title: Airports offer unrealized potential for alternative energy production.
abstract: Scaling up for alternative energy such as solar, wind, and biofuel raises a number of environmental issues, notably changes in land use and adverse effects on wildlife. Airports offer one of the few land uses where reductions in wildlife abundance and habitat quality are necessary and socially acceptable, due to risk of wildlife collisions with aircraft. There are several uncertainties and limitations to establishing alternative energy production at airports, such as ensuring these facilities do not create wildlife attractants or other hazards. However, with careful planning, locating alternative energy projects at airports could help mitigate many of the challenges currently facing policy makers, developers, and conservationists.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Sandusky, OH 44846, USA. Travis.L.DeVault@aphis.usda.gov
authors.forename: Travis L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: DeVault
authors.forename: Jerrold L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Belant
authors.forename: Bradley F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wes Burger
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D059028:Airports / Q000145:classification; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004777:Environment; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D059205:Renewable Energy; D014481:United States