Bats and Historic Buildings

This course, led by Ella Gibbs, Senior Ecologist at Place Services, is for anybody who works with historic buildings to learn how avoid disturbing bats or damaging their habitats. You will learn why and how bats use buildings and the important contribution this makes to their life cycle; how and when to carry out a preliminary bat roost assessment of a building; when to seek expert advice and an inspection of Potential Roost Features (PRFs); and, the legal protections of bats and why survey licences are needed. Attendees will be taken on a tour of the medieval barns at Cressing Temple, during which they will make their own assessment of the buildings for bat potential. Specialist equipment, such as endoscopes and bat detectors, and specimens of bats (both dead and alive!) will be available to inspect, as well as weighted examples that can be handled to appreciate their size.