Bane Nor constructs floating platforms to protect bird population in Hamar

Bane Nor is expanding the double tracks for the railway past the Åkersvika nature reserve in Hamar, which will impact the local bird population. To mitigate this, they have constructed floating platforms designed for birds to nest in peace. These platforms are specifically built for the common tern and other species of gulls, with the help of the employment integration company MjøsAnker.

The platforms feature a fenced enclosure made of chicken wire to prevent chicks from falling out, nesting boxes for shelter, and smooth metal sides to deter minks, a natural predator. Two nesting platforms have been deployed in Lake Mjøsa near Hamar, following a recommendation from the regional environmental authority.

Trine Holm, environmental leader at Bane Nor, commented that while they are obliged to compensate for the areas taken from the birds, they also wish to implement additional measures, such as these nesting islands, to support local wildlife. The aim is to see more common terns nesting peacefully next year, particularly since they typically nest on another island close to the construction site.

According to Frode Løset, a biologist at Sweco, the platforms are designed to be safer and more attractive than the previous nesting sites. The initiative has been successful in other areas, raising hopes that it will be effective in Hamar as well. In spring, cameras will be installed to monitor activity and fledgling success on the artificial nesting islands, with the ultimate goal of increasing the local common tern population.