AnnualReportfor2024Final2025 - Flipbook - Page 11
By 2030, VWT will have:
2
improved methods of bat conservation at a landscape scale,
including techniques for enhancing landscape permeability,
roosting opportunities and habitat for VWT priority bats.
Main achievements during 2024
A Involving local communities in the conservation
of barbastelle bats in Pembrokeshire in Wales
B Increasing resilience in the landscape
for horseshoe bats through the
Horseshoes Heading East Project
Photo: Barbastelle ©Daniel Hargreaves
A Vincent Wildlife Trust is a core partner in Natur am
Byth! and is taking the lead in the conservation efforts
for barbastelle bats in Pembrokeshire. The Barbastelle
Conservation Project is training volunteers from local
communities in acoustic surveying to help identify
new colonies of barbastelles in local woodlands. Data
obtained through volunteer engagement, combined with
the spatial modelling technique Circuitscape, is locating
key places for action on the ground, which helps us to
highlight important areas for appropriate woodland
management. It also helps to locate sites where we can
enhance roosting habitat and improve connectivity in
the wider landscape.
During 2024 the project recorded more than 100 new
acoustic records for barbastelles in Pembrokeshire on
a total of 12 woodland sites. In addition, we created new
roost sites using a combination of tree veteranisation
techniques to create immediate and future roosts.
The Project Of昀椀cer worked with local college
students to build 30 barbastelle bat boxes to install
in local woodlands, and the team is also working
with stakeholders across Pembrokeshire to identify
woodlands for barbastelles and provide advice and
training on woodland management.
B Following our success in purchasing and renovating
a derelict barn in Sussex, we wanted to ensure that
the species recovery was not solely focused on a single
roost. Working with local partners, we identi昀椀ed other
sites that could be optimised for greater horseshoe
bats. Using a grant from Natural England’s Species
Recovery Programme, our project — Horseshoes
Heading East — has made good progress during 2024.
For example, we completed work on improving and
creating hibernation sites at Arundel and a new summer
roost at Goodwood, with another planned for Petworth.
In addition, we have improved and monitored other
key greater horseshoe bat sites in Sussex by providing
roosting materials and installing passive acoustic
monitors. The work at these sites will create a network
of sites for bats to use year-round and increase
resilience in the landscape. With our partners, we
will continue to monitor these sites and support the
recovery of greater horseshoe bats in SE England.
Vincent Wildlife Trust Annual Report and Financial Statements 2024 11
