Back from the Brink (BftB) was one of the most ambitious conservation projects ever undertaken.
It aimed to save 20 species from extinction and benefit over 200 more through 19 projects that span England; from the tip of Cornwall to Northumberland.
It was the first time ever that so many conservation organisations came together with one focus in mind – to bring back from the brink of extinction some of England’s most threatened species of animal, plant and fungi.
As part of the Back from the Brink programme, the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) developed a single species project which aimed to reverse the decline of the grey long-eared bat. Read all about the grey long-eared bat project here.
The Back from the Brink Grey long-eared bat project came to a close in mid-November 2019, but Bat Conservation Trust continued to deliver an important legacy project in a partnership with East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Funded through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, this project continued to work with landowners in East Devon and Dorset, creating vital foraging habitat for the grey long-eared bat. Read more about the Return of the Night Rider project here.
The BftB project on a whole also helped a further 200 species that while not facing extinction are under threat. These included a number of bat species including the Bechstein’s bat, noctule, brown long-eared bat, greater horseshoe bat and soprano pipistrelle. Species information guides were produced by the Ancients of the Future and Limestone's Living Legacies projects for the following species:
Read all about the Back from the Brink project here.
The Back from the Brink project was developed by Natural England and Rethink Nature. To read more about Rethink Nature visit this page.
You can find some useful resources about grey long-eared bat and its management here.
This project also produced some fantastic resources for schools:
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