Description
The intensified anthropic activity is disturbing the shelters and habitats used by bats, threatening their survival. Bats often find shelter in buildings and church towers and due to the human activities of renovation/restoration, the building dwelling bats are facing many threats, so urgent protection measures are needed. The main goal of the project is to establish proper conditions for bats which accommodate in anthropic areas. The project objectives are: protection of the most threatened bat colonies of buildings from 6 counties, dissemination of good practices and the gained experience during the project, increasing the level of knowledge and raising the awareness of the local communities on the importance of bat protection. The beneficiaries of the project are the building owners where bats exist, local communities, children and teachers from targeted area, volunteers and bats. The project will result in protected bat colonies, buildings modified in batfriendly way, bat accommodations evaluated and classified based on threats, the targeted local communities informed, volunteers able to run bat conservation actions.
Summary of project results
The main goal of the project was building-up favourable circumstances for conserving the bat species which inhabit anthropic areas. The project was implemented in 6 localities in Western and North-Western part of Romania: Ineu - Bihor County, Valenii de Aries and Moldovenesti - Cluj County, Mihaileni - Harghita County, Laslau Mare - Mures County and Sasca Montana - Caras-Severin County. Due of the maintenance and restoration activities, bats living in buildings are endangered. In order to ensure long term conservation of the most endangered bat colonies, 6 interventions (1 in every locality) had been carried out in collaboration with the buildings’ administrators, thus optimal conditions could be met and the discomfort caused by the bat’s presence in human environment could be minimised. By organising bilateral meetings, round tables, training camps and by publishing a methodological guidebook, best practices and experiences have been disseminated. These can be used in case of reconstructing or reshaping buildings where bats colonies live. The information level of local communities was increased due to awareness raising activities. Young people from more than 30 localities participated in ecological education workshops. During the various events at local level, the project team built an information desk where specialists answered the local’s questions and informational brochures have been distributed.
Summary of bilateral results