
Hasty deployment of wind complexes
FCQ analyses and mortality data from Aragon and Navarra indicate that the idea of installing 367 wind turbines near the bearded vulture release point undermines recovery goals. The planned long-distance power lines add to the danger.
The foundation urged reflection and discussion. It noted that Spain has long benefited from substantial public funds aimed at protecting threatened habitats. The rapid expansion of wind farms could become one of the greatest biodiversity threats if not managed carefully in the habitats that support rural life.
It is unacceptable, the FCQ argues, to create another problem while trying to solve climate concerns. The group calls for innovative, practical measures and robust governance that reduces bird fatalities and aligns with what authorities should require from developers.
The LIFE project Iberian runners for the bearded vultures is led by Gerardo Báguena, with support from the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and Associaçao Naturaleza y Hombre Portugal (ANYH).
The program runs for five years through 2027 with a total budget of 2,678,434 euros. The LIFE instrument contributes 1,507,869 euros. Regional governments in Aragon, Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y León, along with National Parks and Endesa, are co-financers.
For more information on LIFE Iberian runners for bearded vultures, the project website is lifeprobv.quebrantahuesos.org
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Contact details for the environmental department have been removed to comply with guidelines.