National Bat Conference

The National Bat Conference is the biggest event in the bat calendar and this year returns as a hybrid event! An opportunity to hear from experts, develop your skills and connect with bat workers from across the country - catch up with old friends and make new ones.

This year the National Bat Conference will take place online via Zoom and in person at the University of Reading. Bookings are now open:

Book your in person tickets

The National Bat Conference 2023 took place on 15-17 September 2023 at the University of Nottingham as a hybrid event and was kindly sponsored by Wildlife Acoustics.

The programme included a great selection of talks, a topical panel discussion, 2 workshop sessions as well as lots of networking opportunities, posters, exhibition stands and more.

Keynote speaker - Professor Kirsty Park, University of Stirling - From hibernating horseshoes and bats on the pill, to how biodiversity responds to ecological restoration

Speakers:

Saturday

• Morgan Hughes, University of Wolverhampton - Interspecific cohabitation of maternity colonies of noctule (Nyctalus noctula) and Daubenton’s bats (Myotis daubentonii) in woodland tree roosts.
• Anna Berthinussen, Conservation First - Bat Conservation: Global evidence for the effects of interventions
• Kate Jones, Natural England - Bats in Churches - summary of work and findings
• Tina Wiffen, MMU - Mass pipistrelle hibernation sites
• Kit Stoner, BCT - An update on the work of the Bat Conservation Trust
• Panel discussion - exploring policy and bat conservation e.g. incorporating bats into initiatives such as Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Biodiversity Net Gain

• Marc Roswag, HAW Hamburg, Universität Hohenheim - Bat protection in the sky: investigating effects of unmanned aerial systems for acoustic bat surveys
• Jim Mullholland & Carys Peotto, BATS Research and Training - Surveying trees for bats; a new hope
• Jan Collins, BCT - Launch of the Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists: good Practice Guidelines 4th edition
• Steph Murphy & Daniel Hargreaves, VWT - For the greater good
• Lisa Worledge, BCT - Bat ringing guidelines and database
  
• Thomas Foxley, University of the West of England
• Sonja Vernes - Bat 1K Project
• Hannah van Hesteren, BCT - Nightwatch Project
• Megan Golding & Susie Gold, APHA - EBLV1 phylogenetics in England and the temporal dynamics of serotine populations

We also heard from the winners of various awards including the ROOST Award, the Pete Guest Award, the Vincent Weir Award and the Kate Barlow Award.

Sponsorship and Exhibiting

There are sponsorship and exhibitor spaces still available, if you are interested, please contact Naomi Webster, Training and Conferences Manager for details: nwebster@bats.org.uk

In 2022, the conference took place at Yarnfield Park Conference Centre near Stafford and on Zoom on 24 - 25 September 2022.

Pdf of the programme

In-person tickets include attendance at the conference (including talks, workshops, panel discussion and networking), refreshments and lunch each day.

In-person early bird prices - available until 3rd June 2024

• One day only (Saturday or Sunday) BCT member £120 / Non-member £125
• Weekend delegate BCT member £165 / Non-member £170

In-person full prices - available from 3rd June 2024

• One day only (Saturday or Sunday) BCT member £135 / Non-member £140
• Weekend delegate BCT member £180 / Non-member £185

Optional extras

• 2 course dinner on Friday or Saturday night £20pp
• Conference dinner on Saturday night (3 courses plus wine, quiz and ceilidh) £50pp

Virtual prices - available from 3rd June 2024

• • One day only (Saturday or Sunday) BCT member £60 / Non-member £65
  • Weekend delegate BCT member £105 / Non-member £110

NB virtual tickets will include all the talks live or as recordings if you can't attend live as well as a limited selection of workshops. It will not be possible to include virtual attendees in all the networking elements, but there will be Zoom rooms open for networking with other virtual attendees if you would like.

Late booking fees - £20