Use of Trees by Bats: Implications for Forestry Management

Summary Description:

That bats use tree roosts is well known, but what appears to be under-appreciated is that bats are often found in ‘roosts’ in very small ‘weedy’ trees that foresters may consider unworthy of investigation. This clearly has huge implications for forestry practice. This award will allow us to analyse the Bat Tree Habitat Key (BTHK) data (an open source database contributed to by bat ecologists across the country) to describe the types of trees (species, size, characteristics) and tree features (entrance size, tree position) used by bats as roosts. An important part of this project will be to publish and publicise our findings, to provide an evidence base for related practice/policy recommendations, and to raise awareness of the issue.