This book has been published by the English Heritage, National Trust, and Natural England and is intended to provide guidance on the practicalities of carrying out building work when bats or their roosts are present. The holes, crevices and neglected spaces of traditional buildings offer an attractive shelter to bats, which are themselves 'traditionalists', returning to the same roosts all their lives. Building professionals and owners or managers of traditional buildings are very likely to encounter bats, which enjoy a high level of protection in law. This manual provides advice on:
the statutory legislation which protects buildings and bats
the characteristic habits of bats
the building works that typically affect bats and their roosts
the techniques of managing such work and avoiding infringements
who to turn to for advice and sources of further information
The manual takes in all stages including a summary of the legislation which currently applies to bats, their roosts, and listed buildings and scheduled monuments. It covers planning the work, bat indications and surveys, building work and sharing space with bats.