The Bearing Witness for Wildlife Bat Roost Mitigation Project recognised that there is a lack of evidence and evidence-based guidance on how effective replacement bat roosts, provided during the development process, are. There is also a lack of evidence on how well mitigation designs are communicated and implemented on the ground. This could result in developers acting unlawfully.
The project delivered a Mitigation Case Studies Forum in January 2017, bringing together representatives from across the sectors to share experience and best practice. The proceedings document can be downloaded for free here: Mitigation Case Studies Forum 2017 proceedings document
The project collected evidence on the implementation and efficacy of bat roost mitigation and compensation through two seasons of fieldwork and produced a paper published by Conservation Evidence that will be used to update industry guidance:
"The implementation and effectiveness of bat roost mitigation and compensation measures for Pipistrellus and Myotis spp. and brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) included in building development projects completed between 2006 and 2014 in England and Wales."
The full project report can be found here (this has been updated on 11th March 2021):
Bearing Witness for Wildlife: Bat Roost Mitigation Project Report
We also produced a short paper comparing our study to the CIEEM study published in 2018:
Comparing BCT and CIEEM mitigation studies FINAL 16 06 21
Finally, the project also delivered a new 'Roost' website of bat roost mitigation case studies and an associated 'Roost' award for good practice.
