Funding Granted For Bats In Churches Project

The Bats in Churches project, which is being led by Natural England, has received a £3.8 million funding boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Under the initiative, Natural England will be helping the churches in the UK to manage bat roosts and to ensure that the bats are protected, as well as the historic buildings in which they live.

Announcing the funding for the scheme, Natural England noted that although the majority of church communities are able to live in harmony with their resident bats, in some instances these tiny winged creatures are causing damage to church monuments and memorials.

The project will work to find practical solutions to help the 102 most severely affected churches reduce the impact their bats are having, without causing any harm to these protected animals, as well as train volunteers in local communities how to survey bats and provide support to their local church communities.

Kit Stoner, chief executive at the Bat Conservation Trust, said that the new funding was very welcome.

“This means we can build on the collaborative and innovative approach we have taken so far in finding sustainable ways to support churches with large bat roosts in a way that will benefit bats and people,” he stated.

According to the BatConservation Trust, there are 18 species of bat found in the UK, 17 of which breed here. Among them are the lesser and greater horseshoe bat, barbastelle bat, common pipistrelle bat and noctule bat.

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