The challenges faced by European bat populations are similar. First of all, it is the loss of roosts, which can take many forms: the modification of caves for tourism, the renovation of buildings with colonies without taking them into account, or by cutting down hollow trees, which shelter typical forest-dwelling bat species. Secondly, through infrastructure or energy projects, through intensive forestry or agriculture, the natural habitat used by bats in their daily flight is modified and fragmented.
The distances between roosts and feeding habitats increases, or in some cases even a cave, a building can become isolated, surrounded by completely modified habitats. Artificial lighting and thus light pollution (e.g. of building exteriors, or traffic routes) comes in addition to these challenges, further reducing overall habitat permeability for bats.
In this context, respectively to counteract the negative effects, the idea of an international LIFE+ project was born. Thus, the “LIFE PODKOWIEC PLUS: back to the forest – holistic conservation of bat breeding habitats” project (LIFE+ PODKOWIEC TOWERS, LIFE20 NAT/PL/001427) is coordinated from Poland, with partners in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. Following the principle of multi-directional approach, partner NGOs from different countries focuse on different challenges. Colleagues from the “pro Natura” Society, together with the General Directorate of State Forests in Poland, are creating a series of new roosts (underground and aboveground) for the lesser horseshoe bat in forest habitats, working in 40 protected areas of the Natura 2000 network.
Czech colleagues from the ČESON are creating two platforms to stop the effects of guano accumulated under bat colonies, in 2 historical monuments (castles). As an interesting fact, these castles are not only historical monuments, they are also Natura 2000 protected areas in themselves. Colleagues of SON from Slovakia also work in 4 Natura 2000 protected areas, where they restore forest huts used by bats and underground places, they place artificial bat houses on trees, but they also protect hollow trees used by bats.
Here in Romania, we, the CBRC, focus on the protection of bat colonies in underground roosts. We work in two areas of major importance not only for bats, but in general for biodiversity, namely the Domogled – Valea Cernei National Park and the Iron Gates Nature Park.
In January 2024, the first concrete conservation action took place, namely the cleaning of the Despicătura Cave, from Domogled, of the remnants of the former thermal water system, rusted for decades. The project team removed over 600 kilograms of iron from the cave, thus restoring partially the natural appearance of the cave. The site is used by bats especially during the summer, when the lesser horseshoe bat forms the only known maternity colony in the area, with about 40-60 females.
This summer we will continue with the other conservation measures. Thus, the Padina Matei Cave will receive a bat-friendly gate, replacing the old one, unsuitable for the unimpeded access of bats. The Cloșani cave, which is home not only to a significant hibernation colony, but also of crystals of rare beauty, will also benefit from a suitable bat gate. In another cave, where the presence of sensitive species does not allow the installation of a gate, we will deepen the riverbed at the entrance to prevent unauthorized entry. But we’ll also reinforce the caved-in entrance of an abandoned mine gallery, which is an important hibernation location for the lesser horseshoe bat.
A number of locations will benefit from information and warning boards at the entrance, encouraging visitors to return during periods when bats are not present inside the caves. But because bat protection cannot happen without the tremendous work of national park biologists, we will also aid their work by organizing an intensive training on all things related to bat conservation.
Visit our project timeline to learn more about the project, or our Facebook and Instagram pages. Or even the official and complete page of the project, made by our colleagues from Poland.
The project is implemented between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2026, with a budget of EUR 4,924,974, of which the European Union’s contribution is EUR 2,954,984, and that of the National Fund for Nature Protection and Water Management (Poland) is EUR 1,656,349. The CBRC / Romanian budget is EUR 64,147, of which CCCL’s own contribution is EUR 3,000. The objectives of the project are:
- Protection and improvement of conditions of the important roosts for nine bat species
- Change from a reactive to a proactive approach to the protection of bats
- Enhancement of institutional support for bat conservation