Bats

[Jon Heuch]

Anyways, all this shows that the industry hardly knows where it stands (occasionally stamps?) on bats and that the new British Standard and microguide have laregly failed to reach the consciousness of the very industry that should be taking it up.

 

I was recently checking with ecologists on the status and use of the new BS; the view expressed was that they favour the BCT guidance....after all most ecologists will examine roof spaces before trees and need to see the whole picture of what bats are present and not just survey trees so the new BS is left on the shelf.....if they've bothered to buy it in the first place.

[daltontrees]

I was recently checking with ecologists on the status and use of the new BS; the view expressed was that they favour the BCT guidance....after all most ecologists will examine roof spaces before trees and need to see the whole picture of what bats are present and not just survey trees so the new BS is left on the shelf.....if they've bothered to buy it in the first place.

That's my experience too, it's not even a shelf-filler as several have seen it online throught their corporate BS membership and not bothered to get a hard copy.

 

I'm wondering if I still have a point here, I suppose it is that the microguide can have its moments because officially it is backed by the BS, and it can save time, expense and paperwork in a lot of urban tree situations.

[timbernut]

Does anyone else think bats are over protected. Don't get me wrong, I am a big bat fan, have been a member of a local bat group, mist netted for them, one of my modules at university was on bats, I own a bat detector and did the bat awareness course years ago..

 

But I can take the dog for a walk on a summer evening and stand around and spot numerous bats. Regularly see them in the back garden. My brothers house has a roost in his roof and my Mum gets them in her garden in London.. Pipistrelles are very common.... But they are afforded the same level of protection as much rarer species..?

 

 

The ecologist who did the bat survey for my wood (who does a lot of work for Norfolk wildlife trust) told me that he and several others felt there is more than enough protection for bats and that if more legislation is brought in it will encourage landowners/developers etc to be less likely to involve experts ( he telled it much better than wot I can! ). FWIW I wholeheartedly agree with him.

As far as equal protection regardless of type, surely this is how it has to be as numbers of all bats are declining and although pips are, relatively, common they have similar habitat and habits of much rarer ones. Hope that makes sense?

[Anno]

All British bats have full protection, as a bat Worker for a number of years I can tell you how common they are in relation to the 80's let alone the 70's.

Bats UK are all insectivorous and are a good indicator species of environmental trends and problems, think about this - how many insects do you get on a long journey splattered on your car bike - a lot less than 10 years ago I bet.

The major pressure now is habitat loss in relation to development.

[antarty86]

just out of interest and after reading this thread, my dad has a couple of dead oak trees in his paddock that i was going to fell and mill with the alaskan. i have no idea if bats are resident or not? also whats a felling licence!? is that something that professionals need? i no the trees arnt under a tpo as my dads checked. but if i were to fell them could i/we get in to trouble? he is just inside a national park also and i no hes having to jump through hoops and get planning permission for anything! including a wooden playhouse that he built for my nephew and even raised beds to grow veggies! i obviously dont want him getting in to trouble! lol

[timbernut]

How big are they?

[Gary Prentice]

Don't think a felling licence is applicable with dead trees anyway.

[felixthelogchopper]

just out of interest and after reading this thread, my dad has a couple of dead oak trees in his paddock that i was going to fell and mill with the alaskan. i have no idea if bats are resident or not? also whats a felling licence!? is that something that professionals need? i no the trees arnt under a tpo as my dads checked. but if i were to fell them could i/we get in to trouble? he is just inside a national park also and i no hes having to jump through hoops and get planning permission for anything! including a wooden playhouse that he built for my nephew and even raised beds to grow veggies! i obviously dont want him getting in to trouble! lol

 

Contact your local Bat group to check them out.

 

Local Bat Groups - Bat Conservation Trust

[antarty86]

How big are they?

 

not very big and been dead a long time, maybe 2ft diameter at the base and theres only the trunk to go as ive already taken what was left of the branches off? not sure if the wood will be worth milling but its just something to practice on really as my dad wants them gone and luckely hasnt had his woodburner fitted yet! lol

[timbernut]

Wouldn't of thought there'd be many cavities for bats in trees that small, but you never know! Pips sometimes under loose bark and in splits though but I can't see you gettin in trouble felling them.