Biodiversity Action Planning

BCT delivering bat biodiversity

Following the UK Government becoming a signatory to the Convention of Biological Diversity in Rio de Janerio in 1992, this commitment was put into practice via the launch of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) in 1994. Species and Habitat Action Plans (SAPs & HAPs) were drawn up for those species and habitat considered to require targeted conservation action.

Barbastelle bat on a log (Hugh Clark)For each Species Action Plan (SAP) a lead partner was identified whose role was to co-ordinate conservation issues (via the establishment of relevant steering groups and work programmes), direct resources, manage publicity and report on their habitat or species.

Until recently the following 7 of our 17 species of UK bat had a specific dedicated SAP: greater horseshoe bat, lesser horseshoe bat, Bechstein's bat, pipistrelle bat, barbastelle bat and greater mouse-eared bat (declared extinct in the UK in 1991, but a lone bat has since been found).

BCT was nominated lead partner for the all the above except the greater horseshoe and greater mouse-eared bats (for which Natural England is the lead partner).

Species Action Plans can be located on the UK BAP website.

Proposed changes to the UK Biodiversity Action Planning system

Species and habitats priority review

In 2005 the government commenced a priority review of all the species on the original UK BAP list from 1994 when the UK BAP was created. Criteria were drawn up by the government to decide which species should be added, removed or remain on the list. BCT was involved with working with the mammal scoping group to advise on bat species.

Following the application of the government's criteria the mammal scoping group concluded that:

  • common pipistrelle and greater mouse-eared bats should be removed;
  • soprano pipistrelle, lesser horseshoe, greater horseshoe, barbastelle and Bechstein's bats will remain; and
  • noctule and brown long-eared bats should be added.

Flying noctule (Hugh Clark)This new list was formally adopted by all four UK administrations in August 2007 and contains 1149 species and 65 habitats all considered to be a priority for conservation within the UK.

In order to be considered for the list each species had to reach criteria specified by the government. Unfortunately a lack of data on certain rare or little studied bat species (such as the grey long-eared and Leisler's bat) prevented thier inclusion on the list and some other species such as the serotine bat only missed the inclusion threshold of the criteria by a very small percentage. BCT wrote to the Chair of the Species & Habitats Priority Review Group at Defra in April 2007 expressing these concerns and highlighting that the conservation of these species still requires urgent action.

Prioritising actions for the species on the new BAP list

In February & November 2007 BCT was approached to undertake a 'signposting' exercise for the species on the new UK BAP list (with the exception of the greater horseshoe bat which is within the remit of Natural England).

The two excerises involved allocated priorities for each of the species on the new UK BAP list and involved:

  • Drawing up actions assigned to each species where appropriate;
  • Identifying to which country each action applies;
  • Checking the country distribution of the species;
  • Contributing to the determination of success criteria (i.e. the point at which a species could theoretically be removed from the list); and
  • highlighting those priority habitats deemed most relevant to each species in the light of the forthcoming 'habitat-based approach' to the delivery of the UK Biodiveristy Action Plan (see below).

BCT consulted with all the known experts in the bat species concerned as well as the wider bat worker community (who expressed an interest in contributing). An open invitation was posted on BCT's website for anyone interested to contribute. Members of the Barbastelle and the Bechstein's bat Technical Advisory Group (BBTAG) also provided support in this exercise.

A letter was submitted with the final version of the signposting spreadsheet to JNCC (in early February 2008) highlighting the shortcomings of the exercise for bat species. Principal concerns included:

  • the fact that there was only space to select three UK BAP habitats for each species;
  • the importance of considering conservation actions at the landscape level; and
  • a habitat type for the built environment (including buildings and underground sites) was not available for selection.

BCT would like to thank all those who took the time in helping BCT with this exercise.

The new 'habitats-based' approach to the delivery of the Biodiversity Action Plan

Woodlands (Bob Cornes)In October 2007 it became apparent that the government is proposing to change the arrangements for the delivery of the UK BAP from mid 2009 onwards to a more 'habitats-focused' approach. These new arrangements were discussed in some detail during the annual bat BAP steering group meeting in November 2007. The arrangements are still being decided by Natural England and BCT continues to be active in meetings between Natural England and Wildlife and Countryside Link to ensure the needs of bats are accommodated.

How BCT's biodiversity work is structured 

In 2001 BCT held a workshop (funded by DETR) to identify conservation priorities for four bat species (pipistrelle, lesser horseshoe, Bechstein's and barbastelle); this was attended by leading conservationists and academics from a wide range of organisations. The aim of the day was to identify and prioritise major threats to bat conservation, identify gaps in current knowledge and identify areas for research in order to work towards the targets identified in the SAP.

As a result of the workshop, focus groups and work areas were set up / agreed to look at actions needed to implement the SAPs. The following work areas and focus groups all form part of the remit of the Biodiversity Project: 

The Future...

BCT and the conservation world awaits how the new proposed system for the delivery of UK BAP will actually work in practice. BCT continues to keep up-to-date with the process as it progresses. The next BAP reporting round will be between September to November 2008 inclusive. After this the new approach to Biodiversity Action Planning in the UK will commence.