Bats

[Ian Flatters]

See answer within the quote in bold

 

Thats what we were lead to believe on the course

 

IMO its worth doing just for the hell of it:thumbup:

 

Also see word I Think

Edited February 11, 2010 by Ian Flatters
Forgot to read my quote properly

[Ian Flatters]

Anyway take this link and you'll find hopefully all the resources you'll need on bats.

(Also Badgers and Vet tree managment on there).

 

ArborEcology.co.uk ::: Resources

[ChrisG]

Unfortunately bat people are very narrow minded and you will really struggle to get a bat trainer as arborists are regarded as bat killers ! in there eyes.

 

If you are lucky enough to find a trainer you will then be required to train for at least 2 years so you experience work of the differing life cycles of bats.

 

The short courses esp the AA one is a bit of a con as it doesnt teach you anything that you cant learn off Bat Conservation Trust . the course also does give you a ticket to check inside tree cavities etc and many who have done the course were under the impression they could and unfortunatly have been dreaking the habitat laws....

 

 

Not all bat workers are narrow minded, would you expect somebody to do CS 30/31 and be advertising as a fully qualified arborist?? Bats in trees is a complex subject that a 2-3 day course can not give you the experience you may need to deal with every situation you come across. It's not just about getting a ticket to check a cavity, as responsible arborists, we all have a duty to understand and undertake good practice when it comes to European Protected Species.

[arb culture]

A sensible point made there ChrisG.

 

I know it's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string - but given a bit of commitment, how long would it be likely to take to become a qualified bat surveyor when starting pretty much from scratch.

[Arborist Sites]

A sensible point made there ChrisG.

 

I know it's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string - but given a bit of commitment, how long would it be likely to take to become a qualified bat surveyor when starting pretty much from scratch.

 

2 years if you are commited

[Arborist Sites]

Unfortunately bat people are very narrow minded and you will really struggle to get a bat trainer as arborists are regarded as bat killers ! in there eyes.

 

If you are lucky enough to find a trainer you will then be required to train for at least 2 years so you experience work of the differing life cycles of bats.

 

The short courses esp the AA one is a bit of a con as it doesnt teach you anything that you cant learn off Bat Conservation Trust . the course also does give you a ticket to check inside tree cavities etc and many who have done the course were under the impression they could and unfortunatly have been dreaking the habitat laws....

 

 

Sorry there was a typo in the above.....

 

It was meant to say does NOT give you a ticket to check cavities etc, be warned if you did you would be boardeing on breaking habitat regulations...

 

Should check my replies before posting............

[ChrisG]

I know somebody who did an intense 2 week theory course, then a series of site visits/handling sessions in diferent settings and got their license in 4 months. It was a very expensive way of doing it and they are still learning but it got them there.

 

If it is something you want to do as a career, then this route is a quick way in, but useless if you can't justify your actions to Natural England should something crop up you are not experienced in. As we all know, experience is priceless.

[arb culture]

2 years if you are commited

 

That's quite a long time.

 

You are right to warn people about the level of quals required to do a bat survey. I've come across a few arbs (not going to mention names) who do bat surveys, and I'm not entirely certain of their qualifications.

 

I'm guessing you need a license to survey and make recommendations about bats.

[Doug Blease]

I was of the understanding that as Arborists (not qualified Bat people) the most we can practically do is operate a visual assessment of the roost site during the time of day most likely to see bats coming and going, under the supervision of a Bat expert?

 

Is that correct?

 

Also I think in your Visual Tree Assessment, the likelyhood of bat roosts should be graded from highly likely to not likely?

 

As usual I am more than happy to be corrected. I have a small amount of experience in identifying bat roosts and creating bat habitats and its something I plan to develop over the next couple of years. Any corrections on my pre-conceived ideas is all for the greater good!

 

The IEEM runs Bat cousres also.

[ChrisG]

That's really good info Doug and yes, you are correct.

 

There is a lot you can do without a license, it is only when trees are highlighted as suitable habitat or bats are known to be present that licensing/extra caution comes in. Activity surveys at certain times of day and year are a good way of seeing if you have any residents. However, bear in mind that hibernating bats will not be active, so looking for the tale signs is a must. I don't mean to scare any of you guys with jargon, but I have seen trees felled that do not contain bats, but evidence of a roost in the tree exists. Let's not forget, it's not just the bats that are protected, it's the habitat also.

 

Arb Culture, you can undertake activity surveys without a license, but this must not be invasive, so no prodding round in cavities etc. You would need to undertake bat detector surveys at the right time of year and at dawn/dusk, concentrating on key features of the tree from the ground, and if you are experienced enough, you could identify species, type of roost, numbers, commuting routes etc and make recommendations of the back of this. I must admit though, Natural England will usually want to see a written report from a licensed bat worker.