Introduction
- Project description
- A new 'bat tower' was constructed at Dalegarth Station, Eskdale Valley, Cumbria. This replaced an old station building, which was in a poor condition and obsolete. The old station building was scheduled for demolition to make space for the creation of a disabled access ramp to the platform.
- Ecologist’s name and contact details
- Victoria Burrows (ERAP Ltd)
- Planning authority
- Lake District National Park
- Brief site description
- Former station building in car park. Predominant surrounding landscape is montane, pasture, river and woodland.
Pre-works roost structure
- Type of structure
- Building
- Use
- Commercial Unit
- Condition
- Not In Use
- Approx. age
- Over 10 years old.
- Main construction material of walls
- Brick
- Roof design
- Pitched Roof
- Roof material
- Bitumen
- Internal roof structure
- Timber Frame
Pre-works roost description
- Species
- Common pipistrelle
- Number of bats max count
- 47
- Type of roost
- Maternity Roost
- Evidence of bats
- Bats Recorded Emerging/Re-entering
- Roost location
- Eaves
- Aspect of roost
- SW
- Height of roost entrance (m)
- 4
- Roost material(s)
-
- Timber
- Nearest commuting feature
- Hedge
- Distance to nearest commuting feature (m)
- Not reported
- Photos or annotated figures of roost
Proposed works
- Description of works
- Removal of bat roost in original station building to facilitate demolition, followed by compensation in a new 'bat tower'. The old station building was removed in winter (when bats were absent), the roost area was carefully removed under the presence of a licensed surveyor.
- Type of impact upon the roost
- Long-Term Roost Modification and Roost Loss
Proposed mitigations
- Type of mitigation
- Compensation
- Specific technical detail of measure
- Bat House: The objective was to replicate the roost position, access and conditions of the existing roost by providing a purpose built bat tower. This would also provide a feature to promote bat conservation to the tourists attending the Ravenglass to Eskdale Railway.
Bat access to the purpose built tower is in exactly the same position at the roost access at the old station building. The station building roost was above the kitchen. A low voltage heater has been installed at the bat tower to replicate the warm conditions above the kitchen. Similar materials have been used although the timber was new.
Size: The tower is 1500mm by 1500mm by 4640mm high
Materials: Timber frame with hipped slate roof and hanging slates.
Additional info: A purpose built "bat house" was built in exactly the same position. The roost access was in exactly the same position (this was recorded prior to demolition). Other provisions for use by roosting bats were also incorporated into the "bat house". In the interior, plywood baffles of differing lengths were inserted to provide roosting places for bats. Low voltage heaters were placed inside and the temperature and humidity will be monitored and altered as necessary (thermostat installed). This was built specifically to tie in with the new station building as there were very strict aesthetic regulations and the use of materials was specified by the Lake District National Park Authority. A hatch was installed for inspection purposes.
- Roost location
- Bat House
- Aspect of roost
- S
- Height of roost entrance (m)
- 4.4
- Roost material(s)
-
- Clay Hanging Tiles
- Slate Tiles
- Timber Roof Frame
- Nearest commuting feature
- Hedge
- Distance to nearest commuting feature (m)
- Not reported
- Photos or annotated figures of roost
Actual mitigations implemented
- Type of mitigation
- Compensation
- Specific technical detail of measure
- Bat House: The objective was to replicate the roost position, access and conditions of the existing roost by providing a purpose built bat tower. This would also provide a feature to promote bat conservation to the tourists attending the Ravenglass to Eskdale Railway.
Bat access to the purpose built tower is in exactly the same position at the roost access at the old station building. The station building roost was above the kitchen. A low voltage heater has been installed at the bat tower to replicate the warm conditions above the kitchen. Similar materials have been used although the timber was new.
Size: The tower is 1500mm by 1500mm by 4640mm high
Materials: Timber frame with hipped slate roof and hanging slates.
Additional info: A purpose built "bat house" was built in exactly the same position. The roost access was in exactly the same position (this was recorded prior to demolition). Other provisions for use by roosting bats were also incorporated into the "bat house". In the interior, plywood baffles of differing lengths were inserted to provide roosting places for bats. Low voltage heaters were placed inside and the temperature and humidity will be monitored and altered as necessary (thermostat installed). This was built specifically to tie in with the new station building as there were very strict aesthetic regulations and the use of materials was specified by the Lake District National Park Authority. A hatch was installed for inspection purposes.
- Roost location
- Other
- Aspect of roost
- N
- Height of roost entrance (m)
- 4.4
- Roost material(s)
-
- Clay Hanging Tiles
- Slate Tiles
- Timber Roof Frame
- Nearest commuting feature
- Hedge
- Distance to nearest commuting feature (m)
- Not reported
- Photos or annotated figures of roost
Monitoring data
- Length of monitoring proposed
- At least 4 years
- Frequency of monitoring
- Not reported.
- Type of monitoring
- Roost Inspection
- Date and time
- 1st May 2008
- Evidence recorded
- One Pipistrelle bat was observed roositng beneath the barge board at thea eaves of the tower. Bat droppings were present on the sills and slates around the tower.
- Internal temperature and humidity recorded
- 25 degrees
- Interventions made
- None reported.
- Type of monitoring
- Roost Inspection
- Date and time
- 1st February 2011
- Evidence recorded
- Internal inspection confirmed 1000's of droppings inside the tower indicating bats had been roosting between the timber baffles. A few dead baby and juvenile bats indicated evidence of use by a maternity roost. Droppings were cleared away.
- Internal temperature and humidity recorded
- 25 degrees
- Interventions made
- None reported.
- Type of monitoring
- Roost Inspection
- Date and time
- 3rd October 2011
- Evidence recorded
- Similar results 1000's droppings present and a few dead baby bats. Droppings were cleared away. The next inspection is scheduled for October 2012.
- Internal temperature and humidity recorded
- 25 degrees
- Interventions made
- None reported
Final details
- Lessons learned
- Heating a mitigation roost may have its advantages (it has been valuable in this instance). Creation of the roost access in exactly the same place as the previous roost seems to have contributed to the success