1. for Devon’s nocturnal wonder
Securing
a future
for Devon’s nocturnal wonder
© John J Kaczanow
© Phil Richardson
© Mike Symes
© Jan Whittington
Introduce yourself, talk will cover GHB information/the Project itself/How you can get involved

2. Greater horseshoe bat Weighs 14-34g Eats large insects
Up to 40cm wingspan
Weighs 14-34g
Eats large insects
Can live up to 30 years
Foraging area up to 14km from roost
Very light sensitive
One young per year
Full skeletal size – 2 months
One of the longest lived and largest bats in the UK. They can live for up to 30 years – thought to be due to their large amounts of torpor. However average age is 10 years. Up to one young per year but do not start reproducing until about 6 years of age and tend to have one young every 2 years. Infant mortality is high.
Over the last years numbers have declined by 90%. Around 10,000 left in UK in the south west and south Wales – one third of these in Devon.
Phil Wilson

3. As with all our UK bats they are an important indicator of the health of our landscape. They need; big bushes hedges and clear streams and rivers to help them navigate, species rich grasslands and woodland edges for foraging – and lots and lots of insects!

4. Population: 90% UK decline Range: 50% UK decline Extinct: Netherlands
FACTFILE
Population: 90% UK decline
Range: 50% UK decline
Extinct: Netherlands
Isolated population:
Belgium
Luxembourg
Germany
Austria
© Phil Richardson
Over the last 100 years there has been an approx. 90% decline in numbers – why? Urbanisation and housing developments causing loss of feeding and roosting opportunities. Loss of insects. Timber treatments in old buildings causing mass mortality. Increase in light levels effectively blocking off parts of the landscape to them.

5. Communities Habitats Knowledge
So what are we doing as a project? 3 main areas of work – Landowner advice – advisory visits, parasite management, workshops and helping access funding for changes; Community Engagement – school/youth sessions, working with communities to get initiatives up and running, leading walks, giving talks and attending events; Improving scientific knowledge – Devon Bat Survey, PhD, Research surveys – work in Buckfastleigh and potential in Chudleigh
Knowledge

6. BAT FRIENDLY GARDENING
How can my community go about becoming Bat Friendly?
INSECT SURVEYS
PASS THE BAT-ON
HEDGE PLANTING
BAT FRIENDLY GARDENING
CELEBRATION EVENT
WILDFLOWER MEADOWS
What could you do? Walks, talks, events, wildflower meadow creation on verges, lighting assessment, nocturnal animals, talk to your local council to make sure bats are considered in the neighbourhood plan process.
BAT SURVEYS
LIGHTING SURVEY
BAT WALKS
MAKE A FILM

7. Help record bats
What could you do? Take part in the bat survey – talk to people about bats, let the DBRC know if you see them – encourage others to take part.

8. Become accredited as a bat friendly community – currently only in our main project areas.

9. Bovey Bat Group

10. What do we do?
Share information and the experience of watching and detecting bats with members of the public in order to promote understanding and enjoyment of bats in our community.
Run monthly Bat Walks at Parke Estate, Bovey Tracey, May – September.
Promote the Greater Horseshoe Bat Project at Bovey Summer Show – last year we engaged over 40 members of the public in conversation about bats, including children making origami bats
Various members are developing knowledge and skills e.g. bat data analysis, First Aid and also taking part in surveys
We have begun conversations about working towards making Bovey Tracey a Bat Friendly Town e.g. developing a bat-friendly garden

13. How did we start? Members of Bovey Tracey DWT Local Group
Volunteered to get involved in promoting understanding of bats locally (GHBP)
Agreed to apply for BatWorks community grant for detecting equipment and learn to use it (2017). Slowly built up confidence.
Since awarded further grants from Bovey Town Trust and Almshouse Trust (more detecting kit)

14. Why do we do it?
We all have a general interest in Nature, conservation and preservation
We had not been aware of local GHB maternity roosts - this helps ‘sell’ the message
GHBs are a ‘flagship species’ so helping them helps other species
The time and effort that goes into organising and running the walks is well rewarded when we see the looks and voices of excitement each time bats appear – it’s like running our own local safari
People seem receptive to local nature stories

15. Why does it work? Curiosity and optimism
Volunteer commitment – 121 hours in 2018 and over 200 hours so far this year
Volunteering for what we feel comfortable doing – one person co-ordinating, others taking on responsibility for various tasks
Keeping it simple
Funding
Training and support from GHBP team
Membership of Local DWT group and support from committee

16. Watch the bats live & find out more