The Ministry of Climate and Environment invited us to participate and present the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Conservation Program in Poland and the currently ongoing Life Project during the meeting of the EUROBATS Advisory Committee of the Agreement on the Conservation of European Bat Populations (28th Meeting of Advisory Committee). Of course, we took advantage of the invitation! On April 10, 2024, Roman Guziak, on behalf of PTPP “pro Natura”, presented our activities at the forum, which was attended by representatives of governments and NGOs from all over Europe. The presentation resulted in numerous voices of appreciation and established contacts, some of which – who knows – maybe will initiate interesting cooperation?
During the nearly hour-long presentation, event participants learned about the history of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Conservation Program, including the background to some of the solutions that have been proven and are still widely used today, as well as the evolution of activities – from opening inlets in buildings inaccessible to bats and the first repair of a church roof, to cooperation with the State Forestry and the construction of special shelters for Lesser Horseshoe Bats in the woods. But it wasn’t just about history and showcasing our achievements. We wanted the LIFE+ Horseshoe Bat Towers project and, above all, the good and effective practices developed in this and previous projects to become a permanent part of bat conservation practice in Europe. At the meeting we also drew attention to the need to develop effective and sustainable natural compensations for investments negatively affecting bats and their habitats. Such a solution could be (instead of today’s commonly recommended hanging of boxes) the construction of towers, huts and wintering grounds for bats as designed by us. And guess what? It seems to be already happening!
