Past Projects

2007

Merthyr Common Wind Farm Proposal
Assessing resident and migratory
bat activity
- Bheara Ltd

Caerwent Training Area –
Archaeological Sites
Assessment of bat roost presence and
mitigation advice during stabilisation
work
- Landmarc Support Services Ltd
- Defence Estates

2006

A469 Trunk Road – Talgarth
Relief Road
Lesser horseshoe bat mitigation and
road crossings
- Hyder Consulting
- Welsh Assembly Government

A465 Trunk Road – Heads of the
Valley’s Duelling
Radio tracking the movements of
lesser horseshoe bats in relation to
the new road
- Babtie Consulting/Smith Ecology Ltd
- Welsh Assembly Government

2005

Merthyr Tydfil Community Housing Project
Surveys of properties to be demolished for the presence of bats
- Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

Wye Valley Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Monitoring Project
Study into the foraging habitats of
lesser horseshoe bats in the lower
Wye Valley
- Countryside Council for Wales

2004

Merthyr Railway Tunnels Project
Survey of two former railway tunnels
for the presence of hibernating bats
- Merthyr Tydfil County Borough
Council
- Rhondda Cynon Taf County
Borough Council

Usk Lesser Horseshoe Study
Study of the movement of lesser
horseshoe bats and the impact of
riparian trees on foraging behaviour
- Smith Ecology Ltd
- Countryside Council for Wales

2003

Craig y Cilau National Nature Reserve
Radio tracking lesser horseshoe bats
from hibernation sites to nurseries
- Smith Ecology Ltd
- Countryside Council for Wales

Aberglasney House
Bat survey on historic building
including mitigation scheme and
development licence application
- Aberglasney Restoration Trust

2002

Ciliau SSSI and SAC
Study of flight line and foraging
behaviour at this important site.
- Smith Ecology Ltd
- Countryside Council for Wales

Garth Olwg Life Long Learning
Centre
Bat surveys, mitigation measures and
expert witness service at public inquiry
- Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough
Council
- Jarvis Construction Ltd

2001

Agriculture Department Building
Llandrindod Wells
Bat survey and scheme of mitigation
- Welsh Assembly Government

 

Bats - how can we help you?

Bats are the only true flying mammals, and in Britain there are at least seventeen species, all of which are fully protected. All British bats are insectivorous, meaning that they eat insects exclusively. Such prey is generally caught on the wing. Bats do a great deal of good, and a common pipistrelle bat can easily consume up to 3,500 small insects each night. Insects are detected using sophisticated ‘echo-location’ abilities, rather like radar on a fighter plane. Whilst they also have good eyesight, the echo-location enables them to see in total darkness.

Over the past hundred years bats have suffered devastating declines in their numbers and today several species are on the brink of extinction. Since 1981 all British bats and their places of rest (roosts) have been protected under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. This legal protection has been added to under the provisions of the Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1994 and more recently the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

For nearly twenty five years we have been working with bats and we have unrivalled experience in their conservation. Our ecologists are fully licenced to work with all species of bat in the United Kingdom and have confined spaces training where clients require this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services

  • Barn surveys
  • Building and trees surveys
  • Confined spaces surveys
  • European protected species licence applications
  • Mitigation schemes
  • Research projects including radio tracking and ringing species identification
  • Research projects
  • Training courses