Aug 15, 2016 - Improving the effectiveness of mitigation and monitoring for bats on roads and railways, ... practical se
The Bat Conservation Trust invites you to join us for the biggest event in the bat calendar The programme covers many exciting and varied subjects. This year we have talks on new survey techniques, mitigation and bat biology and ecology. Workshops include sound analysis, social calls, radio-tracking, GIS and influencing conservation policy. If you have never attended before then do consider coming along - there’s always something new to learn. Book your place at www.bats.org.uk/conference
Provisional programme Friday 2nd September Registration from 4pm Evening bat walk around the university campus Meeting of the Bat Worker Forum Drinks Reception sponsored by Wildlife Acoustics
Saturday 3rd September Registration from 8am, talks start at 9am
Session one Welcome, David Gibbons, Bat Conservation Trust Plenary talk: Moving the distance: Bat migration across anthropogenic landscapes, Dr Christian Voigt,
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research An update on BCT’s recent work, Julia Hanmer and Kit Stoner, Bat Conservation Trust Local and landscape scale influences on bat abundance, activity, behaviour and use of native woodlands and exotic plantations, Lucinda Kirkpatrick, University of Stirling Investigating the importance of riparian reserves for insectivorous bat species in oil palm and forest estates in Sabah, Malaysia, Katherine Mullin, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (University of Kent) Bat Carers Tea Break Informal gathering for bat care chat!
Session two Thermal imaging bat surveys, Kayleigh Fawcett, AECOM Novel rapid genetic tests for non-invasive identification of bat species of Ireland and Great Britain, Andrew Harrington, Waterford Institute of Technology Ears in the sky: Can drones be used to survey bats? Tom August, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Tom Moore, Tonsley Place
Session three Wind turbines and bats in the UK, Fiona Mathews, University of Exeter Improving the effectiveness of mitigation and monitoring for bats on roads and railways, John Altringham, University of Leeds The anatomy of successful bat/human conflict resolution, James Aegerter, Animal and Plant Health Agency Pete Guest award, presentation and talk
Workshop session Annual General Meeting of the Bat Conservation Trust Conference dinner and ceilidh
Sunday 4th September Registration from 8am, talks start at 9am
Session four Research round-up, Orly Razgour, University of Southampton Vincent Weir award, presentation and talk The Kate Barlow Award, speaker TBC Food, disease or society? Understanding the drivers of roost switching behaviour, Simone Mordue, Newcastle University Hot property: Factors influencing natural roost selection by bats in Finemere Wood, Debbie Wright, Oxford Brookes University Climate and landscape characteristics matter: population recovery of the endangered greater horseshoe bat, Jeremy Froidevaux, University of Bristol
Workshop session Session five The Partnership for Biodiversity in Planning project, Catherine Wyatt, Bat Conservation Trust Standardising sampling volume when undertaking quantitative comparisons of bat activity: implications for survey and assessment, Pete Owens, Arcus Consultancy Service Providing reference ranges for bat activity to improve planning decisions; a tool for ecological consultants, planners, and local authorities, Paul Lintott, University of Exeter Bat crimes – investigations and sentencing, Pete Charleston, Bat Conservation Trust
Conference close 3.30pm July 2016
Bat Carers Tea Break Informal gathering for bat care chat! Pick up refreshments and bring them up to the Bat Carer’s Coffee Break. Anyone with an interest in bat care is welcome, including carers and bat ambulance drivers who are not members of the BCT Network, and those interested in getting involved. David Jackson, the BCT Bat Care Network Coordinator will be there to ask any questions you may have.
Workshops Provisional workshops are listed below. Take advantage of advance booking to give yourself a greater chance of attending your preferred workshops. Those marked with * are extended workshops which will run for up to 90 minutes. All other workshops are 60 minutes in length.
Interactive workshops: Attendees will be expected to participate in practical tasks, usually based on information given during the workshop. o
*Introduction to sound analysis (Philip Briggs) Max 20 people (Sat only)
A basic introduction to sound analysis of frequency division recordings, how to use software, how to measure call parameters and some simple species identification. The workshop includes an introductory presentation followed by a practical session during which participants will be able to work in small groups to look at example bat calls and test their skills.
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Getting the most from Bat Sound (Philip Briggs) Max 20 people (Sun only)
A more advanced workshop aimed at those with some knowledge of analysis of bat calls. This workshop will be interactive with an opportunity to work in small groups on analysing bat calls. We will look at sound analysis in more detail and focus on identification of the more difficult species/species groups.
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*UK bat identification (John Haddow) Max 25 people (Sat only)
Close visual ID of all UK bat species using the best key features and the least intrusive approach. A presentation with opportunity for discussion. Some knowledge and experience assumed.
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*AnaLookW workshop (beginner’s level) (Steve Roe) Max 15 people (Sat only)
Introducing the various remote recording systems available and why we should be using them and their limitations. The practical session will focus on the use of the software for zero-crossed files produced by the systems and will include: transferring your data, data analysis using AnaLookW© and exporting your data. Participants will need to have previous experience of analysing either frequency division or time expansion recordings using other software.
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Social calls of bats within the UK and Ireland (Neil Middleton, Andrew Froud and Keith French) Max 25 people (Sat only)
Bat social calls, in comparison to echolocation, is an area that relatively little is known about. This workshop (which would described as being at foundation level, as opposed to advanced) is aimed at delegates with an interest in developing their knowledge further in this area. This year we will concentrate on advertisement calls. We would also invite attendees, should they so choose, to submit examples (in advance please, including some information relating to the circumstances of the recorded calls) for consideration on the day. These should preferably be recorded in time expansion or full spectrum, .wav format and emailed ahead of the event to
[email protected]. During the session the facilitators will relate to their own experiences and challenges whilst studying this subject, as well as giving hints and tips for the recording and analysis of such calls.
July 2016
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Bat handling and in-hand identification (Gail Armstrong) Max 12 people (Both days)
A workshop aimed at beginners who may need to handle bats and would like to learn about basic handling techniques. It will cover basic examination of a live bat, and show you what to look for to determine age and sex as well as species (only people with up-to-date rabies vaccinations and appropriate gloves will be able to take part in this workshop. Proof of up-to-date vaccinations will be required).
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Marking & radio tracking bats (Daniel Hargreaves) Max 25 people (Both days)
This is a presentation based workshop considering why marking and radio tracking are used in studying bats and reviewing each of the main techniques. There will be a range of equipment available to look at and a chance to try your hand at ringing (not on a live bat of course!). o *Pompom bats (Olivia Morton) Max 10 people (Sun only) Learn to make pompom bats; a fun crafty activity that you can take away to run your own workshops, or sell the finished bats to help fundraising.
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Introduction to Analook Insight (Andrew Dobson) Max 18 people (Both days)
This practical workshop will go through the main features of Titley Scientific's new full spectrum and zero crossings Bat call analysis software. Participants will see how to use the basic functions of the software, including filters & scans, creating lists, using meta data, mapping and exporting reports. No previous experience is necessary, but it would be advantageous if participants were familiar with analysing bat calls. o *Introduction to GIS for bat groups (Katherine Boughey) Max 10 people (Sat only) A hands-on workshop in the use of QGIS, a freely available Geographic Information System (GIS) software package. It will include an introduction to the basics of spatial data and spatial data analysis as well as a step-by-step workthrough of some techniques that may be useful to bat groups handling survey data or performing data searches. No prior knowledge of GIS is necessary. Participants will be required to bring their own laptop to the workshop with the necessary software and data already installed (details of which will be provided to registered participants prior to the conference).
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Get a deeper view of the BATLOGGER and BatExplorer system (Marco Gumprich) Max 25 people (Both days)
The use of modern real time systems to record bats is becoming the standard for bioacoustical field monitoring. Learn some things about the BATLOGGER systems and how the devices will be used in the field. The free software BatExplorer is the tool for all your BATLOGGER - recordings. You will get an overview about the application, how to use it fast and some special functions of the latest version.
Discussion-based workshops: Attendees will be able to contribute by sharing experiences and commenting on points raised. o Bat Exclusions: How do you do it? (Jan Collins) Max 20 people. (Sat only) On rare occasions, and usually as a last resort, it may be necessary to exclude bats from a building. This can only be done under a European Protected Species licence (for non-dwellings) or a method statement approved by the relevant SNCO (for dwellings). Devices for exclusions are usually made on site, their construction depending on the size of gaps to close off and the structure of the roost site. This 1-1.5 hour session will be a discussion-based workshop on the different approaches that can be used to exclude bats and the relevant considerations when carrying out this type of work. Jo Ferguson, Built Environment Officer at BCT, has been collecting case study examples of bat exclusions (including the level of use, type of device, how the device was deployed, how efficacy was monitored, what the results of monitoring were and what species/numbers were involved) and we will kick off discussions using some of these. Please note that we are not aware of any research relating to this particular topic and therefore we are seeking to share knowledge through this workshop – please be ready to share your experiences, good or bad! If you would like to share information (photographs would be particularly useful) before the workshop please contact Jan Collins (
[email protected]) or Jo Ferguson (
[email protected]).
July 2016
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Influencing conservation policy in a changing political landscape (Danny Stevens) Max 20 people. (Sat only)
The policy landscape is always changing. Most of us find it difficult enough to keep track of these changes, let alone to influence them. It is crucial however that efforts are made wherever possible to inform and shape the policies and decisions that impact the natural environment. This one hour workshop will introduce participants to effective lobbying techniques at both the local and national level. It will provide an insight into the politics of conservation policy and offer practical advice on getting your voice heard in the policy and decision making process.
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Second edition of the Bat Care Guidelines – what has changed since the first edition? (Helen Miller) Max 25 people (Sun only)
This will be a lecture-based workshop to highlight (and describe the rationale behind) key changes that have been made to the Bat Care Guidelines for the 2nd edition. This new edition will be available at the conference and is aimed at bat rehabilitators and veterinary professionals. It includes new chapters on baby bats and flight cages.
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Best practice protocols for monitoring bats on roads and railways (Anna Berthinussen & John Altringham) Max 40 people. (Sat only)
The aims of this defra-funded project were to develop standardised cost-effective survey methods to assess the effects of linear transport infrastructure on bats and the effectiveness of crossing structures as mitigation. The methods developed are suitable for robust, objective statistical analysis when appropriate, and can be used for pre, during and post-construction monitoring. They can also be used to gather baseline data for Environmental Statements. To assist practitioners detailed protocols for fieldwork and subsequent data analysis and presentation have been published. We will present the rationale behind our approach, give an overview of the protocols now published on the defra website and answer any question related to their application.
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Less fieldwork, more data; logging solutions for Bats (Sarah Levett) Max 20 people. (Both days)
Find out more about bat behaviour, roost attendance, colony interactions and individual movement across all scales with tracking and automated logging technologies from Biotrack Ltd, Dorset, UK. Sarah Levett (Senior Telemetry Advisor) will introduce the latest coded, automated datalogging and GPS tracking technologies through potential study applications and previous case studies, with time for questions and open discussion.
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'Bats can 'see' in the dark - so can you' Mk3 (Barry Wright) Max 30 people. (Both days)
Seeing where bats emerge from or return to can sometimes by pure guesswork 'I think I saw a bat come out somewhere near that downpipe'. Without investing large amounts of money in thermal imaging or even normal, but expensive infrared camcorders it is often difficult to be certain about where bats are roosting. Infrared camcording with parallel ultrasonic recording over the emergence/ re-entry period (2hrs after sunset and 2 hour before sunrise) removes the uncertainty, allows for precicise timed counting of every exit/ entry and provides a record of exactly where bats emerge or enter. This can all be achieved using relatively cheap equipment. This Mk 3 version takes account of my recent researches into equipment and now provides a better system.
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SNCO project licences – what are they for and what to include in your proposal (Lisa Worledge and Helen Miller) Max 25 people (Sat only)
This presentation based workshop is aimed at bat groups who may be looking to undertake projects or surveys for which a project licence may be required. The workshop will include an introduction to project licences for bats, examples of situations in which a project licence should be applied for, and clarification on the types of work that may be covered by other licence types (particularly the use of Level 3 and 4 survey class licences in England for harp trapping and mist netting). It will also look at the information required when submitting an application and the need for consideration of project aims, objective, detailed methods and outputs.
July 2016
o Establishing groups to monitor the effectiveness of bat mitigation (Claire Wordley & John Altringham) Max 30 delegates (Sun only) Conservationists and ecological consultants are often in the position of trying to take action to help bats without having evidence for whether any particular method works, or whether that method is better or worse than any other. We want to strengthen the evidence base for bat mitigation and conservation methods by supporting conservation practitioners, ecological consultants, bat group members, students and other bat workers to set up projects (or maximise the scope of existing projects) measuring the effectiveness of different methods, and to publish the results for others to see. In this workshop we will, with the help of workshop participants, identify the most important mitigation and conservation questions that bat workers need answered, and assess opportunities to set up projects or use data from existing projects to answer some of these. We aim to explore whether there is a group who wishes to share skills in order to assess the effectiveness of different bat mitigation and conservation options. Anyone currently undertaking mitigation/conservation projects such as installing bat bricks or other roosts is especially encouraged to attend. We can provide some ongoing support in areas such as study design, statistical analysis and writing papers for publication. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of research targeted to have the maximum conservation impact for bats, supported by the Conservation Evidence Project at the University of Cambridge.
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European Bat Box Database (Lisa Worledge) Max 20 people (Sun only)
This workshop will introduce a new pan-European bat box database and demonstrate its key features. Use of bat boxes has seen a huge increase in recent years. Not only among bat groups, but also as a mitigation tool. Where they are used for mitigation, monitoring the effectiveness of the boxes is often not carried out due to funding constraints. To improve communication when checking boxes with a group, or to find volunteers to check boxes installed by consultancies, an open data, open source, online database has been established in the Netherlands for use across Europe. The database allows for systematic entry of observations per cluster of boxes, and has an option to blur locations or put embargos on sensitive locations or species. By collecting and analysing data from bat boxes internationally in many situations and of many box designs, it is hoped better mitigation can be achieved in the future.
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Breathing life into cities (Niall McEvoy) Max 40 people (Sun only)
There will be a presentation on the benefits and uses of Living wall and how they can encourage wildlife. After the presentation people can come up to the stage for a hands on demo in planting and maintaining. o
Full spectrum recording and analysis at minimum capital outlay (Peter Florry) Max 10 people (Sun only)
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DNA sampling of bats- available technologies and maximising the return from non-invasive samples (Andrew Harrington) Max 40 people (Sun only)
DNA techniques are becoming increasingly used and more easily available for the study of many wild mammal species, including bats. This workshop will give an overview of the wide range of ecological questions which can now be addressed using genetic analysis for many British bat species, including species identification, identification of individual bats (genotyping), sex typing and the relatedness of different bat populations. We will also discuss strategies for collecting non-invasive bat DNA samples (such as droppings) and how best to carry out sampling to maximise the amount of information which can be obtained from bat DNA samples. This talk will be followed by a question and answer session.
July 2016
Conference booking costs Bat Conservation Trust members receive a discount of £5 off the total conference cost, join at www.bats.org.uk/join Premier weekend package £305 Fri/Sat night en-suite accommodation, Friday night dinner, breakfast/lunch (Sat and Sun), tea and coffee, conference dinner Standard weekend package £246 Fri/Sat night standard accommodation, Fri/Sat* night dinner, breakfast/lunch (Sat and Sun), tea and coffee Premier Saturday package £245 Sat night en-suite accommodation, breakfast (Sun), lunch (Sat and Sun), tea and coffee, conference dinner
Standard Saturday package £192 Sat night standard accommodation, breakfast (Sun) lunch (Sat and Sun), Sat night dinner*, tea and coffee Non-residential weekend (Saturday and Sunday) £163 Lunch (Sat and Sun), tea and coffee Weekend day rate (Saturday or Sunday) £114 Lunch, tea and coffee Conference dinner only £40 Three course sit down meal on Saturday night in a private function room with evening entertainment (including a ceilidh) *The standard packages include dinner in the main restaurant on Saturday night rather than the conference dinner (which is held in a private room and includes a three course meal and evening entertainment). Under 18s will receive a £15 discount. All under 16s must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. If you are accompanied by a
guardian BCT must have written parental permission.
Unfortunately we are only able to offer single rooms at this venue. If you require a double room the following hotels are close to the University: Premier Inn 0871 527 9196, Hotel Indigo 01904 231333, Hotel Novotel 0113 396 9004, No 71 Bed and Breakfast 01904 638248
Booking We are now taking all bookings through our online system; to access this please visit www.bats.org.uk/conference and book your delegate place by Monday 15 August 2016. Online booking makes the booking process easier and quicker, keeps the conference costs to a minimum and is in keeping with BCT’s Environmental Policy. You will need to pay a deposit of £95 via our credit/debit card payment system at the time of booking or by cheque or BACS. The remainder of your payment should be made by Monday 15 August 2016. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Bat Conservation Trust’. You will receive confirmation of payment by email on booking and joining instructions will follow. If you do not have access to the internet, please contact
[email protected]/ 020 7820 7165 to discuss your booking requirements.
Cancellation Please note that once you have reserved your place on the conference (including those where an invoice option has been selected), that place is confirmed and you are required to pay the full amount. If you cancel your booking more than four weeks before the event we can offer a refund. If you cancel your booking within four weeks of the conference we may not be able to issue a refund. Refunds after this point are issued at the discretion of BCT. Deposits are non-refundable.
July 2016
Confirmation of your booking Your on-line booking will be acknowledged by the system with a confirmation email to your designated email address. A full confirmation with directions and programme will be sent out by email to all confirmed attendees by 19 August. Please contact BCT if you have booked your place and haven’t received confirmation by then. Please check your junk email box as your computer may move emails from an unknown email address to this folder. The email will be sent from the Training Department with the subject being National Bat Conference. Your booking details will be a downloadable attachment or a link in the text. You will also be able to find the general confirmation details on the website after this date.
Poster displays and exhibitions Please contact Michelle Beckett (
[email protected]) if you would like more details about booking exhibition space. Delegates can bring along posters to display. These must be related solely to project work and must not contain advertising/promotional material relating to a private/commercial concern with the exception of the name and logo of the person/organisation concerned. There are limited spaces available; please contact Michelle to book a space.
Sponsorship Please speak to Joe Nunez-Mino (
[email protected] / 020 7820 7168) if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for the National Bat Conference or advertising in Bat News/ Young Bat Worker. Major Sponsorship with Drinks Reception: Wildlife Acoustic
Major Sponsorship: Elekon
Tea and Coffee Sponsorship: Pettersson Elektronik
The Bat Conservation Trust does not endorse the services of our Corporate Sponsors
July 2016
