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Here at Wildwood Ecology, we are very lucky to have a wide variety of clients, ranging from large firms to individual homeowners, allowing us to work on a range of projects and to provide ecological assistance to many different kinds of people. Although often our clients are happy to work with us, there is a distinct elephant in the room when we meet many of our clients for the first time: most of those who seek the services of an ecological consultant do so in order to meet the necessary requirements for planning approval or list building assessment.
First steps in planning
Often, when seeking planning permission or listed building consent (LBC) for a development on an existing building, you will be asked to seek a bat survey of the building prior to the consent being given. This leads many to believe that they only need to get a single survey done and then they’re good to go. Sadly, this is rarely the case.
When we first turn up to a job, the first survey we will undertake is known as a Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA), this is essentially a scoping survey to determine the condition of the building, whether any bats are present and the building’s suitability for use by bats. The building’s suitability for bats is often what catches people out, as a building can have no bats in it and no evidence of use by bats (such as bat droppings), however it can still have suitability for use by bats.
Suitability for bats
The suitability of the building for use by bats is determined by looking at the possibility that bats can access the building (e.g. gaps in the roof, under the eaves, slipped tiles) as well as any suitable roosting features within the building (e.g. timber beams). Even a small number of these features can mean that the building has at least low suitability for use by bats.
As you can imagine, sometimes use by bats can be a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, if a building is old and needs redevelopment, it’s going to be much more likely to be full of holes than a new build. It is rare that buildings are considered negligible (no evidence of bats or features suitable for supporting bats) as bats find their way into the smallest of gaps, for example the crack beneath the guttering on this house.
Surveys to satisfy planning
What this means is that, in order to confirm use by bats, dusk or dawn bat surveys will be needed. These surveys can only be conducted in the active season for bats (May – August) and can require multiple surveys in order to confirm absence (up to 3 surveys for buildings with high suitability).
What this means for the client is that, what they initially thought was a single daytime inspection for bats has turned into multiple night time surveys by multiple surveyors! In my experience, when I come to deliver this news it is rarely greeted with cheers, however these surveys are required in order to satisfy planning.
It is importance to note that LPAs should not condition these surveys, as the outcome of the bat surveys could result in changes to the final development plans being necessary (for example, if a bat loft is needed that wasn’t included on previous plans). Therefore, these surveys have to be completed before planning will be granted. As the surveys are seasonal, depending on the time of year that you contact an ecological consultancy for a bat survey, unfortunately you may need to wait months before you can complete the surveys you need for planning.
This highlights the importance of contacting an ecological consultant at an early stage if you think bats may be present within your development site, as waiting until a bat survey is requested could mean having to wait several months before the surveys can be completed.
Bat Licences
Once all of the bat surveys are complete and planning has been approved, there is more to do, as if bats are present within the building, a bat licence from Natural England is likely to be required in order to undertake the works legally.
This licence requires planning permission (or similar) to be in place for the works, so it can only be applied for once planning has been achieved. The licence will require an ecological consultant to produce an application form, method statement, works schedule and licence figures to be submitted to Natural England.
Depending on what bats are present, it may be necessary to commit to putting up bat boxes, using bat access tiles in the roof, set aside a loft space for bats to use, or even create a purpose-built new bat loft in some cases.
Once the licence is complete, supervision of the works by an ecological consultant is likely to be necessary to ensure that bats aren’t killed or injured.
How to make this process as easy as possible?
- Consider ecology as early on in the development process as you can. Ecological surveys can require long waiting periods if you are forced to wait for the correct season to conduct surveys, so getting these surveys done ahead of time, can save you waiting later on. It is important to note that ecological surveys do have an expiry date, typically only being valid for a maximum of 18 months.
- Understand that planning is the only tool that local government has in order to ensure that legislation protecting bats is being followed. This is one of the reasons why planning is often not granted until after protected species surveys are complete. Enforcing legislation and checking that it’s being followed is expensive and time consuming, so the LPA will want to make sure that these protected species requirements are complete prior to giving approval.
- Accommodate protected species requirements within your expected costs and timings. As the LPA will first only request an initial PRA survey, many clients expect that costs will be limited. However, as shown above the process can end up being protracted and may require multiple surveys and reports in some cases.
A final word – plan ahead!
At the start of the process, it can be difficult to determine the level of survey effort required at a particular site. Often the LPA will only request a ‘bat survey’ when responding to planning requests and will not elaborate further.
However, that single bat survey can often lead to a much to a more in-depth process of surveys, reporting and licensing, with seasonal timing constraints and potential changes to the development design, in order to ensure a successful planning application. There may even be lighting considerations that require you to take into account how light spill across your development will impact upon roosting bats after the development is complete, along with other planning conditions.
This can all become overwhelming and the best way to mitigate for this is to involve ecologists at an early stage of your development design, plan ahead so that you can plan around any potential issues before they arise.
Peter Hacker, Senior Ecologist
It’s widely known that volunteering in ecology is desirable or expected, ahead of securing a first position within an ecological consultancy. As a student who spent a month last Summer volunteering with Wildwood Ecology, I wanted so share my experience, to perhaps encourage other undergraduates or A level students to consider investing time volunteering in areas of personal interest.
Introduction
I’m a final year BSc Biological Sciences student who is fast
approaching that stage in life where I need to make some dramatic career
decisions, so I decided to volunteer in various biology-related roles to better
understand different lines of work. Volunteering with Wildwood has helped me to acquire the basics of ecological consultancy, and I now have a much better
understanding of its pros and cons. I’ll go into much more detail about my
experience below, but first I want to say thanks to everyone at Wildwood
Ecology. The
entire team were incredibly welcoming and friendly, which helped me to
immediately settle into the role, despite being well out of my depth! Thank you
all (especially Sofie, Laoise and Peter) for putting up with me and my
questions! I’ll divide this post into the following sections, so feel free to jump directly to
anything that seems relevant.
1. Why should you spend time volunteering?
2.
Finding work experience
3.
Pros and cons of working in ecological consultancy
4.
My experience working with Wildwood
5.
Future plans and final thoughts
Why should you spend time volunteering?
This sounds obvious, because it is obvious. Volunteering
is a great way to discover what its like to work in different fields and, in my
experience, it can be very different from what you’d expect. I’ve
worked in research, land management, event support and consultancy roles, which
have strongly influenced the modules I’ve chosen in my university course. Volunteering has also helped me to develop a broad variety of those all-important ‘transferrable
skills’. However, it is worth noting that volunteering in more consistent roles
is a great way to convince a potential employer that you’re committed to a
particular career path, or have developed specific skills to a greater extent.
For me personally, volunteering has been especially
important for other reasons, and I’ll share an anecdote to demonstrate them.
Aged 17, I was convinced I’d be working as a genetics researcher
post-graduation but, after spending 8 weeks of my last summer bored and
frustrated in a research lab, I realised that this career path was not for me.
Without this placement, I might’ve made this discovery after undertaking a
Master’s research project, or after committing to long-term work in a lab.
Instead, through other roles, I’ve realised that I’m more effective in a
dynamic workplace, and especially enjoy working outdoors. Volunteering has
dramatically changed my future career plans for the better, and could lead to
similar changes in yours as well!
As a side note, I don’t regret my time spent in the lab.
This experience impacted my life in other meaningful ways (e.g it indirectly led
to my ADHD diagnosis), and I learned lessons that will last a lifetime. You
learn more from volunteering than just how to do a job. Volunteering is an experience, and experiences can impact you in ways you would
never expect!
Finding work experience
Finding work experience roles can be challenging, but it’s
far from impossible. I’ll describe the process I adopted, but keep in mind that different companies operate differently and there
isn’t one perfect strategy to follow when trying to secure a role.
After my surprising experience in the lab, I became determined to find a different career path to trial in the summer of my 2nd year. I was aware of ecological consultancy thanks to two 2nd year ecology modules, although I knew very little about what the job entailed. Using google maps, I discovered that there are many firms close to where I live and I began to investigate them further. I analysed their websites, ranked them, and reached out to the top options via email, stating my name, interest in volunteering and availability. Within a couple of days, Wildwood (my first choice) responded and, following a few quick and informative emails, I had a volunteer position lined up for the summer. I wish it was always this easy!
Welcome to Wildwood
I don’t know for sure what made Wildwood’s team decide to accept me, but I’ve found that showing initiative, and being polite but confident is a great approach when trying to secure a role.
Don’t be afraid to contact
a company that isn’t advertising roles, but don’t pour all your energy and time
into just one company either. There are plenty more tips online for how to
find work-experience, which might be worth your research.
Wildwood’s head office just outside Stroud pictured here boasts an idyllic location, totally befitting an ecological consultancy.
Pros and cons of working in ecological consultancy
What exactly do ecological consultants do? In brief,
ecological consultants are hired by clients to determine how a development
project will impact wildlife, with a focus on species and habitats that are
protected by legislation. Consultants gather data from ecological surveys and
the results are collated in reports, along with advice and recommendations on
how to mitigate the negative impacts on wildlife. These reports are then
submitted within the planning application, to demonstrate that any negative
impact will be mitigated, and that wildlife legislation will be adhered to.
Pros
·
Dynamic job with both outdoors and office
elements;
·
Work directly benefits biodiversity and
conservation; and
· Passionate teams who care about the work they do (at least at Wildwood).
Cons
·
Sometimes too dynamic – occasional extremely
early mornings or late nights;
·
Subjective results, so lots of experience and
training is required for consistency; and
· Consultants often act as the bearer of bad news.
Challenges
It seems that ecological consultancy can be split
into two parts, an office and outdoor factor, which combine together
into one very dynamic job. However, this job also has a unique set of
challenges, which help to keep things interesting.
Throughout the year, scheduling is affected by survey
seasons which limit when different activities can take place. This generates
busy and quiet periods, which can make it difficult for part-time or temporary
ecologists to find reliable work. Work hours are also variable within the week.
Many tasks, such as report writing, can be completed in the usual 9-5 hours in-office, or at home, but on-site surveys, such as dusk bat emergence surveys (limited to
3 per person, per week, at Wildwood) disrupt this consistency. I love this
day-to-day variability, but I’d imagine that others could find the erratic
hours to be difficult.
The job also involves a lot of local travelling. Wildwood accepts contracts for sites up to 1.5 hours away from the office, although where team-members live is considered when allocating survey work. Surveys can feel like a treasure hunt or can be rather mind-numbing. I’ve seen some beautiful Cotswold buildings and stunning sunsets, but also heard stories of angry landowners, bad-weather surprises and other issues that make surveys much less enjoyable. Even the core aspects of the job can bring surprises – I’ve learned what to expect when surveying but also how keen bats (and other species, but especially bats) are on invalidating those expectations.
My experience working with Wildwood
Wildwood’s team enabled me to try out many aspects of
ecological consultancy work, providing a holistic view of what the job entails. The most memorable and frequent surveys were the bat dusk emergence
surveys, where consultants monitor a site for bat activity. As well as directly
looking for bats emerging from a building or tree, consultants also record bat
echolocation, such as foraging and commuting calls, to better understand how
changes to a site would impact the local bat population. Specialist recording
equipment, such as Bat Loggers (and various other tools) are used to amplify bat calls, and the frequency or noise pattern can be used
to identify the species and its activity. Certain calls are much
harder to recognise than others. As the name suggests, these surveys always
take place around sunset, but a sunrise version can also be carried out, though
it seems, unsurprisingly, that very few consultants enjoy the early morning
hours.
PEAs, PRAs, BNG, QGIS & reports
I also took part in other surveys, such as Preliminary Ecological
Appraisals (PEAs) to record habitats, and Preliminary Roost Assessments (PRAs) for bats,
which took place at more sociable hours. PRAs are used to assess the suitability of a site, building, or tree, for
roosting bats and are used to determine if emergence surveys are required
before a report can be compiled. PEAs assess other ecological features such as
protected or priority habitats, and the site’s suitability for other protected
species features, giving a broad overview on a sites potential to support
notable wildlife. Many developments are required to improve biodiversity,
rather than just maintain it, which means biodiversity net gain (BNG) needs to
be calculated. I learnt how this is done using the habitats mapped during a
PEA, along with the development plans provided by the client. I quickly came to
appreciate how important survey identification skills are – a skilled
consultant can recognise most common plant species at a glance, whilst I was
struggling to identify them using an identification key. A small PEA would’ve
taken me hours to complete, but was finished by the team in far less time! Many
other survey types exist, but all are restricted by survey
seasons, and I joined Wildwood too late in the 2022 season to experience the full range.
Compiling reports is much more of an office based job, and
digital tools are used to ensure that reports are of high standard. For
example, I learned to use QGIS software to make and edit site maps, which I’ve
already found useful for my university lab reports. Wildwood’s team also use
Office 365, as they frequently share both data and reports with one another, so
that multiple people can suggest improvements or raise ideas, which I suspect
has really helped newer team members to develop and improve their
report-writing skills. Other office work includes call analysis, where
recorded bat calls are visually mapped to help with identification, and other
more commonplace practises. Before joining Wildwood, I had no idea how much
work went into a professional report, though I was pleased to see a resemblance
between Wildwood’s reports and those I had been writing for my biology
degree.
Future plans and final thoughts
My time with Wildwood has shown me what ecological
consultancy has to offer and given me a sense of how I would perform in this line
of work. I loved many aspects of the job and enjoyed this experience more than
any other work-experience role to date. This has given me a lot to think about
when considering my future plans and goals. I can definitely see myself
choosing ecological consultancy as a long-term career after my BSc degree
(or after a Masters), although I do plan on undertaking other
experience roles in the meantime.
So, to summarise, volunteering is great for
trialling jobs before committing to career paths and helps you to develop in
other important ways. All volunteering takes is a little bit of
confidence and time, which isn’t a lot, considering the breadth and depth of
rewards that can come from the experience. I really enjoyed my time with the
Wildwood team, and they’ve shown me that I’d be well-suited to a career in
ecological consultancy. I’ve picked up the basics of this job and will be able
to make more informed decisions about my career choices in the fast-approaching
future.
I would strongly recommend spending some time volunteering with groups or companies such as Wildwood, in whatever area is relevant to you. When taken seriously, the benefits of volunteering far-outweigh the costs.
Thanks for reading and I hope you’ve found this post useful. I’ll end with one final thank you to everyone at Wildwood Ecology for helping me to learn so much in such a short space of time. It’s been a month very well spent and I hope our paths cross again in the future.
Miles Watkins
Biodiversity and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is undoubtedly a hot topic high on everyone’s agenda for 2023. Whilst some local authorities are already planning and delivering BNG, all are now gearing up to implement the mandatory 10% net gain that developers and landowners will be required to deliver across their projects, becoming effective in November 2023. But it’s not just developers and estate owners who are considering their biodiversity responsibilities – householders and communities too can make a real difference to habitat creation and addressing the impacts of climate change.
Increasing biodiversity
When it comes to increasing biodiversity, planting trees is the obvious solution and does, of course, have great environmental benefit. Trees provide habitats for a multitude of organisms and, from some of our largest species down to the smallest, are an important food source for countless species and provide a foothold for often overlooked epiphytes like mosses and lichens. Trees and woodlands are often the ‘go to’ option when habitat creation, biodiversity improvement or rewilding is considered for an area, and indeed it is likely that much of post glacial Britain was covered by woodland – the so-called wildwood (do you see what I did there?).
But there is an unfortunate problem with woodland habitat creation: it takes years, even decades, before a newly planted woodland reaches maturity and becomes that desired biodiverse habitat. This is often reflected in biodiversity net gain calculations where woodland creation, because of this long maturity, has a lower habitat creation ‘score’ than other, quicker maturing, habitats. Therefore, a larger area of planting may be required to achieve the necessary biodiversity net gain.
Dig a pond
So how do we create a habitat that is quick to mature and provides an environment that has similar potential for biodiversity?
The answer
is dig a pond. A well planned and well-located pond can be quick to mature and will
provide habitat for a wide variety of organisms. Unlike a
woodland (at least in its early stages), a pond requires very little maintenance in order to thrive.
No fish
A wildlife pond requires a different approach to an ornamental fish pond. Firstly, NO FISH. Unless you are planning a very large pond where a small number of native species may be possible, any introduced fish will soon clear the pond of invertebrates. No invertebrates will mean larger animals such as frog, toad and newt tadpoles will have no food source. The presence of fish can seriously deplete the potential for a wildlife pond.
Access for wildlife
It is important that wildlife can get in and out of the pond. A steep sided pond made of concrete or plastic will mean any animals getting into the pond will be unable to leave, including those that didn’t mean to enter. This means that poorly designed ponds can be a death trap to small mammals and reptiles. Design your pond with at least some gentle slopes, well positioned cobbles and branches can also be very useful additions.
Size doesn’t matter
The size doesn’t really matter, any standing water will attract wildlife, it may even be more beneficial to create a series of smaller ponds than one large one. Try to create a series of water depths, an area that is over 0.5m deep will allow over wintering animals the chance to survive the cold – ponds that are too shallow may freeze completely and so kill all hibernating animals.
Location
Location is important for a pond to flourish. It should receive as much sun as possible, a permanently shaded pond may not be successful. Also, if it is overshadowed by branches then it is likely to quickly fill with leaves which will seriously inhibit the life in the pond as the decomposition process removes oxygen from the water. Too much sun isn’t a problem as long as the pond isn’t in danger of drying completely for long periods. Occasional drying out isn’t a problem and may even be advantageous to some species.
Native plants
Animals will come to your pond, but plants won’t, at least not in short term. Use native plants where possible and research the best ones for the size of your pond; ponds can become swamped by a vigorous plant. Resist the temptation to put in a large lily in a small pond, the leaves will quickly cover the pond and shut out light. Marsh marigold, flowering rush, water plantain and purple loosestrife will provide a beautiful display of flowers throughout the spring and summer. Make sure that you only use low nutrient substrate to plant into, otherwise your pond will quickly turn into a green soup, due to rapid algal growth.
Maintenance
In the early years, a pond may need a little maintenance as the water nutrient balance becomes established. Allow the chance for the pond to become stabilised before rushing into remedial action and resist the temptation to use any kind of chemical control – trust in nature. If a plant becomes too vigorous or filamentous algae starts to take over, then some removal may be required. Do this in autumn before animals start to hibernate and leave the removed material on the side of the pond for a day or two to allow any removed fauna the chance to get back into the pond.
Wildwood’s pond projects
Wildwood Ecology has a proven record of designing and overseeing the creation of ponds. Projects have included the creation of successful compensation ponds as part of great crested newt district licence schemes and providing advice for pond creation as part of a site-wide management plan.
Get in touch if you are planning pond creation projects or to discuss how ponds can help you to meet the biodiversity net gain requirements for your project.
David Withington – Consultant Ecologist
About 25 years ago I was visiting the seal sanctuary at Gweek in Cornwall. The sanctuary looks over the Helford River which at the time was very muddy, the water was low as it was in August, with mature over-hanging trees, a Greenshank, one of my favourite birds, was keeping me entertained.
But the Greenshank isn’t the reason why that day sticks firmly in my memory. Through my binoculars, a bright white blob suddenly appeared, obviously a wading bird with its long legs which, when it lifted them out of the mud, ended in rather comical looking bright yellow feet. I had to look at the lesser thumbed pages of my Collins Bird Guide to discover that it was a Little Egret. I assumed that such an exotic looking bird was an escapee from someone’s collection, but a little research later in the day said that this was a wild bird, already reported to the local bird group.
25 years later
Fast forward 25 years and it is not unusual to see a Little Egret standing motionless on the banks of the pond in my local park. Go to any area of water; rivers, canals, lakes, large ponds, and there is a good chance that you will come across this bird, still as beautiful as that day in Gweek, but no longer creating quite the same amount of excitement.
The history of Little Egrets in Britain is quite a remarkable one. Up until the late 1980s it was very much a vagrant bird with around 15 sightings a year usually in spring. Since then things have changed dramatically, starting with an autumn invasion of around 40 birds in 1989, with numbers increasing annually resulting in the first breeding pair in Dorset in 1996. Today’s figures, according to the BTO, are somewhere in the region of 11,000 nesting pairs with even more joining them over winter in the UK. And they are not alone, the closely related Great Egret (once quite a rare bird throughout Europe) and Cattle Egret are coming to the UK in ever increasing numbers.
The Egrets are not alone
So do you have to be a spectacularly feathered bird, like the Egrets, to enjoy this influx into the UK? Well no. If you put out seed in your garden, there is a good chance of a little grey bird with a black or brown cap visiting during the winter months, the only sometimes aptly named, Blackcap. This is a warbler and like most of our warblers they used to migrate to warmer climes in the winter. But more and more of our Blackcaps are choosing to winter in the UK, indeed some migrate here to spend the winter in our gardens. This is also true for a warbler, this time wholly aptly named, the Chiffchaff. Although still very rare, that most famous of migratory birds, the swallow has been seen to overwinter in South Wales and Cornwall and other migratory species such as the whitethroat and garden warbler are delaying their departure until later and later in the year.
So what’s driving these changes? The ‘knee-jerk’ response is climate change and that is most probably a major factor when it comes to the Egrets and the timing of departure of the migrating birds. But the picture, as always, is probably more complex than a single factor. It seems that when it comes to the Blackcap, for instance, an increase in the number of us putting out seed in our gardens is a major contributor to the numbers overwintering in the UK.
A note of caution
But there is a note of caution for any bird species eyeing these islands as a winter destination. The Collared Dove first came here to breed in 1955, having spent the previous 20 years spreading northward from its middle eastern homeland. It quickly increased in number to become one of our commonest species. However, in England at least, their numbers have been dropping quite dramatically in the last 15 years or so, again the reasons for this are not clear.
So it seems there are winners, if indeed some of these distribution changes are due to climate change, but the predicted devastating impacts of climate change will mean that there are likely to be many more losers. For every, once exotic, species that has benefited from recent environmental changes such as the Little Egret, there are many, already resident, species that are beginning to suffer catastrophic population declines.
David Withington – Consultant Ecologist
Bats across the world are a vital part of the ecosystems in which they live, however they face decline due to various threats. As we plough through the busiest bat survey season on record, we reflect on just why bats are so important and what actions are being done to help conserve them.
What is a bat?
Bats are the only true flying mammals in the world. They are part of the order Chiroptera which translates as “hand wing”, meaning they have a membranous wing stretched between their five fingers. Most bat species use echolocation to navigate (similar to cetaceans). They are classified into two sub orders: mega-chiroptera and micro-chiroptera.
The bats in the United Kingdom are part of the Micro-chiroptera sub-order. Bats make up roughly a quarter of all mammals in Britain. There are 17 species of bats that breed in the UK, with one rare migratory species also present, the greater-mouse eared bat.
The numbers of bats in the UK and across Europe have fallen dramatically over the last century. Our most common bat, the common pipistrelle, declined by 70% between 1978 and 1993. This decline is of great concern, as bats fill many important ecological roles.
Why are bats important?
Bats play a critical role within their ecosystems. They are predators to insects, and are therefore important in reducing populations of pest species. It has been estimated that one bat can eat up to a thousand insects per night! Some bats act as pollinators and seed dispersal agents, these are predominantly fruit and nectar eating species. Bats have an important role in soil fertilisation, their guano is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus.
Habitat use
Bats are mobile species which use a wide range of habitats including farmland, grassland, hedgerows, wetlands, woodlands and urban areas. Their habitats are used for key behaviours including foraging, commuting and roosting. Every species has a preference towards certain habitats. A Daubenton’s bat for example, prefers freshwater such as lakes.
Woodlands and hedgerows are particularly important habitats for bats, they provide essential foraging and roosting opportunities. Oak and ash trees are important for Bechstein’s bat, they frequently roost in old woodpecker holes. Lesser horseshoe bats rarely roost in woodlands but commonly forage within them. A species with a preference for foraging in deciduous woodland is the brown long-eared bat. They glean their prey from bark and leaves. This means that they use their large ears to detect their prey and then take them off of a solid surface, rather than capturing them in mid-flight. This species is found roosting in trees close to the ground.
What are bats threatened by?
Alteration of Habitat – Bats have been impacted massively by humans in recent years. The detrimental activities include: urbanisation, drainage of marshes, felling of trees and canalisation of rivers. Intensive agriculture is a huge problem. All of these things impact upon insect populations, which are bats only food source. It has been found that serotines, Leisler’s, greater horseshoe and lesser horseshoe bats avoid arable fields with monocultures of vegetable crops. Additionally, pesticides significantly reduce insect prey abundance.
Climate Change – It is predicted that global temperatures will increase and more extreme weather events will occur in the future, which will impact bats greatly as they are warm-blooded mammals. In the winter bats must have a low constant temperature in order to survive. Unless bats adapt or migrate to find more suitable sites to roost, they may not survive. In Costa Rica, bats have recently been discovered at higher than normal elevations. UK bat species are likely to mirror this.
Additionally, bat species may be impacted indirectly. Many plants and bats have co-evolved symbiotic relationships; bats provide both pollination and seed-dispersal services as some species feed on the plant’s fruit and flowers. Provided that bat migration and blooming fall out of sync, both plants and pollinators are threatened. In the UK, the seasons have become less predictable, resulting in many bats leaving hibernation early during warm spells and then getting caught out when the temperature drops again.
Artificial Light – As bats are nocturnal, they are strongly affected by artificial lighting. Bat responses to light are species specific; for example, the western barbastelle common pipistrelle frequently feeds around street lights, whereas the lesser horseshoe bat which tends to forage in more confined spaces are light averse. Light makes bats more vulnerable to predators during commuting, however, it may also act as a barrier to movement. Artificial lighting also affects roosting bats, it has been seen to delay and prevent the emergence of individuals from roosts.
Renewable Energy – 100,000s of bats die each year at wind energy facilities, after collision with rotating blades of turbines. Fatalities are greatest during the autumn and nights when wind speed is low. The most vulnerable bats are those that make long distance seasonal migrations.
What’s Being Done to Protect Bats?
Law and Legislation
In the UK all bat species are designated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) and Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Species and Habitat regulations (2017). It is an offence to ‘capture, kill, possess or injure a bat, damage, destroy or obstruct their breeding or resting places and/ or disturb a bat in its resting place. If caught doing any of these activities, penalties can reach £5000, and a custodial sentence for up to six months.
If a member of the public requires assistance, they should contact the Bat Conservation Trust Helpline.
Additionally, certain bat species have further legislation; some bats are Annex II species, such as horseshoe bats, which require the designation of Special Areas of Conservation. Some species are special Biodiversity Action Plan species, meaning they are threatened and require conservation action, e.g. horseshoe bats, brown-long eared, soprano pipistrelle and noctule.
Help to conserve bats
There are many ways in which people can help conserve bats.
Placing artificial bat houses in gardens is a good place to start, it will provide roosting opportunities for bats. Planting wildflowers, creating ponds and building log piles will help to increase the abundance of insects in gardens. It is also important that artificial light is limited in gardens around dusk. Encouraging people to get involved in local bat walks and becoming a member of a local bat group is a great way to get to know local wildlife. Additionally, getting involved with citizen science such as the Bat Conservation Trust National Monitoring Programme, will help reveal trends in populations. This can be done from a garden or local area, all that is needed is to watch for wildlife for the duration of an hour.
References
Bat Conservation International (2022) Bats and Wind Energy Accessed 04/04/22 https://www.batcon.org/our-work/research-and-scalable-solutions/wind-energy/
Bat Conservation International. Climate Change and Bats. https://www.batcon.org/article/climate-change-and-bats/
Bat Conservation Trust (2021) Drivers of Bat Declines. https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2021/02/drivers-of-bat-declines>
Bat Conservation Trust (2022) Sunset Survey. https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/national-bat-monitoring-programme/surveys/sunset-sunrise-survey
Bat Conservation Trust (2022) National Bat Helpline. https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/national-bat-helpline
Bat Conservation Trust (2022) Woodland Specialists. https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/landscapes-for-bats/bats-and-woodland/woodland-specialists
Browning, E., Barlow, K.E., Burns, F., Hawkings, C., Boughey, K. (2021) Drivers of European bat population change: a review reveals evidence gaps. Mammal review. 51(3)353-368.
Jennings, N. (2018) RSPB spotlight: Bats. Bloomsbury Wildlife. London.
Kunz, T.H., Braun de Torrez, E., Bauer, D., Lobova, T., Fleming, T.H. (2011) Ecosystem services provided by bats, The Year in Ecology and Conservation Biology. 1-38.
Packman, C., Zeale, M., Harris, S. & Jones, G. (2015). Management of bats in churches – a pilot, English Heritage Research Project: 6199.
Ramírez-Fráncel et al. (2021) Bats and their vital ecosystem services: a global review. Integrative zoology. 17:2-23
WWT (2022) Bats. https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/wetland-wildlife/bats/
Ellen Peel, Seasonal Assistant Ecologist
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of mental health in everyday life. The Mental Health Foundation began Mental Health Awareness Week 21 years ago, and each year a new theme is chosen – this year it’s loneliness. This week provides an opportunity for the entire UK to focus on achieving excellent mental health, and it’s now one of the most well-known awareness weeks in the UK and around the world. This blog looks at the opportunity to connect with nature and the incredible benefit it plays on our mental health.
What’s the evidence?
Nature and the natural world around us, plays an essential role in improving our mental and emotional well-being.
Nature has surrounded us for all of human history, but sadly many of us fail to fully appreciate the natural world around us and the benefits it can bring.
A wildlife-rich environment, according to research, can boost both our physical and mental health. Simply being outside in natural light can be really beneficial to our mental health and improving our mood.
Various studies have found that different types of exposures to nature are linked to mental health benefits (Bratman et al., 2019; Berman et al., 2008), and research shows that our brains actually respond differently in natural surroundings and we become calmer.
Ways to connect with nature
Mindfulness – Try to observe your surroundings. This could be watching your favourite flowers blossom, listening to the birds in the trees, or even watching the clouds move. Simply sit with nature for a few minutes each day in whatever way is meaningful for you.
Get creative within your natural surroundings – there are many different ways to get creative with nature, this can be through wildlife photography and painting or drawing the landscape in front of you, or a bird in your garden.
Outdoor exercise – regular exercise has been shown to improve mental health, helping you relax, improving memory, promoting better sleep, and improving general mood. To get some fresh air, go for daily walks, jogs, or cycles, or even try gardening. The Wildlife Trusts have some great ideas to introduce wildlife and nature into your own garden, including how to build a pond, how to attract butterflies to your garden, how to make a hedge for wildlife, and so many more ideas to try.
During lockdown, enjoying nature helped us to escape the effects of the long months of the pandemic, and millions of the UK public turned to nature. Research carried out by the Mental Health Foundation showed that “going for walks was one of our top coping strategies and 45% reported being in green spaces had been vital for their mental health”.
The importance of nature in learning:
Forest schools are a relatively new concept in the UK. They provide an outdoor learning environment where children learn problem solving skills and explore the natural environment. Spending time within nature can actually reduce anxiety in young children (Cudworth and Lumber, 2021).
The new curriculum in Wales and its Four Core Purposes align themselves particularly well to the concept of Forest School Philosophy; particularly the concept of creating ethically informed citizens of the future and the next generation of custodians of our environment.
Mental health, nature and me
I am very lucky that my job allows me to get outdoors and spend time in natural environments. I have been privileged to carry out my work in a variety of different habitats and catch glimpses of the wonderful wildlife we have in Wales.
Outside my job, I like to go for long walks in the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia which really helps clear my mind, relax, whilst improving my fitness all at the same time!
One of my favourite walks in the Brecon Beacons starts at Llanthony Priory in the Vale of Ewyas, heading up Hatterall Hill from the Abbey and reaching the ridge at the top. Part of this forms Offas Dyke. Once you walk along the ridge and head down the valley, you reach Capel Y Ffin, and then take a quiet country road back to Llanthony Priory.
Wild camping after a long walk is a perfect way to calm my mind; being in the middle of nowhere, alone, helps to focus my mind on the present moment and everything around me. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I set up my tent at the end of a long days walk.
At home, I am lucky to live in the country, and walk just outside my front door to de-stress. No matter what time of year it is I can experience the beauty of nature first-hand during every season. In winter, I appreciate the early morning frosts, and in spring I like to see the flowers come out. It’s a great opportunity to improve my plant ID skills too. Being outside and spending time in nature encourages me to take time away from technological devices including my phone, TV, and computer, and allows me to live in the present moment and recharge from the stresses of everyday life.
References
Bratman, G.N., Anderson, C.B., Berman, M.G., Cochran, B., De Vries, S., Flanders, J., Folke, C., Frumkin, H., Gross, J.J., Hartig, T. and Kahn Jr, P.H., 2019. Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science advances, 5(7), p.eaax0903.
Berman, M.G., Jonides, J. and Kaplan, S., 2008. The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological science, 19(12), pp.1207-1212.
Cudworth, D. and Lumber, R., 2021. The importance of Forest School and the pathways to nature connection. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 24(1), pp.71-85.
Wildlifetrusts.org. 2022. Wildlife gardening | The Wildlife Trusts. Available at: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/gardening
Madeleine Anderson, Assistant Ecologist