For the final episode of Series 2 we join Nottinghamshire Bat Group member Barry Collins at a Leicestershire Church where he talks to Steve about the works that were undertaken on the church to restore it whilst retaining the Natterer&apos;s bat colony living in the fabric of the building. Barry also discusses the importance of churches in the local community as well as how they&apos;re adapting to the 21st century and how he, along with dozens of other bat workers, are working with church communities up and down the country to find a solution to retain bat roosts whilst allowing these buildings at the heart of villages to be regularly used.Become a bat explorer in your local church with the Bats in Churches ProjectFind out more about Barry&apos;s workFollow the Leicestershire and Rutland Bat Group on twitterFollow Nottinghamshire Bat Group on twitterFollow Essex Bat Group on twitterRemember we&apos;re on the lookout for stories and projects to include in the next series of BatChat so if you have a great story to tell, email comms@bats.org.ukJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrustTwitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrustFor more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

BatChat

Bats in Churches with Barry Collins

The 2020 Woodland Symposium was hosted by BCT, six years after the inaugural symposium. It bought together landowners, ecologists, bat workers and professionals from the woodland and forestry industry to listen to talks from 15 speakers covering research, knowledge updates and case studies on woodlands and bats. We hear from three of those speakers as well as a couple of the 11 students who had been given a place at the conference by bursaries offered by the Back from the Brink project (check out episode 2 for more on that!).George Fisher talks about the Woodland Wildlife ToolkitVikki Bengtsson on Veteranisation of trees and Vikki also discusses this topic on another podcast "Tree Lady Talks"Rob Coventry discusses Ash DiebackFollow Morgan Hughes on twitterFollow Eleri Kent on twitterJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Woodland Symposium

Chester Zoo is the most visited zoo in the UK with over 2 million visitors a year. It&apos;s also a conservation and education charity committed to preventing extinction. The fruit bat forest in the Twilight Zone exhibition is a fantastic visitor experience; Steve joins Dave White, the manager of the Twilight Zone, who explains how it&apos;s also used as an insurance population for the endangered Rodrigues fruit bat Pteropus rodricensis which is only found on the island of Rodrigues. Dr Claire Raisin the field programme coordinator for Madagascar and the Mascarenes explains how island-wide bat surveys which started in the mid-1990s are helping Chester monitor the nine main roost sites in Rodrigues. And finally we meet Helen Bradshaw the Estate Ecologist who amongst her many roles manages the native bat species roosts across the 250 hectare Estate opened in 1931 by George Mottershead.Find out more about the project at Chester:Fruit Bat ForestStories to Save Species in RodriguesMauritian Wildlife Foundation and their Facebook PageFollow Dr Claire Raisin and Helen Bradshaw on twitterFind out more about the Nature Reserve at Chester ZooJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Chester Zoo - Twilight Zone

Steve joins Helen Ball and other members of Staffordshire Bat Group as they undertake a winter hibernation survey for the National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP). Recorded in February 2020 in the Staffordshire Peak District, they undertake the latest survey of disused lead mines searching for bats deep in torpor.Helen reveals what it&apos;s like to undertake the survey (it&apos;s a VERY steep hillside!) and what sort of things you&apos;re likely to find in old mine adits. Apart from the bats - lots of bats - there&apos;s other wildlife down there too and the surveys have revealed just how important the site is for the bats of the Peak District.Find out more about Staffordshire Bat Group:https://www.staffsbats.co.uk/@staffsbats@derbyshirebatsThe NBMP hibernation surveys: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/national-bat-monitoring-programmeThe Big Bat Skills Event Online is back this February - Book Now!https://www.bats.org.uk/events/big-bat-skills-event-onlineJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Going Underground on a Hibernation Survey

The Bat Conservation Trust is a small conservation charity but undertakes a vast amount of work in their aim to conserve bats. During the runup to Christmas, Steve spoke with their Chief Executive Officer, Kit Stoner, to find out what it&apos;s like to run a small but busy charity, the current challenges and whether she manages to get out and do bat work in her spare time after work! Follow Kit on twitterFind out more about the upcoming British Bat SurveyDiscover the work we doJoin the podcast conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Our CEO, Kit Stoner

In November 2019 before the word Coronavirus had become all-too familiar, the Scottish Bat Conference was taking place in Perth. In this episode Steve speaks to Liz Ferrell BCT&apos;s Scottish bat officer, Sue Swift who published the authoritative work on long-eared bats and Tracey Jolliffe who has an interest in zoonotic diseases and discusses bats and rabies. Book your place at the 2021 Scottish Bat Conference hereFind your local Scottish bat group hereFollow Liz Ferrell on twitterFollow Tracey Jolliffe on twitterBrowse second-hand copies of Sue&apos;s monograph on long-eared bats hereTell us what your favourite encounter with long-eared bats has been online by using #BatChatJoin the podcast conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Sue Swift & friends at the Scottish Bat Conference

The weather has certainly got chilly in the last few days, but back in late October, it was still mild and Steve visited a bat colony which was still in residence in its summer roost. He meets up with Helen Parr, community engagement officer for the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project. They discuss how the project has been received by the community over the last five years and what achievements its had whilst wandering around the countryside of the south-west, visiting the habitats that the largest Greater Horseshoe bat colony in western Europe relies on to thrive.So tune in and discover how this National Lottery Heritage Fund project has been giving a helping, er...wing, to the Greater Horseshoes of Devon.Loads of info about the project, including live cameras, here: http://devonbatproject.org/ Their twitter, Facebook and YouTube channelsDevon Bat GroupVincent Wildlife TrustJoin the podcast conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project with Helen Parr

Winifred is the Chief Scientist at Bat Conservation International as well as an associate research professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.In this episode, Steve finds out about the discovery Winifred made about the ecology of Pallid bats whilst undertaking her PhD out in the deserts and chats to her about her work as a key scientist in the efforts to research the effects of White-Nose Syndrome, informing long-term management actions.The two WNS websites Winifred mentions:https://www.batcon.org/our-work/research-and-scalable-solutions/white-nose-syndrome/https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/Follow Dr Frick on twitter: @FrickWinifredJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Dr Winifred Frick - Bat Conservation International

Remember seeing bats over your garden years ago and suddenly realised that they&apos;ve vanished over time? Wildlife garden landscaper Joel Ashton reveals how you can help attract bats to your greenspace by greening up a fence and planting certain species to increase insect diversity which in turn will provide your local bats with a buffet! At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together and Joel is helping achieve that vision, one garden at a time. So tune in and discover how to get bats reappearing against the evening skies of your home.Joel&apos;s book &apos;Wild Your Garden&apos;: https://www.hazelwoodlandscapes.com/ is available from your local bookseller.Follow Joel on social media: @_joelashton and @Butterfly_brosVideos available on his YouTube siteJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Gardening for bats with Joel Ashton

A camping trip in the New Forest was the first sighting of bats that broadcaster, naturalist and writer Chris Packham had. He became the president of the Bat Conservation Trust in 2006 and in this episode recorded during the 2020 lockdown, Steve Roe asks Chris what it was about the Trust that made him want to become President. Chris tells us about the time he had serotine bats flying around his house whilst watching a European cup final and reveals some of the bat encounters he&apos;s had during his career as a television presenter. As Halloween is nearly upon us we’re challenging people to take part in the great British #BatBake: https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2020/10/join-in-this-halloween-with-the-great-british-batbake To discover more of the bat groups around the UK, head to the bat group pages on the Bat Conservation Trust website: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groupsJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Chris Packham

In this bonus episode recorded during the UK lockdown, we have two guests on the show. Tom August is a scientist based at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Lisa Worledge is Head of Conservation Services at the Bat Conservation Trust. They talk to Steve about the interest that bats are currently getting in the press around the origins of the current COVID-19 pandemic, what bats can teach us about future pandemics and how some bat species have been practicing social distancing far longer than we have!Resources mentioned in the episode include:FAQs around Bats and Coronaviruses: https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/bats-and-disease/covid-19-and-bats Good Practice Guidelines for Bat Rehabilitators: https://cdn.bats.org.uk/pdf/Resources/Bat-Groups/COVID-19-GPG-for-Bat-Rehabilitators_01May2020.pdf?mtime=20200501123411&focal=noneThe Sunrise/Sunset Survey: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/national-bat-monitoring-programme How to build a bat box: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/buildings-planning-and-development/bat-boxesHow to find your local bat group: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groupsBats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. We know that conservation action to protect and conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats and their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever. To donate please go to: www.bats.org.uk/donate  Thank you!If you&apos;ve got a great bat project or story to tell that you think other listeners would love to hear, drop us an email at comms@bats.org.ukMake sure you&apos;re subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Bats & Coronavirus

This week we have two guests on the show. Hannah Van Hesteren is one of the Helpline Managers at the Bat Conservation Trust. She talks to Steve about the vital work the Helpline does each summer when it takes hundreds of calls each day from members of the public who have found an injured or grounded bat.Gail Armstrong was the recipient of the Pete Guest Award in 2019 for her outstanding practical contribution to bat conservation. Over the last 25 years, Gail estimates she&apos;s cared for 800 bats to date in North Lancashire. She discusses what it is about bat care that&apos;s so important to their conservation.To support the Helpline, head to their JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/BatHelplineNeedsYouBats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. We know that conservation action to protect and conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats and their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever. To donate please go to: www.bats.org.uk/donate  Thank you!If you&apos;ve got a great bat project or story to tell that you think other listeners would love to hear, drop us an email at comms@bats.org.ukMake sure you&apos;re subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Bat Care

Despite a number of our bats using trees as roost sites, we know surprisingly little about how bats use trees. In this episode Steve sits down with veteran tree expert Jim Mullholland from the Arboricultural Association and discusses what we still don&apos;t know about the ecology of bats and trees. Jim also touches on a project he&apos;s been working on recently using trail cameras as a surveillance technique to help understand this subject.Jim has a YouTube channel with a number of videos of bats inside tree roosts. You can view that channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcxgmE0Z3NAW3n1yzTPohpA To discover more of the bat groups around the UK, head to the bat group pages on the Bat Conservation Trust website: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groups. Their Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/ManxBatGroup/Join the conversation on social media using #BatChat:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Bats and Trees with Jim Mullholland

The British Isles have a large number of islands around its coasts and some of these have bat groups. In this episode Steve discusses the challenges of being an isolated voluntary group with Carol Williams who is  the secretary of the Isles of Scilly Bat Group and with Ani Binet who until recently was a resident on Jersey in the Channel Islands and an active member of the Jersey Bat Group. There is also some news hot off the press from the Isle of Man Bat Group. You can read more about the exciting news at our press release here: https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2020/02/lesser-horseshoe-bat-found-in-the-isle-of-manTo discover more of the bat groups around the UK, head to the bat group pages on the Bat Conservation Trust website: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groups. Their Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/ManxBatGroup/Join the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

Life as an Island Bat Group

Steve heads to the Churnet valley in north Staffordshire to join Staffordshire Bat Group members Helen Ball and David Nixon for the day. Helen explains how a colony of Brandt&apos;s bats in one of their bat box schemes (started by the Vincent Wildlife Trust) have become one of the main study subjects in their small Myotis bat project which is taking place across the Churnet valley. In the evening, Dave explains the aims of the advanced bat survey techniques they&apos;re using out in the field to help with the study and discusses an interesting finding they&apos;ve made where there appears to be no overlap between any Brandt&apos;s and Natterer&apos;s colonies within the valley woodlands.If you&apos;re interested in finding out more about the bat work taking place in the Midlands region, the biennial Midlands Regional Bat Conference is taking place on Saturday 28th March 2020, more info and booking here: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/conferences-symposia/english-regional-bat-conferences/midlands-bat-conferenceTake a look at the Staffordshire Bat Group website: http://www.staffordshirebats.btck.co.uk/To find YOUR local bat group: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groupsMake sure you&apos;re subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoDon't forget to leave us a 5* review on the Apple Podcasts App!Support the show (https://www.bats.org.uk/donate)

A Churnet Chiroptera Conundrum

BatChat is the Podcast from the Bat Conservation Trust. Designed for its members and the wider bat conservation community, it talks to the experts as well as local heroes to bring you the stories from the bat conservation movement. Series 1 will have episodes released every second Wednesday from this autumn all the way through to the spring of 2020.

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BatChat

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