Bat Out Of Bellevue Hill

Worth two in the barn…

atest press release from Delgany’s Understory, issued on Thursday, July 13th 2023…

Today, Wicklow environmental group Understory announced the launch of the Joy of Bats project.

An acoustic survey of Irish bats and a bat tree roost potential survey in Delgany and Greystones, the projects are led by Alex Konieczka (BSc Environmental Science) from Understory in partnership with Greystones TidyTowns and Delgany TidyTowns.

Local residents are invited to join for the opportunity to:
⦿ Learn bat surveying and fieldwork skills
⦿ Explore the bat roost potential of trees
⦿ Contribute to science
⦿ Influence decision-making in Delgany and Greystones

This milestone is a major positive step for Understory on its mission to promote nature connection and encourage greater engagement by society in biodiversity action.

“This is a brilliant opportunity for all of us to better understand just how much bat diversity we have around us. I’m ecstatic to have been selected by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to lead this project and raise awareness about these fascinating animals”, says Alex Konieczka, Understory founder.

“We’re so thrilled to support the Joy of Bats Project,” adds Adam Calihman, Greystones Tidy Towns vice-chair and biodiversity lead.

Batstreet Boys…

“It matches the aims of Greystones TidyTowns to deliver awareness raising and educational activities, encourage conservation of heritage and promote active citizenship.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to engage in citizen science and help shape the future for biodiversity in the area.

“We hope that the project will provide up to date information on the presence and diversity of bats in Delgany and Greystones. These areas are highly attractive to investors and developers with several planning applications being submitted annually.”

Both Delgany and Greystones are heritage towns with Architectural Conservation Areas and multiple historical and biodiverse sites that are likely to be of significance to bats, modification to local heritage may result in knock-on impacts on bat roosting and overall ecosystem health.

The Joy of Bats project aims to provide this vital information, which will help to inform decision-making, conservation and mitigation strategies such as creation of feeding and roosting sites, and could lead to targeted surveying of specific locations identified as significant.

Whether you hate midges (which bats eat), care about local heritage, find bats cute or simply care about ecosystem health and biodiversity, consider joining the project as a citizen scientist.

To learn more and sign up to The Joy of Bats project, click here, or come along to Understory’s info stand at the Plaza market on Sunday, July 16th.