Reinstate bat roosts in felled tree trunks

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

35%
Certainty

10%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

If bat roosts are discovered in trees after felling, it may be possible to reinstate the felled tree trunk. However, this should be considered as a last resort, and original roost trees should be protected. See ‘Retain veteran and standing dead trees as roosting sites for bats’ and ‘Protect roost trees during forest operations’.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of reinstating a bat roost within a felled tree trunk on bat populations. The study was in the UK.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)

Use (1 study): One before-and-after study in the UK found that a roost reinstated by attaching the felled tree trunk to a nearby tree continued to be used by common noctule bats as a maternity roost.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A before-and-after study in 2009–2013 in a broadleaf woodland in Milton Keynes, UK (Damant & Dickens 2013) found that a roost reinstated by attaching the felled tree trunk to a nearby tree continued to be used by common noctule bats Nyctalus noctula as a maternity roost. A similar number of bats used the roost before (47–75 bats) and after (37–46 bats) felling and reinstatement of the roost, although no statistical tests were carried out. The roost was in an ash Fraxinus excelsior tree within a 23-ha ancient semi-natural woodland. The tree was accidentally felled in December 2011. The tree trunk was reinstated within five days of felling by attaching it to a nearby tree using 19 mm steel banding and rubber straps. The access points were orientated to recreate their original positions prior to felling. A replacement top was constructed from ash wood to shelter the roost. The reinstated section and top were 3.4 m high x 0.5 m wide. Emergence counts were carried out at the roost twice in 2010 before felling and once/year in 2012 and 2013 after reinstatement.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Damant C.J. & Dickins E.L. (2013) Rapid response mitigation to noctule Nyctalus noctula roost damage, Buckinghamshire, UK. Conservation Evidence, 10, 93-94.

Please cite as:

Berthinussen, A., Richardson O.C. and Altringham J.D. (2021) Bat Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions. Conservation Evidence Series Synopses. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bat Conservation

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