BATS: A BIG BLACK HOLE IN YMCA’S NEW ECOLOGY REPORT
Local wildlife organisation raises the alarm on missing duty to bats roosting at Balderton Lake
Local nature conservation organisation raises the alarm on missing duty to bats roosting at Balderton Lake
St George’s Trust for Conservation has raised concerns about bats - a keystone species - missing entirely from YMCA’s new ecological survey.
After being urged by campaigners and local residents to update their ecological reports from 2018, to assess the environmental impact of their plans to introduce kayaks to Balderton Lake, YMCA’s new results omit any consideration for bats.
The report states that “[the kayaking] proposals are during daylight hours and thus will not impact foraging”.
However, group visits and surveys led by St George’s Trust in March, August and September, detected bat calls from six species including Common Pipistrelle, Lesser Noctule, Noctule, Daubenton, Brown Long-Eared and Soprano Pipistrelle.
Residents gather at one of several bat walks which has taken place around Balderton Lake this year, thanks to St George’s Trust for Conservation
“We could clearly see aerobatic Daubenton's Bats flashing by at water level,” says Sara Chadd, Director of St George’s Trust and trainer of the bat walks. “We picked up 16 Daubenton calls on the 22nd of March and an impressive 47 Daubenton calls on the 21st of August. It's quite obvious that Balderton Lake is their permanent home.”
“Daubenton's feed, mate and live on still water. They need undergrowth and tree cover on the water margin to produce midges and moths for food and water larvae. Daubenton bats roost underground in caves or under bridges, but around Balderton Lake, they are likely to use holes in the lake bank or under tree roots. So any amount of daily and prolonged activity in the water, no matter the time of day, could really disrupt them.”
St George’s Trust urges the YMCA and Balderton Parish Council to conduct a complete professional bat survey, rather than dismissing the species from the report.
“These species deserve proper protection at Balderton Lake. The survey should be done on emergence in May 2023, not now during hibernation; comprising several visits at dawn and dusk. Very few secluded bat habitats remain in the Newark area. We should be protecting these rare species at Balderton Lake,” urges the ecologist.
Amphibians and reptiles have also been dismissed from the new report, despite being included in YMCA’s 2018 report.
