BS8596 ‘surveying for bats in trees and woodland’

[patrick stileman]

Dear all

 

As some will be aware a new British Standard relating to the surveying of trees and woodlands for bats (BS8596) has been in the process of production for a long time. The standard has progressed and the draft for public consultation (DPC) shall be available within the next two weeks.

Although a considerable proportion of the standard is aimed at ecologists and bat specialists, sections of it relate directly to arboriculturists and as such it will be an important document for the industry.

 

The standard describes how scoping and secondary surveys to assess the presence of potential bat roosts should be undertaken by non-specialists (i.e. arbs) and the occasions when bat specialists will be required. It describes procedures that should be followed if bats are found during tree work operations and action to be taken if tree work is urgently required for reasons of public safety to trees which have, or appear likely to have, bat roosts. The standard also describes how woodland should be assessed for bat foraging and commuting potential.

 

BSI is also producing a Micro Guide which shall summarise the non-specialist guidance (the sections particularly relevant to arbs) contained within the main BS document. The Micro Guide shall not form part of the public consultation; however it shall directly reflect BS, so the content could be influenced by the public consultation. Ultimately the Micro Guide shall be made available in pdf format as a free download.

 

The British Standard shall set out how those involved in tree work can, with basic training, undertake an assessment of trees for bats themselves without the need for specialist assistance in the majority of cases. It shall consolidate and add to existing guidance into a single document, and being a British Standard should raise the profile of this important but frequently over-looked aspect of tree work.

 

As European Protected Species (EPS) bats and bat roosts have an extremely high level of legal protection and everyone involved in the practical side of tree work should have suitable procedures in place.

 

One aspect that will emerge from the document is the need for arb contractors to have basic bat awareness training. There are various courses and training providers; however I can recommend the courses run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT).

 

I shall post a link when the draft is live and encourage you to look at it and send comments

 

Patrick Stileman

[David Humphries]

Welcome to the site Patrick and thank you for giving the heads up on what will be a very useful document/guidance.

 

Particularly like the idea of the Micro Guide, this will undoubtedly make it a lot more accessible to a wide audience.

 

.

[daltontrees]

Dear all

 

I shall post a link when the draft is live and encourage you to look at it and send comments

 

Patrick Stileman

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the draft BS. It will be interesting to see how it leads in to what you do if you find bats or evidence of them.

[daltontrees]

Dear all

 

As some will be aware a new British Standard relating to the surveying of trees and woodlands for bats (BS8596) has been in the process of production for a long time. The standard has progressed and the draft for public consultation (DPC) shall be available within the next two weeks.

Although a considerable proportion of the standard is aimed at ecologists and bat specialists, sections of it relate directly to arboriculturists and as such it will be an important document for the industry.

 

The standard describes how scoping and secondary surveys to assess the presence of potential bat roosts should be undertaken by non-specialists (i.e. arbs) and the occasions when bat specialists will be required. It describes procedures that should be followed if bats are found during tree work operations and action to be taken if tree work is urgently required for reasons of public safety to trees which have, or appear likely to have, bat roosts. The standard also describes how woodland should be assessed for bat foraging and commuting potential.

 

BSI is also producing a Micro Guide which shall summarise the non-specialist guidance (the sections particularly relevant to arbs) contained within the main BS document. The Micro Guide shall not form part of the public consultation; however it shall directly reflect BS, so the content could be influenced by the public consultation. Ultimately the Micro Guide shall be made available in pdf format as a free download.

 

The British Standard shall set out how those involved in tree work can, with basic training, undertake an assessment of trees for bats themselves without the need for specialist assistance in the majority of cases. It shall consolidate and add to existing guidance into a single document, and being a British Standard should raise the profile of this important but frequently over-looked aspect of tree work.

 

As European Protected Species (EPS) bats and bat roosts have an extremely high level of legal protection and everyone involved in the practical side of tree work should have suitable procedures in place.

 

One aspect that will emerge from the document is the need for arb contractors to have basic bat awareness training. There are various courses and training providers; however I can recommend the courses run by the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT).

 

I shall post a link when the draft is live and encourage you to look at it and send comments

 

Patrick Stileman

 

 

Your first posting, I see. Welcome to Arbtalk. Can I ask, just for a bit of context, as to what your role is in the proposed new BS?

[ben_inthewoods]

Perhaps paradoxically such a standard will be a disincentive for woodland owners/ foresters to retain potential bat friendly trees given the additional cost of survey, management. Perhaps more bat habitat can be created by being less prescriptive (more carrot, less stick)?

How much recent consultation and liaison has occurred with say ConFor, FCA, RFS, RSFS?

[ben_inthewoods]

Interesting comments on a bat surveyors website:

 

"Bat surveys

 

We are licenced to survey for bats by Natural England and have held site-specific licenses issued by Natural Resources Wales and Northern Ireland Environment Agency. All our team are proficient in bat habitat appraisal and ultrasound bat-survey techniques, including the use of automated systems. We also have an in-house arboreal climbing team, and our Principal Ecologist is the author of Bat Tree Habitat Key; a comprehensive guide to bat tree-roosting ecology.

 

Many bat surveys expend significant time and effort over repeat visits in the employment of ultrasound methods focusing on features, visible from the ground, which appear superficially suitable for occupation by roosting bats. Climb-and-inspect surveys can tell immediately whether a cavity holds bats (or evidence of recent occupation), and we have the expertise to be able to make a reasoned analysis as whether a feature is suitable to hold bats even if it is unoccupied on the day of survey. Thus a high proportion of potential roost features may be discounted from further survey, with a consequential cost saving to our clients, and survey effort refined to ensure that unoccupied, but potentially suitable, roost features are safeguarded or given adequate compensation."

 

my feeling is that being too prescriptive is going to result in net losses in bio diversity by making the cost of pre operation survey too high to warrant thinning. I hope that I am proved wrong. I thought the existing FC guidance struck a pragmatic balance.

Edited March 22, 2015 by ben_inthewoods
typo

[timbernut]

Beninthewoods makes a good point, there doesn't appear to be any carrot, the ecologist I used in our wood ( who does surveys for several conservation bodies and LAs ) told me he and some fellow ecologists feel that much more legislation will put landowners off from notifying anyone or preserving minor roosts.

We recently had opposition to our planning app (we live in the wood and produce charcoal) and they stated that charcoal smoke and even chainsaws noise and emissions would disturb the bats ( I pointed out almost all forestry work would have to stop if that was true) There are 2 air raid shelters in the wood one of which has a special grid roost in it (currently 2 daubentons and 3 natterers resident) and we intend to put a similar set up in the other one.

The charcoal kilns are nowhere near either and the wood is coniferised (about 60yrs old) ancient woodland and any work we do is generally improving habitat and we record more bats year on year.

John

[patrick stileman]

Hi Julian and all

 

Sorry, I missed your replies and have not got back to you; however I have this morning put up a link on arbtalk (in the general forum) to the draft BS which is now live.

 

For context about my involvement, I am an arboricultural consultant and have provided an arb input as a member of the BS drafting committee. Previously I wrote the AA Guidance Note 1 relating to bats and tree work.

 

It is the intention that the BS shall be a pragmatic document - it is not new legislation but a guide. The document describes how non-specialists (i.e. most arbs) can undertake the survey work in the majority of cases with basic level of bat awareness training, and this includes the limited use of endoscopes. The approach which Beninthewoods describes he does sounds compatible with the BS.

 

Regards

 

Patrick

[David Humphries]

Partrick has posted this on other sites.

I'm sure he'll update here, but in the meantime here is a link to the new BS 8596:2015 Surveying for bats in trees and woodland.

 

BS 8596 - Surveying for bats in trees and woodland. Guide | BSI

 

Also a link to the BSi micro guide which is aimed at non bat specialists, which is free to download.

 

http://shop.bsigroup.com/forms/Bat-Microguide--BS-8596--BSI-Group/Thank-you-Bat-Microguide--BS-8596--/

 

 

 

.

[daltontrees]

Hi Julian and all

 

Sorry, I missed your replies and have not got back to you; however I have this morning put up a link on arbtalk (in the general forum) to the draft BS which is now live.

 

For context about my involvement, I am an arboricultural consultant and have provided an arb input as a member of the BS drafting committee. Previously I wrote the AA Guidance Note 1 relating to bats and tree work.

 

It is the intention that the BS shall be a pragmatic document - it is not new legislation but a guide. The document describes how non-specialists (i.e. most arbs) can undertake the survey work in the majority of cases with basic level of bat awareness training, and this includes the limited use of endoscopes. The approach which Beninthewoods describes he does sounds compatible with the BS.

 

Regards

 

Patrick

 

Thanks, I assumed yoyu were genuine and I pitched in on the draft.