Bat Survey Guidelines

The Bat Conservation Trust has recently published updated Bat Survey Good Practice Guidelines (2^nd Edition) which develops upon the guidance specified in the first edition as well as includes new information such as further information on the legislative protection afforded to bats as well as the following new chapters:
– Pre planning considerations
– Equipment and techniques
– Assessing survey reports
– Long term surveys for larger infrastructure projects
– Surveying for wind farms
– Interpreting results

This guidance provides professional advice regarding bat survey effort, best practice, pre-planning considerations, and mitigation required for a range of development activities that could potentially impact bats (e.g. building demolition, building renovation, tree felling and development affecting foraging and commuting routes).

The updated guidelines include information in relation to initial scoping surveys of a site to help clarify whether it is of negligible, low, moderate or high value for bats. The outcome of such surveys determines the need for further survey effort in the form of emergence, dawn and flight activity surveys. The guidelines provide recommendations on the minimum level of such further survey work required for a range of development scenarios, i.e. small, medium or large scale sites with habitat that is of low, medium or high quality. These further flight surveys must be undertaken at the specified time of year (May to August/September) and data collected on bat activity, species and roosting activity recorded using monitoring equipment e.g. anabat detectors.  In some cases, the renewed guidance advises increased survey effort from that specified in the first edition.

The guidance also advises that “greater survey effort should be expended at sites where high numbers of bats are likely to be present and where they are likely to be adversely affected” rather than relating the survey effort required to the size and extent of the proposed development. The guidelines also advise that expert knowledge from ecologists should be incorporated into the development at the planning stage and that “the guidance should be interpreted and adapted on a case-by-case basis, according to the expert judgment of those involved”. Therefore, in some instances, it is possible that lower levels of survey effort than those specified in the guidance may be accepted, providing the decision not to follow the guidance of good practice can be strongly justified.

This renewed edition also contains a chapter that provides specific advice on surveying wind farm sites whereby the likely scale of the impacts associated with a scheme should inform the survey effort and scope. Bat survey effort should be proportionate to the scheme and should be determined by an initial assessment of the site which clarifies the level of potential risk to bats (low, medium or high) and the number of subsequent surveys required.

Acer Ecology provides licensed bat specialists experienced in the survey, European Protected Species licensing and mitigation design and implementation.

We can assist you by undertaking an initial scoping survey to assess the potential for bats to be present on your site. Expert advice will be provided on the options and solutions available. If a European Protected Species licence is required we can complete and submit your licence application. Upon approval of the licence, we can provide continuing assistance to help you ensure that the terms of the licence are adhered to.

For more information about bat surveys or any of our other ecological services call us on 029 2065 0331.